--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Instead of trying to change people, we…" description: "\"Instead of trying to change people, we could change the world.\" — Bjarke Ingels" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/bjarke-ingels-15759_change_instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-co_1094307.jpg" --- # Instead of trying to change people, we could change the… ![“Instead of trying to change people, we could change the world.” quote by Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/bjarke-ingels-15759_change_instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-co_1094307.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/bjarke-ingels-15759_change_instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-co_1094307.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/bjarke-ingels-15759_change_instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-co_1094307.jpg) > “Instead of trying to change people, we could change the world.” [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Instead of trying to change individuals, focus on systemic change to achieve broader impact. **In simple terms:** Change systems, not just people. Key Takeaway Prioritize societal reforms. Themes systemic change society impact Mood inspirational forwardlooking Type speech philosophical When to use this quote - community development - environmental action Key Concepts urban planning policy reform Questions to Reflect On - What systems need reform now? - How can you influence systemic change? A Different Perspective Changing people can be necessary for cultural shift. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-change/) [Trying to change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-to-change/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“It's not about trying to change the world, it's about trying not to be changed by it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-about-trying-to-change-the-world-it-s-about-trying-not-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Those that can't change even their toothbrush and pyjamas are trying to change the world! Let us be serious!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/those-that-can-t-change-even-their-toothbrush-and-pyjamas-are-trying/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Since the beginning of time, people have been trying to change the world so that they can be happy. This hasn’t ever worked, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/since-the-beginning-of-time-people-have-been-trying-to-change-the/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [“It's Not about trying to change the world, i'ts about trying not to be changed by it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights-poxlieter/it-s-not-about-trying-to-change-the-world-i-ts-about-trying-not-to-be/) LIGHTS Poxlieter > [In my theater, I'm not trying to change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/in-my-theater-i-m-not-trying-to-change-the-world/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [You're better equipped for this world than I am," she said. "I'm always trying to change the world. You know how to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/you-re-better-equipped-for-this-world-than-i-am-she-said-i-m-always/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [It seems to me that people cannot be divided into two groups on the basis of whether or not they are attempting to change,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-coudert/it-seems-to-me-that-people-cannot-be-divided-into-two-groups-on-the/) [Jo Coudert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-coudert/) > [I can't change everything by myself but I can be one of the people who are trying to change the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/i-can-t-change-everything-by-myself-but-i-can-be-one-of-the-people/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [If you're trying to change yourself, the people who hold you back the most are actually your friends. Once you change, you'll see who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/if-you-re-trying-to-change-yourself-the-people-who-hold-you-back-the/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [“Were we all like that? Were we all trying to change how we looked on the outside to match how we felt on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-castellucci/were-we-all-like-that-were-we-all-trying-to-change-how-we-looked-on/) [Cecil Castellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-castellucci/) > [“I'll never give up being into trying to change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-p-orridge/i-ll-never-give-up-being-into-trying-to-change-the-world/) [Genesis P-Orridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-p-orridge/) > [Trying to change the world is like trying to straighten the curly tail of a dog. Try as you might, it will still go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/trying-to-change-the-world-is-like-trying-to-straighten-the-curly/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [Stop trying to change the world since it is only the mirror. Man’s attempt to change the world by force is as fruitless as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-goddard/stop-trying-to-change-the-world-since-it-is-only-the-mirror-man-s/) [Neville Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-goddard/) > [I don't know what people think they're trying to do with literary novels, but they're trying to do something. They're trying to change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-see/i-don-t-know-what-people-think-they-re-trying-to-do-with-literary/) [Carolyn See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-see/) > [Everything I've done hasn't worked out - you know, some things aren't as great as others - but I'm having so much fun, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/everything-i-ve-done-hasn-t-worked-out-you-know-some-things-aren-t-as/) [Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/) ## More by Bjarke Ingels > [People outside the profession of architecture perhaps often lack the understanding of how their physical environment comes into being. What are the processes, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/people-outside-the-profession-of-architecture-perhaps-often-lack-the/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [I really focus on the ball, I really focus on the work, and I really focus on creating all the growth opportunities for anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/i-really-focus-on-the-ball-i-really-focus-on-the-work-and-i-really/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [When I moved to America, everybody was asking, 'Why the hell are you going to America? It's over; you should be going east.' But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/when-i-moved-to-america-everybody-was-asking-why-the-hell-are-you/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [Architecture is restricted to such a limited vocabulary. A building is either a high-rise or a perimeter block or a town house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/architecture-is-restricted-to-such-a-limited-vocabulary-a-building-is/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [Today, we have sophisticated building technology: we can calculate and simulate the environments and performance of the building, the thermal exposure of envelop, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/today-we-have-sophisticated-building-technology-we-can-calculate-and/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [I think the biggest backhanded criticism-compliment I get is that I'm 'good at communicating.' Which implies that you're bad at doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/i-think-the-biggest-backhanded-criticism-compliment-i-get-is-that-i-m/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [All evidence shows that we are actually getting smarter. Roughly we are getting 10 IQ points smarter every decade. The speed of innovation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/all-evidence-shows-that-we-are-actually-getting-smarter-roughly-we/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [It's legendary how architectural lectures can be incredibly boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/it-s-legendary-how-architectural-lectures-can-be-incredibly-boring/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [I wanted to be a cartoonist, but there was no cartoon academy. So I enrolled in the Royal Danish Art Academy School of Architecture.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/i-wanted-to-be-a-cartoonist-but-there-was-no-cartoon-academy-so-i/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [Maybe our work appeals to some people more than others. But the opportunities that I present to my colleagues are completely uninfluenced by gender,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/maybe-our-work-appeals-to-some-people-more-than-others-but-the/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [My drawing skills probably froze around when I was 18... Now I'm more interested in the story, how the drawings, the layout can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/my-drawing-skills-probably-froze-around-when-i-was-18-now-i-m-more/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [I think if I would have started BIG in America, I would probably never have called it BIG. There was nothing but a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/i-think-if-i-would-have-started-big-in-america-i-would-probably-never/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [A kid in Minecraft can build a world and inhabit it through play. We have the possibility to build the world that we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/a-kid-in-minecraft-can-build-a-world-and-inhabit-it-through-play-we/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [The one thing all humans share is that we all inhabit the same limited amount of real estate, which is Planet Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/the-one-thing-all-humans-share-is-that-we-all-inhabit-the-same/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) > [We can engineer a building and design a building with least reliance on active machinery to make it inhabitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/we-can-engineer-a-building-and-design-a-building-with-least-reliance/) [Bjarke Ingels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) [Explore all 42 Bjarke Ingels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/) ## 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": "Instead of trying to change people, we could change the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bjarke Ingels" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-could-change-the-world/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-could-change-the-world/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/bjarke-ingels-15759_change_instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-co_1094307.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/bjarke-ingels-15759_change_instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-co_1094307.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/bjarke-ingels-15759_change_instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-co_1094307.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Instead of trying to change people, we could change the world.” — Bjarke Ingels", "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": "Bjarke Ingels", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarke-ingels/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Instead of trying to change people,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-could-change-the-world/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarke-ingels/instead-of-trying-to-change-people-we-could-change-the-world/#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 } } ] } ```