--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But where shall I start? The world is so…" description: "\"“But where shall I start? The world is so vast, I shall start with the country I know best, my own. But my country is so very large, I had better start..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/elie-wiesel-341_change_but-where-shall-i-start-the-world-is-so_1540920.png" --- # But where shall I start? The world is so vast, I shall… ![“But where shall I start? The world is so vast, I shall start with the country I know best, my own. But my country is so very large, I had better start with my town. But my town, too, is large. I had best start with my street. No, my home. No, my family. Never mind, I shall start with myself.” quote by Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/elie-wiesel-341_change_but-where-shall-i-start-the-world-is-so_1540920.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/elie-wiesel-341_change_but-where-shall-i-start-the-world-is-so_1540920.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/elie-wiesel-341_change_but-where-shall-i-start-the-world-is-so_1540920.png) > ““But where shall I start? The world is so vast, I shall start with the country I know best, my own. But my country is so very large, I had better start with my town. But my town, too, is large. I had best start with my street. No, my home. No, my family. Never mind, I shall start with myself.”” [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that personal change must begin with self-improvement before tackling larger societal issues. **In simple terms:** Start with yourself before trying to change the world. Key Takeaway Focus on self-growth first. Themes self-improvement personal responsibility change Mood reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - community activism - leadership - education - family dynamics Key Concepts human nature agency incremental progress Questions to Reflect On - What personal habit will you change today? - How does self-awareness affect broader impact? A Different Perspective Self-improvement alone may not address systemic problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) ## Related quotes > [But where was I to start? The world is so vast, I shall start with the country I knew best, my own. But my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/but-where-was-i-to-start-the-world-is-so-vast-i-shall-start-with-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“I shall start at the beginning. Though of course, the beginning is never where you think it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/i-shall-start-at-the-beginning-though-of-course-the-beginning-is/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [ My family helped start \[this country\], we've been in political life ... since the 1690s, and I have a very possessive sense about this country. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/my-family-helped-start-this-country-we-ve-been-in-political-life/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It was great starting in San Francisco. I really think it's is the best place to start in the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-kasher/it-was-great-starting-in-san-francisco-i-really-think-it-s-is-the/) [Moshe Kasher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-kasher/) > [You're always disappointed not to start for your country, but that's the gaffer's decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lingard/you-re-always-disappointed-not-to-start-for-your-country-but-that-s/) [Jesse Lingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lingard/) > [You know what this nation is? It's a disruptive start-up. 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I do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-word-palestine-always-brought-to-my-mind-a-vague-suggestion-of-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Britain is a very small country with a very large press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/britain-is-a-very-small-country-with-a-very-large-press/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [In a country this large and a language even larger ... there ought to be a living for somebody who cares and wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/in-a-country-this-large-and-a-language-even-larger-there-ought-to-be/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [There's a lot of anxiety about terrorism among the country at large. There's also a feeling the country has stagnated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/there-s-a-lot-of-anxiety-about-terrorism-among-the-country-at-large/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [“Probably no country has ever had as large a shift in the distribution of wealth \[as what we've seen in the U.S. in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-thurow/probably-no-country-has-ever-had-as-large-a-shift-in-the-distribution/) [Lester Thurow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-thurow/) > [Even though country is a large percentage of what I do. I don't want to get locked into just one area because I write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rabbitt/even-though-country-is-a-large-percentage-of-what-i-do-i-don-t-want/) [Eddie Rabbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rabbitt/) > [Israel is an independent country with a large army, and it has the ability to do what it thinks is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/israel-is-an-independent-country-with-a-large-army-and-it-has-the/) [Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/) > [Because it proves that you don't need much to change the entire world for the better. You can start with the most ordinary ingredients.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/because-it-proves-that-you-don-t-need-much-to-change-the-entire-world/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) ## More by Elie Wiesel > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [One more stab to the heart, one more reason to hate. One less reason to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/one-more-stab-to-the-heart-one-more-reason-to-hate-one-less-reason-to/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/what-all-these-victims-need-above-all-is-to-know-that-they-are-not/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I feel that books, just like people, have a destiny. Some invite sorrow, others joy, some both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-feel-that-books-just-like-people-have-a-destiny-some-invite-sorrow/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [ \[Chinese\] are a huge empire now, you'll soon be - in a few years two billion people in the world. So, you should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/chinese-are-a-huge-empire-now-you-ll-soon-be-in-a-few-years-two/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Did I write it so as not to go mad or, on the contrary, to go mad in order to understand the nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/did-i-write-it-so-as-not-to-go-mad-or-on-the-contrary-to-go-mad-in/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Take the story of Cain and Abel. Why were we given that story? Scientifically, you may have an explanation for it, but I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/take-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-why-were-we-given-that-story/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Mankind must remember that peace is not God's gift to his creatures; peace is our gift to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/mankind-must-remember-that-peace-is-not-god-s-gift-to-his-creatures/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [The world? The world is not interested in us. Today, everything is possible, even the crematoria...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/the-world-the-world-is-not-interested-in-us-today-everything-is/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [every question possessed a power that was lost in the answer . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/every-question-possessed-a-power-that-was-lost-in-the-answer/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I think this century more than any other really has seen the phenomenon of people being uprooted in such numbers, such a degree. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-think-this-century-more-than-any-other-really-has-seen-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [His cold eyes stared at me. At last, he said wearily: "I have more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He alone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/his-cold-eyes-stared-at-me-at-last-he-said-wearily-i-have-more-faith/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [As you know, I describe Shirat ha-Yam as part of an epic story that has qualities of history and which also has qualities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/as-you-know-i-describe-shirat-ha-yam-as-part-of-an-epic-story-that/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Every Jew, somewhere in his being, should set apart a zone of hate -healthy virile hate- for what the German personifies and for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/every-jew-somewhere-in-his-being-should-set-apart-a-zone-of-hate/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“Did hope help us to survive, or not? Too many families clung to it all through the war, thus falling into the enemy's trap.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/did-hope-help-us-to-survive-or-not-too-many-families-clung-to-it-all/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) [Explore all 662 Elie Wiesel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## 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": "“But where shall I start? 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