--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are the change we have been waiting for." description: "\"We are the change we have been waiting for.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/barack-obama-17_carpe_we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-f_968271.jpg" --- # We are the change we have been waiting for. ![“We are the change we have been waiting for.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/barack-obama-17_carpe_we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-f_968271.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/barack-obama-17_carpe_we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-f_968271.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/barack-obama-17_carpe_we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-f_968271.jpg) > “We are the change we have been waiting for.” [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. Citizens must become the proactive agents of change they desire, not wait for others. **In simple terms:** We must be the change we seek. Key Takeaway Take initiative to shape society. Themes activism leadership citizen empowerment social change Mood inspirational motivational Type call‑to‑action philosophical When to use this quote - community projects - political participation - education reform Key Concepts civic engagement grassroots organizing Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take locally? - How can you inspire others to join? A Different Perspective Change requires collective effort, not just individuals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carpe/) [Carpe diem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carpe-diem/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-waiting-1841393/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) ## Related quotes > [Throughout history, the arts and humanities have helped men and women around the globe grapple with the most challenging questions and come to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/throughout-history-the-arts-and-humanities-have-helped-men-and-women/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It's time to come together. We all have the power to change, so what are we waiting for?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-arthus-bertrand/it-s-time-to-come-together-we-all-have-the-power-to-change-so-what/) [Yann Arthus-Bertrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-arthus-bertrand/) > [Don't ever change yourself for someone because someone out there is waiting for you just the way you are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-ever-change-yourself-for-someone-because-someone-out-there-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Working on being the change rather than waiting for it to happen- not always easy but worth trying..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/working-on-being-the-change-rather-than-waiting-for-it-to-happen-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are the change we're waiting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-are-the-change-we-re-waiting-for/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [If a man is to live, he must be all alive, body, soul, mind, heart, spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-a-man-is-to-live-he-must-be-all-alive-body-soul-mind-heart-spirit/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Seize the day, take hold of it, and make it whatever you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-sorensen/seize-the-day-take-hold-of-it-and-make-it-whatever-you-want/) [Jessica Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-sorensen/) > [Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/every-day-brings-a-chance-for-you-to-draw-in-a-breath-kick-off-your/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Eventually you realize that your whole life up to now has been preparation, and you begin to suspect that the rest might be preparation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/eventually-you-realize-that-your-whole-life-up-to-now-has-been/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/carpe-diem-rejoice-while-you-are-alive-enjoy-the-day-live-life-to-the/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [If you could travel back in time to the present moment, what would you do differently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/if-you-could-travel-back-in-time-to-the-present-moment-what-would-you/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Each of us is the only person who can give the other what each of us wants to have: Peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ugo-betti/each-of-us-is-the-only-person-who-can-give-the-other-what-each-of-us/) [Ugo Betti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ugo-betti/) > [I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-always-thought-the-idea-of-education-was-to-learn-to-think-for/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Creativity represents a miraculous coming together of the uninhibited energy of the child with its apparent opposite and enemy, the sense of order imposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-podhoretz/creativity-represents-a-miraculous-coming-together-of-the-uninhibited/) [Norman Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-podhoretz/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) ## 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 Carpe quotes > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Creativity represents a miraculous coming together of the uninhibited energy of the child with its apparent opposite and enemy, the sense of order imposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-podhoretz/creativity-represents-a-miraculous-coming-together-of-the-uninhibited/) [Norman Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-podhoretz/) > [I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-always-thought-the-idea-of-education-was-to-learn-to-think-for/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Each of us is the only person who can give the other what each of us wants to have: Peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ugo-betti/each-of-us-is-the-only-person-who-can-give-the-other-what-each-of-us/) [Ugo Betti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ugo-betti/) > [If you could travel back in time to the present moment, what would you do differently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/if-you-could-travel-back-in-time-to-the-present-moment-what-would-you/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [At least I carpe'd that one diem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/at-least-i-carpe-d-that-one-diem/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/carpe-diem-rejoice-while-you-are-alive-enjoy-the-day-live-life-to-the/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Eventually you realize that your whole life up to now has been preparation, and you begin to suspect that the rest might be preparation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/eventually-you-realize-that-your-whole-life-up-to-now-has-been/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/every-day-brings-a-chance-for-you-to-draw-in-a-breath-kick-off-your/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Seize the day, take hold of it, and make it whatever you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-sorensen/seize-the-day-take-hold-of-it-and-make-it-whatever-you-want/) [Jessica Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-sorensen/) > [If a man is to live, he must be all alive, body, soul, mind, heart, spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-a-man-is-to-live-he-must-be-all-alive-body-soul-mind-heart-spirit/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [These are the times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/these-are-the-times-in-which-a-genius-would-wish-to-live-it-is-not-in/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Above all you must illumine your own soul with its profundities and its shallows, and its vanities and its generosities, and say what your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/above-all-you-must-illumine-your-own-soul-with-its-profundities-and/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The artist has a special task and duty... reminding people of their humanity and the promise of their creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/the-artist-has-a-special-task-and-duty-reminding-people-of-their/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [I want to take my rightful share of life by force, I want to give lavishly, I want love to flow from my heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tayeb-salih/i-want-to-take-my-rightful-share-of-life-by-force-i-want-to-give/) [Tayeb Salih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tayeb-salih/) [Browse all 158 Carpe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carpe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are the change we have been waiting for.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Carpe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/barack-obama-17_carpe_we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-f_968271.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/barack-obama-17_carpe_we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-f_968271.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/520/barack-obama-17_carpe_we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-f_968271.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are the change we have been waiting for.” — 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": "We are the change we have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-are-the-change-we-have-been-waiting-for/#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 } } ] } ```