--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in college, I wanted to be…" description: "\"When I was in college, I wanted to be involved in things that would change the world.\" — Elon Musk" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/elon-musk-1138_change_when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-inv_794368.jpg" --- # When I was in college, I wanted to be involved in things… ![“When I was in college, I wanted to be involved in things that would change the world.” quote by Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/elon-musk-1138_change_when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-inv_794368.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/elon-musk-1138_change_when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-inv_794368.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/elon-musk-1138_change_when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-inv_794368.jpg) > “When I was in college, I wanted to be involved in things that would change the world.” [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on youthful ambition to impact the world, emphasizing the drive for meaningful contribution. **In simple terms:** He wanted to change the world during college. Key Takeaway Pursue big, purposeful goals early. Themes ambition change impact youth vision Mood optimistic driven Type aspirational motivational When to use this quote - startup pitch - student project - activism - career planning Key Concepts entrepreneurship social innovation purpose Questions to Reflect On - What world‑changing problem excites you? - How can you turn vision into actionable steps? A Different Perspective Idealism can clash with practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Changing the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-the-world/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Teen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teen/) [Things change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-change/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I wanted to go to a liberal arts college, I wanted to have that experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-wanted-to-go-to-a-liberal-arts-college-i-wanted-to-have-that/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I was in my first year of college and wanted to be an anchorwoman for ESPN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-kelly/i-was-in-my-first-year-of-college-and-wanted-to-be-an-anchorwoman-for/) [Kelly Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-kelly/) > [I studied performing arts at college and wanted to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-flack/i-studied-performing-arts-at-college-and-wanted-to-act/) [Caroline Flack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-flack/) > [I made a naive decision, and I joined the Navy. I figured I would use the G.I. Bill to pay for any college I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-ross/i-made-a-naive-decision-and-i-joined-the-navy-i-figured-i-would-use/) [Angelica Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-ross/) > [When I went to college, I wasn't really happy at there, and I really wanted to come home. Mind you, I auditioned for 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanice-williams/when-i-went-to-college-i-wasn-t-really-happy-at-there-and-i-really/) [Shanice Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shanice-williams/) > [I had kind of left college. I wanted to study to be a sports teacher, but I had that little inner voice within me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alesha-dixon/i-had-kind-of-left-college-i-wanted-to-study-to-be-a-sports-teacher/) [Alesha Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alesha-dixon/) > [When I decided that I wanted to go to college, I wanted to be a school teacher for 7th and 8th grade boys because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/when-i-decided-that-i-wanted-to-go-to-college-i-wanted-to-be-a-school/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [After finishing my college, I wanted to do something related to the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishita-dutta/after-finishing-my-college-i-wanted-to-do-something-related-to-the/) [Ishita Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishita-dutta/) > [I didn't want to go to college. I wanted to move to Los Angeles right out of high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-fischer/i-didn-t-want-to-go-to-college-i-wanted-to-move-to-los-angeles-right/) [Jenna Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-fischer/) > [It's all about music, because music is basically what's... been my avenue out of maybe being involved in things I shouldn't be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pitbull/it-s-all-about-music-because-music-is-basically-what-s-been-my-avenue/) [Pitbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pitbull/) > [I think that what trips up a lot of great musicians is that they become involved with too many things that aren't where their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-think-that-what-trips-up-a-lot-of-great-musicians-is-that-they/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [Composing for movies is not an easy job - its a different art altogether, and moreover, I don't want to get involved in too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivamani/composing-for-movies-is-not-an-easy-job-its-a-different-art/) [Sivamani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivamani/) > [I don't like to get involved in things that I am not familiar with. I'm kind of a hands-on type of person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-don-t-like-to-get-involved-in-things-that-i-am-not-familiar-with-i/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Charlene has a very strong personality and I have no doubt of her desire to get involved in things alongside me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/charlene-has-a-very-strong-personality-and-i-have-no-doubt-of-her/) [Albert II, Prince of Monaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/) > [Sometimes one can be so closely involved with things that the larger context is lost to view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ferneyhough/sometimes-one-can-be-so-closely-involved-with-things-that-the-larger/) [Brian Ferneyhough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ferneyhough/) ## More by Elon Musk > [Nobody wants to buy a $60,000 electric Civic. But people will pay $90,000 for an electric sports car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/nobody-wants-to-buy-a-60-000-electric-civic-but-people-will-pay-90/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it's probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-think-we-should-be-very-careful-about-artificial-intelligence-if-i/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Most people can learn a lot more than they think they can. They sell themselves short without trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/most-people-can-learn-a-lot-more-than-they-think-they-can-they-sell/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Some companies out there quote a start of production that is substantially in advance of when customers get their cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/some-companies-out-there-quote-a-start-of-production-that-is/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [A company is a group organized to create a product or service, and it is only as good as its people and how excited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/a-company-is-a-group-organized-to-create-a-product-or-service-and-it/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I'm glad to see that BMW is bringing an electric car to market. That's cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-m-glad-to-see-that-bmw-is-bringing-an-electric-car-to-market-that-s/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [When we got Tesla going at the very beginning, if you asked me what I thought the odds of success were, I would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-we-got-tesla-going-at-the-very-beginning-if-you-asked-me-what-i/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [If we drive down the cost of transportation in space, we can do great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/if-we-drive-down-the-cost-of-transportation-in-space-we-can-do-great/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [In order for us to have a future that's exciting and inspiring, it has to be one where we're a space-bearing civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/in-order-for-us-to-have-a-future-that-s-exciting-and-inspiring-it-has/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [The lessons of history would suggest that civilisations move in cycles. You can track that back quite far - the Babylonians, the Sumerians, followed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-lessons-of-history-would-suggest-that-civilisations-move-in/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [The value of beauty and inspiration is very much underrated, no question. But I want to be clear: I'm not trying to be anyone's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-value-of-beauty-and-inspiration-is-very-much-underrated-no/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [If something's important enough, you should try. Even if - the probable outcome is failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/if-something-s-important-enough-you-should-try-even-if-the-probable/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [You should be innovating so fast that you're invalidating your prior patents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/you-should-be-innovating-so-fast-that-you-re-invalidating-your-prior/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I could either watch it happen or be a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-could-either-watch-it-happen-or-be-a-part-of-it/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [I'm anti-tax, but I'm pro-carbon tax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-m-anti-tax-but-i-m-pro-carbon-tax/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) [Explore all 284 Elon Musk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) ## 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": "When I was in college, I wanted to be involved in things that would change the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elon Musk" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-involved-in-things-that-would/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-involved-in-things-that-would/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/elon-musk-1138_change_when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-inv_794368.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/elon-musk-1138_change_when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-inv_794368.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/elon-musk-1138_change_when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-inv_794368.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was in college, I wanted to be involved in things that would change the world.” — Elon Musk", "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": "Elon Musk", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was in college, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-involved-in-things-that-would/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/when-i-was-in-college-i-wanted-to-be-involved-in-things-that-would/#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 } } ] } ```