--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that it is in my power to…" description: "\"I believe that it is in my power to elevate myself this very hour above the common level of my life.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/henry-david-thoreau-20_believe_i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elev_1561178.jpg" --- # I believe that it is in my power to elevate myself this… ![“I believe that it is in my power to elevate myself this very hour above the common level of my life.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/henry-david-thoreau-20_believe_i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elev_1561178.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/henry-david-thoreau-20_believe_i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elev_1561178.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/henry-david-thoreau-20_believe_i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elev_1561178.jpg) > “I believe that it is in my power to elevate myself this very hour above the common level of my life.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑elevation is possible through immediate, conscious effort, transcending ordinary life. **In simple terms:** You can lift yourself above mediocrity now. Key Takeaway Take deliberate steps to improve your condition. Themes self‑improvement mindfulness agency Mood inspirational determined Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - meditation - education - career advancement - creative work - health routines Key Concepts personal growth philosophy self‑determination inner strength Questions to Reflect On - What immediate actions can you take? - How do you sustain higher standards? A Different Perspective External circumstances may limit change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-power/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Elevate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elevate/) [Elevate Hour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elevate-hour-4124959/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Level Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level-life-3305755/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Elevate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-elevate-2052987/) ## Related quotes > [There are old heads in the world who cannot help me by their example or advice to live worthily and satisfactorily to myself; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-are-old-heads-in-the-world-who-cannot-help-me-by-their-example/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In every organization, there are many people, from senior leaders to first-time managers, who have the power to elevate women in the workplace. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wojcicki/in-every-organization-there-are-many-people-from-senior-leaders-to/) [Susan Wojcicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wojcicki/) > [There is some level on which this life must occasionally become repugnant and unappetizing to you and you must step back from it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-patrick-shanley/there-is-some-level-on-which-this-life-must-occasionally-become/) [John Patrick Shanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-patrick-shanley/) > [Water always seeks the easiest path, the common level of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/water-always-seeks-the-easiest-path-the-common-level-of-life/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Indian cricket fans are manic-depressive in their treatment of their favorite teams. They elevate players to god-like status when their team performs well, ignoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghuram-rajan/indian-cricket-fans-are-manic-depressive-in-their-treatment-of-their/) [Raghuram Rajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghuram-rajan/) > [There are sections of the film that I don't love. There are moments that really lift and elevate, and then there are parts that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hedges/there-are-sections-of-the-film-that-i-don-t-love-there-are-moments/) [Peter Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hedges/) > [Great sauces are like an insurance policy for venison roasts, which can easily overcook or dry out. 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Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [The greatest gift that an actor can have is good scripts because then you're relieved of the responsibility of trying to elevate the material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holt-mccallany/the-greatest-gift-that-an-actor-can-have-is-good-scripts-because-then/) [Holt McCallany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holt-mccallany/) > [Elevate the humble sausage casserole to a new level by adding some Worcestershire sauce, some Muscovado sugar, mixed herbs and some red wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-myers/elevate-the-humble-sausage-casserole-to-a-new-level-by-adding-some/) [Dave Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-myers/) > [We're often accused of trying to manipulate opinion or that we're trying to elevate society. I think that the greatest thing we can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-devlin/we-re-often-accused-of-trying-to-manipulate-opinion-or-that-we-re/) [Dean Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-devlin/) > [My goal is to elevate the whole casual end of the guy's wardrobe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bastian/my-goal-is-to-elevate-the-whole-casual-end-of-the-guy-s-wardrobe/) [Michael Bastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bastian/) > [It's not about me, it's about you, the customer. And if I am effective in making what I do about you, and I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/it-s-not-about-me-it-s-about-you-the-customer-and-if-i-am-effective/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Believe 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. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [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/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe that it is in my power to elevate myself this very hour above the common level of my life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elevate-myself-this-very-hour/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elevate-myself-this-very-hour/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/henry-david-thoreau-20_believe_i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elev_1561178.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/henry-david-thoreau-20_believe_i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elev_1561178.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/henry-david-thoreau-20_believe_i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elev_1561178.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe that it is in my power to elevate myself this very hour above the common level of my life.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe that it is in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elevate-myself-this-very-hour/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-believe-that-it-is-in-my-power-to-elevate-myself-this-very-hour/#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 } } ] } ```