--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can control a man’s thinking you…" description: "\"“If you can control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his action.”\" — Ibram X. Kendi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/ibram-x-kendi-3080_quote_if-you-can-control-a-man-s-thinking-you_2086196.jpg" --- # If you can control a man’s thinking you do not have to… ![“If you can control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his action.” quote by Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/ibram-x-kendi-3080_quote_if-you-can-control-a-man-s-thinking-you_2086196.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/ibram-x-kendi-3080_quote_if-you-can-control-a-man-s-thinking-you_2086196.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/ibram-x-kendi-3080_quote_if-you-can-control-a-man-s-thinking-you_2086196.jpg) > ““If you can control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his action.”” [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Controlling thoughts eliminates the need to control actions, as mindset drives behavior. **In simple terms:** Mind control replaces behavior control. Key Takeaway Shape thoughts to guide actions. Themes power mindset control Mood analytical critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - political activism - leadership training Key Concepts cognitive psychology social influence Questions to Reflect On - How can we influence collective thinking? - What limits exist in thought control? A Different Perspective Thoughts can be resistant to change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. 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When you determine what a man shall think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/if-you-can-control-a-man-s-thinking-you-do-not-have-to-worry-about-3/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) > [“If you can control a man’s thinking, you don’t have to worry about his actions. 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Kendi > [“When men oppress their fellowmen, the oppressor ever finds, in the character of the oppressed, a full justification for his oppression.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/when-men-oppress-their-fellowmen-the-oppressor-ever-finds-in-the/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“assimilationists constantly encourage Black adoption of White cultural traits and/or physical ideals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/assimilationists-constantly-encourage-black-adoption-of-white/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“Enlightenment ideas gave legitimacy to this long-held racist “partiality,” the connection between lightness and Whiteness and reason, on the one hand, and between darkness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/enlightenment-ideas-gave-legitimacy-to-this-long-held-racist/) [Ibram X. 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Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“Racist intentions—not policies—became covert after the 1960s.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/racist-intentions-not-policies-became-covert-after-the-1960s/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“Donald Trump’s economic policies are geared toward enriching White male power—but at the expense of most of his White male followers, along with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/donald-trump-s-economic-policies-are-geared-toward-enriching-white/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“individualizing White negativity and generalizing Black negativity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/individualizing-white-negativity-and-generalizing-black-negativity/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“Racially discriminatory policies have usually sprung from economic, political, and cultural self-interests, self-interests that are constantly changing. Politicians seeking higher office have primarily created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/racially-discriminatory-policies-have-usually-sprung-from-economic/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“The vicious housing cycle had already begun. Racist policies harmed Black neighborhoods, generating racist ideas that caused people not to want to live next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/the-vicious-housing-cycle-had-already-begun-racist-policies-harmed/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“For Jefferson, power came before freedom. 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Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“Our education has filled us with strong prejudices against them,” Hopkins professed, “and led us to consider them, not as our brethren, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/our-education-has-filled-us-with-strong-prejudices-against-them/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) [Explore all 140 Ibram X. Kendi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) ## More Thinking quotes > [When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. 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If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I have three words for you," EMT Guy said. "Possible internal bleeding." I turned back to him. "Don't you think if I was bleeding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/i-have-three-words-for-you-emt-guy-said-possible-internal-bleeding-i/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. 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