--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't ask the world to change…you change…" description: "\"Don't ask the world to change…you change first.\" — Anthony de Mello" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/anthony-de-mello-1331_change_don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change_2835948.png" --- # Don't ask the world to change…you change first. ![“Don't ask the world to change…you change first.” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/anthony-de-mello-1331_change_don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change_2835948.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/anthony-de-mello-1331_change_don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change_2835948.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/anthony-de-mello-1331_change_don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change_2835948.png) > “Don't ask the world to change…you change first.” [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Change must start within oneself rather than expecting external transformation. **In simple terms:** Transform yourself first. Key Takeaway Begin personal change internally. Themes self‑growth change responsibility Mood reflective calm Type spiritual self‑help When to use this quote - personal development - spiritual practice - leadership training Key Concepts mindfulness inner work empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What internal shifts can you make? - How do you influence others after changing yourself? A Different Perspective External factors still matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not out to change the world. I'm out to change mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-white/i-m-not-out-to-change-the-world-i-m-out-to-change-mine/) Rodney White > [“One person cannot change the world, yet the world can change because of one person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-g-janovsky/one-person-cannot-change-the-world-yet-the-world-can-change-because/) Nicolas G. Janovsky > [Alack, this world Is full of change, change, change--nothing but change!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/alack-this-world-is-full-of-change-change-change-nothing-but-change/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [“Waiting on the world to change, or you change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azizi-ng/waiting-on-the-world-to-change-or-you-change-the-world/) [Azizi Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azizi-ng/) > [“The world is going to change, by default, but if you wait for the world to change you, the change will not be for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-hale/the-world-is-going-to-change-by-default-but-if-you-wait-for-the-world/) Phillip Hale > [“Don’t wait for the world to change. Change your mind about the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/don-t-wait-for-the-world-to-change-change-your-mind-about-the-world/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [You will find the whole world will change to you when you change your attitude toward it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/you-will-find-the-whole-world-will-change-to-you-when-you-change-your/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [ \[I am a co - creator\], an active agent in this universe who makes things happen. If I want the world to change, I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danah-zohar/i-am-a-co-creator-an-active-agent-in-this-universe-who-makes-things/) Danah Zohar > [If we want the world to change, we can change it. But in order to change it, the world collectively has to do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wunmi-mosaku/if-we-want-the-world-to-change-we-can-change-it-but-in-order-to/) [Wunmi Mosaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wunmi-mosaku/) > [“first be what you want others to! first change yourself to change the world! be the change!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutvimaheshwari/first-be-what-you-want-others-to-first-change-yourself-to-change-the/) Rutvimaheshwari > [I happen to believe the world will change only when we change ourselves. And that starts with finding ourselves: learning to quiet the clamor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/i-happen-to-believe-the-world-will-change-only-when-we-change/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [“It is not easy to watch the world change around you. To see an entire way of life change and change and change again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/it-is-not-easy-to-watch-the-world-change-around-you-to-see-an-entire/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [Let the world change you and you can change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-the-world-change-you-and-you-can-change-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Being noble enough is all we can ask for in this world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/being-noble-enough-is-all-we-can-ask-for-in-this-world/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [8. Dont ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-thurman/8-dont-ask-what-the-world-needs-ask-what-makes-you-come-alive-and-go/) [Howard Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-thurman/) ## More by Anthony de Mello > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You only change what you understand. What you do not understand and are not aware of, you repress. You dont change. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-only-change-what-you-understand-what-you-do-not-understand-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-arabs-say-the-nature-of-rain-is-the-same-but-it-makes-thorns/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Isn't there such a thing as social liberation?" "Of course there is," said the Master. "How would you describe it?" "Liberation from the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/isn-t-there-such-a-thing-as-social-liberation-of-course-there-is-said/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-increasingly-you-know-this-and-so-do-i-we-re-losing-the-youth/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Spirituality practiced in the state of activity is incomparably superior to that practiced in a state of withdrawel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/spirituality-practiced-in-the-state-of-activity-is-incomparably/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-know-all-mystics-catholic-christian-non-christian-no-matter-what/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. 'Obedience keeps the rules,' he would say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-were-rules-in-the-monastery-but-the-master-always-warned/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A disciple, in his reverence for the Master, looked upon him as God incarnate. "Tell me, O Master," he said, "why you have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-disciple-in-his-reverence-for-the-master-looked-upon-him-as-god/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“And how about you? Do you want to understand and play the game of life or fool around with miracles?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-how-about-you-do-you-want-to-understand-and-play-the-game-of-life/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-don-t-have-to-add-anything-in-order-to-be-happy-you-ve-got-to/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Rare indeed, is the relationship in which the other is not cultivated for what one can get for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/rare-indeed-is-the-relationship-in-which-the-other-is-not-cultivated/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) [Explore all 253 Anthony de Mello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't ask the world to change…you change first.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony de Mello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change-first/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change-first/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/anthony-de-mello-1331_change_don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change_2835948.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/anthony-de-mello-1331_change_don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change_2835948.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/anthony-de-mello-1331_change_don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change_2835948.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don't ask the world to change…you change first.” — Anthony de Mello", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anthony de Mello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Don't ask the world to change…you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change-first/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/don-t-ask-the-world-to-change-you-change-first/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```