--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first step toward change is…" description: "\"The first step toward change is awareness. If you want to get from where you are to where you want to be, you have to start by becoming aware of the ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/darren-hardy-1748_awareness_the-first-step-toward-change-is-awarenes_2602467.jpg" --- # The first step toward change is awareness. If you want to… ![“The first step toward change is awareness. If you want to get from where you are to where you want to be, you have to start by becoming aware of the choices that lead you away from your desired destination.” quote by Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/darren-hardy-1748_awareness_the-first-step-toward-change-is-awarenes_2602467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/darren-hardy-1748_awareness_the-first-step-toward-change-is-awarenes_2602467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/darren-hardy-1748_awareness_the-first-step-toward-change-is-awarenes_2602467.jpg) > “The first step toward change is awareness. If you want to get from where you are to where you want to be, you have to start by becoming aware of the choices that lead you away from your desired destination.” [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Change begins with awareness of choices that divert you from goals; recognizing them is the first step. **In simple terms:** Awareness precedes change. Key Takeaway Identify and adjust detrimental habits. Themes self‑improvement awareness change Mood motivational practical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - coaching sessions - daily journals - habit tracking apps - goal workshops Key Concepts behavioral economics goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to act on awareness? - How to sustain new habits? A Different Perspective Awareness alone doesn’t guarantee action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Awareness Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness-want-1266570/) [Be you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-you/) [Becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-awareness-1266571/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Destination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destination/) [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) [First steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-steps/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Step Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step-change-1890735/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Where you are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where-you-are/) ## Related quotes > [“Right this moment: Pick an area of your life where you most want to be successful. 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Consistency is important because you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hrithik-roshan/the-only-time-to-take-the-step-towards-change-is-now-even-if-they-re/) [Hrithik Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hrithik-roshan/) > [Resistance is the first step to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/resistance-is-the-first-step-to-change/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [I was slightly brain damaged at birth, and I want people like me to see that they shouldn't let a disability get in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-slightly-brain-damaged-at-birth-and-i-want-people-like-me-to/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [All of us must come to an honest, open self-examination, an awareness within as to who and what we want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-russell-ballard/all-of-us-must-come-to-an-honest-open-self-examination-an-awareness/) [M. Russell Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-russell-ballard/) > [“We can only change what we are willing to face and acknowledge - this is the first step in the change that will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-only-change-what-we-are-willing-to-face-and-acknowledge-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to change awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/i-want-to-change-awareness/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [The first element of change is awareness. You can’t change something unless you know it exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/the-first-element-of-change-is-awareness-you-can-t-change-something/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [“The first step towards change is awareness, the second step is acceptance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-brandon/the-first-step-towards-change-is-awareness-the-second-step-is/) [Nathaniel Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-brandon/) > [The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/the-first-step-toward-change-is-awareness-the-second-step-is/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/what-is-necessary-to-change-a-person-is-to-change-his-awareness-of/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Knowledge of any kind ... brings about a change in awareness from where it is possible to create new realities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/knowledge-of-any-kind-brings-about-a-change-in-awareness-from-where/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Acceptance is not a talent you either have or don't have. It's a learned response. My meditation teacher made a great point about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/acceptance-is-not-a-talent-you-either-have-or-don-t-have-it-s-a/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) ## More by Darren Hardy > [Become very conscious of every choice you make today so you can begin to make smarter choices moving forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/become-very-conscious-of-every-choice-you-make-today-so-you-can-begin/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [“Most people drift through life without devoting much conscious energy to figuring out specifically what they want and what they need to do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/most-people-drift-through-life-without-devoting-much-conscious-energy/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [“You cannot manage or improve something until you measure it. Likewise, you can’t make the most of who you are—your talents and resources and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/you-cannot-manage-or-improve-something-until-you-measure-it-likewise/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [“Right this moment: Pick an area of your life where you most want to be successful. Do you want more money in the bank?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/right-this-moment-pick-an-area-of-your-life-where-you-most-want-to-be/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [“Every incomplete promise, commitment, and agreement saps your strength because it blocks your momentum and inhibits your ability to move forward. 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It worked so well, in fact, that I’ve used it many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/this-tracking-exercise-changed-my-awareness-of-how-i-related-to-my/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [To achieve what you have not, you must become what you are not. You have to GROW into your goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/to-achieve-what-you-have-not-you-must-become-what-you-are-not-you/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [“Everyone is affected by three kinds of influences: input (what you feed your mind), associations (the people with whom you spend time), and environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/everyone-is-affected-by-three-kinds-of-influences-input-what-you-feed/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [“Determine the quality of life you want to have, and then surround yourself with the people who represent and support that vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/determine-the-quality-of-life-you-want-to-have-and-then-surround/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [Daily Mojo: Your main competitors are not others in your industry. Your main competitors are distractions. Don't let them beat you - stay focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/daily-mojo-your-main-competitors-are-not-others-in-your-industry-your/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [Luck is an equal opportunity distributor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/luck-is-an-equal-opportunity-distributor/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [If you truly want to be successful, spend less time following the lives of other people and more time leading your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/if-you-truly-want-to-be-successful-spend-less-time-following-the/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [Decide now that you are worthy of great wealth and it will be your first step toward great prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/decide-now-that-you-are-worthy-of-great-wealth-and-it-will-be-your/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) [Explore all 210 Darren Hardy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) ## More Awareness quotes > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. 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Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/) [Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/) > [I know the importance of highly trained awareness of the “moment” and the immediate and intuitive response of the photographer. It should be obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/i-know-the-importance-of-highly-trained-awareness-of-the-moment-and/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) > [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. You don't necessarily reach any conclusions, because wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-thing-about-living-alone-is-that-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-time-to/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [“It is not so much about fighting against the ego; it is more about harmonizing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/it-is-not-so-much-about-fighting-against-the-ego-it-is-more-about/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [I'm part of a team that raises millions of dollars and raises awareness of HIV and AIDS all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-evangelista/i-m-part-of-a-team-that-raises-millions-of-dollars-and-raises/) [Linda Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-evangelista/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. 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