--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Starting today, we must pick ourselves…" description: "\"“Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”b”\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/barack-obama-17_america_starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up_1898714.jpg" --- # Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves… ![“Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”b” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/barack-obama-17_america_starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up_1898714.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/barack-obama-17_america_starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up_1898714.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/barack-obama-17_america_starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up_1898714.jpg) > ““Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”b”” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Renewal requires personal resilience, collective effort, and a fresh vision for national progress. **In simple terms:** Pick yourself up and rebuild. Key Takeaway Take responsibility for personal and civic renewal. Themes resilience renewal civic duty Mood determined optimistic Type political motivational When to use this quote - community service - political activism - personal setbacks Key Concepts national identity social reform Questions to Reflect On - What steps will you take to contribute to renewal? - How can you inspire others to act? A Different Perspective Change can be hindered by entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin/) [Begin again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin-again/) [Begin Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin-work-292505/) [Dust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dust/) [Dust Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dust-begin-2787627/) [Inaugural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inaugural/) [Inaugural address](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inaugural-address/) [Picks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picks/) [Remaking America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remaking-america-445157/) [Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting/) [Starting today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-today/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/on-this-day-we-gather-because-we-have-chosen-hope-over-fear-unity-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“We must lift ourselves up, dust ourselfs off and begin the work of remaking America.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-must-lift-ourselves-up-dust-ourselfs-off-and-begin-the-work-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We will respond to the threat of climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-will-respond-to-the-threat-of-climate-change/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-the-people-still-believe-that-our-obligations-as-americans-are-not-2/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether government works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-question-we-ask-today-is-not-whether-our-government-is-too-big-or/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-the-people-still-believe-that-our-obligations-as-americans-are-not/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We have duties to others, and duties to ourselves, and we cannot shirk either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-have-duties-to-others-and-duties-to-ourselves-and-we-cannot-shirk/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-are-not-enemies-but-friends-we-must-not-be-enemies-though-passion/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [So let us begin anew -- remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/so-let-us-begin-anew-remembering-on-both-sides-that-civility-is-not-a/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I said in my inaugural address that I am not the Council's secretary, nor am I the Parliament's lackey. That can sometimes lead to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-said-in-my-inaugural-address-that-i-am-not-the-council-s-secretary/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-judgments-of-the-lord-are-true-and-righteous-altogether/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The famous passage from her book is often erroneously attributed to the inaugural address of Nelson Mandela. About the misattribution Williamson said, "Several years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-famous-passage-from-her-book-is-often-erroneously-attributed-to/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [ “You can't really move forward until you look back. \[From Remaking America panel discussion at George Washington University\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/you-can-t-really-move-forward-until-you-look-back-from-remaking/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The propitious smiles of Heaven, can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-propitious-smiles-of-heaven-can-never-be-expected-on-a-nation/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”b”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up-dust-ourselves-off-and-begin/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up-dust-ourselves-off-and-begin/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/barack-obama-17_america_starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up_1898714.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/barack-obama-17_america_starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up_1898714.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/barack-obama-17_america_starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up_1898714.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”b” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Starting today, we must pick ourselves...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up-dust-ourselves-off-and-begin/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/starting-today-we-must-pick-ourselves-up-dust-ourselves-off-and-begin/#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 } } ] } ```