--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What you do makes a difference, and you…" description: "\"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.\" — Jane Goodall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/jane-goodall-950_differences_what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-h_2069121.jpg" --- # What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide… ![“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” quote by Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/jane-goodall-950_differences_what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-h_2069121.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/jane-goodall-950_differences_what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-h_2069121.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/jane-goodall-950_differences_what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-h_2069121.jpg) > “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Individual actions matter; choose the kind of impact you wish to create. **In simple terms:** Your actions decide your impact. Key Takeaway Act intentionally for desired change. Themes environment responsibility choice Mood inspirational hopeful Type motivational ethical When to use this quote - volunteering - policy advocacy - education - community projects Key Concepts moral agency sustainability Questions to Reflect On - What difference do you want to make? - How can you align daily habits with that goal? A Different Perspective Impact can be limited by systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide/) [Decide Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide-kind-2019231/) [Difference Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-decide-2512831/) [Difference Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-want-461363/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Makes Difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-difference/) [Making a difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-difference/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [Xherdan Shaqiri is a player who can make the difference because he can decide games on his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottmar-hitzfeld/xherdan-shaqiri-is-a-player-who-can-make-the-difference-because-he/) [Ottmar Hitzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-hitzfeld/) > [“I had a millisecond to decide what kind of friend I wanted to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-abbott/i-had-a-millisecond-to-decide-what-kind-of-friend-i-wanted-to-be/) [Katrina Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-abbott/) > [“I had to decide on the kind of life I wanted to live and live it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-goldman/i-had-to-decide-on-the-kind-of-life-i-wanted-to-live-and-live-it/) [Ari Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-goldman/) > [It makes no difference where you go, there you are. And it makes no difference what you have, there’s always more to want. Until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/it-makes-no-difference-where-you-go-there-you-are-and-it-makes-no/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [You'd better make sure that you know you can make a difference, and if it's a difference you want to make, is there another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/you-d-better-make-sure-that-you-know-you-can-make-a-difference-and-if/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [With yourself, I think you have to decide the kind of person that you really want to be, and for me, it's just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/with-yourself-i-think-you-have-to-decide-the-kind-of-person-that-you/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Live deliberately. Decide: are you the kind of person things happen to, or the kind of person who makes things happen?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-owen/live-deliberately-decide-are-you-the-kind-of-person-things-happen-to/) [James A. Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-owen/) > [“You decide what kind future you want to have, because you’re the one who’ll have to live in it. Alone or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-alexander/you-decide-what-kind-future-you-want-to-have-because-you-re-the-one/) [R.G. Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-alexander/) > [You're not just anyone. One day, you're going to have to make a choice. 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When you wake up, you can't just wait to see what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/if-you-want-to-be-happy-you-have-to-be-happy-on-purpose-when-you-wake/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [If you create something that makes a difference in people's lives, you are likely to become a business success as well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/if-you-create-something-that-makes-a-difference-in-people-s-lives-you/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I think it really makes a difference when you know the people that you're working with, when you develop a relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-vega/i-think-it-really-makes-a-difference-when-you-know-the-people-that/) [Alexa Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-vega/) > [One person can make a difference. In fact, its not only possible for one person to make a difference, its essential that one person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-riley/one-person-can-make-a-difference-in-fact-its-not-only-possible-for/) [Bob Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-riley/) > [When the President starts talking about something, it makes a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/when-the-president-starts-talking-about-something-it-makes-a/) [Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/) ## More by Jane Goodall > [The voice of the natural world would be, "Could you please give us space and leave us alone to get along with our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/the-voice-of-the-natural-world-would-be-could-you-please-give-us/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [What makes us human, I think, is an ability to ask questions, a consequence of our sophisticated spoken language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-makes-us-human-i-think-is-an-ability-to-ask-questions-a/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutan shave been living for hundreds of thousands of years in their forest,living fantastic lives, never overpopulating, never destroying the forest. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/chimpanzees-gorillas-orangutan-shave-been-living-for-hundreds-of/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [I did this book 'Harvest for Hope,' and I learned so much about food. And one thing I learned is that we have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/i-did-this-book-harvest-for-hope-and-i-learned-so-much-about-food-and/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [From my perspective, I absolutely believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I have derived strength in moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/from-my-perspective-i-absolutely-believe-in-a-greater-spiritual-power/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [We are always talking about how we can get more environmental and humanitarian education. 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Then we somehow developed language, which meant cultural evolution could race so we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/we-started-off-with-physical-evolution-and-got-our-form-then-we/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [It was both fascinating and appalling to learn that chimpanzees were capable of hostile and territorial behavior that was not unlike certain forms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/it-was-both-fascinating-and-appalling-to-learn-that-chimpanzees-were/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [I wanted to talk to the animals like Dr. Dolittle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/i-wanted-to-talk-to-the-animals-like-dr-dolittle/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Some people say, therefore, that violence and war are inevitable. I say rubbish: Our brains are fully capable of controlling instinctive behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/some-people-say-therefore-that-violence-and-war-are-inevitable-i-say/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [It's been proven by quite a few studies that plants are good for our psychological development. If you green an area, the rate of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/it-s-been-proven-by-quite-a-few-studies-that-plants-are-good-for-our/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Having respect for animals makes us better humans..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/having-respect-for-animals-makes-us-better-humans/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [If we kill off the wild, then we are killing a part of our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/if-we-kill-off-the-wild-then-we-are-killing-a-part-of-our-souls/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“We still have a long way to go. But we are moving in the right direction. If only we can overcome cruelty, to human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/we-still-have-a-long-way-to-go-but-we-are-moving-in-the-right/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) [Explore all 321 Jane Goodall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) ## More Decide quotes > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [LOOK before you pick,DECIDE WELL before you choose,because these two things are very important in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/look-before-you-pick-decide-well-before-you-choose-because-these-two/) [Oluwatayo Oluwatoyosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/) > [Decisions decide destiny, there is no action without decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/decisions-decide-destiny-there-is-no-action-without-decision/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Do you keep pace with those around you, or do you decide yourself just how you will live your life? The truth is...only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/do-you-keep-pace-with-those-around-you-or-do-you-decide-yourself-just/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [All the people ought to decide, but now most states are tossed on the scrap heap and ignored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-anderson/all-the-people-ought-to-decide-but-now-most-states-are-tossed-on-the/) [John Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-anderson/) > [Fear is going to be a player in your life, but you get to decide how much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/fear-is-going-to-be-a-player-in-your-life-but-you-get-to-decide-how/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [We cant choose our lives, but we can decide what to do with the joys or griefs were given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-cant-choose-our-lives-but-we-can-decide-what-to-do-with-the-joys/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It’s as easy as we choose to make it,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to mine. “At least, this decision is. Nothing’s truly easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-s-as-easy-as-we-choose-to-make-it-he-murmured-pressing-his/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [What you believe in, is the life you decide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keshia-chante/what-you-believe-in-is-the-life-you-decide/) [Keshia Chante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keshia-chante/) > [Heart is decide u want in ur life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raajni/heart-is-decide-u-want-in-ur-life/) [Raajni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raajni/) > [I think hopefully we've got enough brain cells left to decide if our music is really worth something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-champion/i-think-hopefully-we-ve-got-enough-brain-cells-left-to-decide-if-our/) [Will Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-champion/) [Browse all 1,644 Decide quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jane Goodall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-have-to-decide-what-kind-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decide" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-have-to-decide-what-kind-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/jane-goodall-950_differences_what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-h_2069121.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/jane-goodall-950_differences_what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-h_2069121.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/jane-goodall-950_differences_what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-h_2069121.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall", "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": "Jane Goodall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What you do makes a difference,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-have-to-decide-what-kind-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-you-do-makes-a-difference-and-you-have-to-decide-what-kind-of/#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 } } ] } ```