--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you give up on trying to change larger…" description: "\"If you give up on trying to change larger structures and just go off on what some would say is a personal indulgence or being a survivalist, it can be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/david-holmgren-35112_acting_if-you-give-up-on-trying-to-change-large_2393384.jpg" --- # If you give up on trying to change larger structures and… ![“If you give up on trying to change larger structures and just go off on what some would say is a personal indulgence or being a survivalist, it can be seen as incredibly negative or pessimistic. But the other way to think of it is this: through manifesting the way we live and acting as if it's…” quote by David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/david-holmgren-35112_acting_if-you-give-up-on-trying-to-change-large_2393384.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/david-holmgren-35112_acting_if-you-give-up-on-trying-to-change-large_2393384.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/david-holmgren-35112_acting_if-you-give-up-on-trying-to-change-large_2393384.jpg) > “If you give up on trying to change larger structures and just go off on what some would say is a personal indulgence or being a survivalist, it can be seen as incredibly negative or pessimistic. But the other way to think of it is this: through manifesting the way we live and acting as if it's normal, you're defending yourself against depression and dysfunction, but you're also providing a model that others can copy. And that is absolutely about bringing large-scale change.” [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal lifestyle choices can act as a prototype for broader societal change, countering despair while modeling alternatives. **In simple terms:** Living differently can inspire larger change. Key Takeaway Use personal actions as a template for others. Themes sustainability individual agency social change mental health modeling behavior Mood hopeful determined pragmatic Type philosophical inspirational practical When to use this quote - urban gardening - community co-ops - minimalist living - self‑sufficiency - mental health coping Key Concepts Permaculture systems thinking behavioral modeling Questions to Reflect On - How can personal habits influence community norms? - What barriers prevent others from adopting your model? A Different Perspective May be dismissed as selfish or ineffective without broader outreach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Defending Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defending-yourself/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Manifesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manifesting/) [Pessimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimistic/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trying to change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-to-change/) ## Related quotes > [If you catch yourself in a cycle of trying to change someone, or defending yourself again someone who is trying to change you, walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-catch-yourself-in-a-cycle-of-trying-to-change-someone-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Negative and pessimistic views of technology have always existed. I can just imagine some pessimistic Sumerian in 3500 B.C. screaming about the evils of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gray-scott/negative-and-pessimistic-views-of-technology-have-always-existed-i/) [Gray Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gray-scott/) > [“A powerful spiritual practice is consciously to allow the diminishment of ego when it happens without attempting to restore it. I recommend that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/a-powerful-spiritual-practice-is-consciously-to-allow-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“golden opportunity to learn to cope with criticism and anger effectively. This came as a complete surprise to me; I hadn't realized what good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/golden-opportunity-to-learn-to-cope-with-criticism-and-anger/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [You will never be more than a common Christian until you give up your own interest and cease defending yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/you-will-never-be-more-than-a-common-christian-until-you-give-up-your/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“We cannot control the mind by trying to force it to be peaceful or positive. Many have attempted this using a plethora of methods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dines/we-cannot-control-the-mind-by-trying-to-force-it-to-be-peaceful-or/) [Christopher Dines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dines/) > [“Defending yourself is not the same as offending your enemy. Watch what you say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-chamberlin/defending-yourself-is-not-the-same-as-offending-your-enemy-watch-what/) [Holly Chamberlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-chamberlin/) > [She looks at me out of the side of her uncovered eye. "Chess, Zombie: defending yourself from the move that hasn't happened yet. Does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/she-looks-at-me-out-of-the-side-of-her-uncovered-eye-chess-zombie/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [You cannot win a battle in any arena merely by defending yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/you-cannot-win-a-battle-in-any-arena-merely-by-defending-yourself/) [Richard M. 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Stop defending yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/i-went-mad-before-he-did-you-killed-everything-in-me-kiss-me-will-you/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“I’d learned long ago you had to block out the rush of regrets that followed the adrenaline dip after a fight. Otherwise the loop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyxandra-harvey/i-d-learned-long-ago-you-had-to-block-out-the-rush-of-regrets-that/) [Alyxandra Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyxandra-harvey/) > [God doesnt try to change the situation because hes trying to change you not only you but god is trying to change your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/god-doesnt-try-to-change-the-situation-because-hes-trying-to-change/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) ## More by David Holmgren > [Traditional agriculture was labour intensive, industrial agriculture is energy intensive, and permaculture-designed systems are information and design intensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/traditional-agriculture-was-labour-intensive-industrial-agriculture/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [Some ideas need to be continually reinvented and rediscovered, particularly an idea like the omnipotence of humans. It takes a long time to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/some-ideas-need-to-be-continually-reinvented-and-rediscovered/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [Although it is tempting to think of these natural landscapes as reflecting a stability in climactic and geologic forces, long periods of climactic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/although-it-is-tempting-to-think-of-these-natural-landscapes-as/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [When we work with nature instead of trying to impose our will, the solution is often found within the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/when-we-work-with-nature-instead-of-trying-to-impose-our-will-the/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [It is not the project but the living process that will be the measure of our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/it-is-not-the-project-but-the-living-process-that-will-be-the-measure/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [The permaculture's whole principle of having to work with nature, rather than fight against it, is not just an ethical restraint. 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Without ongoing care and nurturing, there will be consequences too big to ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/the-earth-is-a-living-breathing-entity-without-ongoing-care-and/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [Consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/consciously-designed-landscapes-which-mimic-the-patterns-and/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) [Explore all 13 David Holmgren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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