--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's up to me to help change the world, I…" description: "\"It's up to me to help change the world, I cannot look at everybody else, I can only do what I can do.\" — Janelle Monae" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/janelle-monae-3903_change_it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i_449846.png" --- # It's up to me to help change the world, I cannot look at… ![“It's up to me to help change the world, I cannot look at everybody else, I can only do what I can do.” quote by Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/janelle-monae-3903_change_it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i_449846.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/janelle-monae-3903_change_it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i_449846.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/janelle-monae-3903_change_it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i_449846.png) > “It's up to me to help change the world, I cannot look at everybody else, I can only do what I can do.” [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal responsibility to act, while recognizing limits of influencing others. **In simple terms:** Help the world, act within your capacity. Key Takeaway Act locally, think globally. Themes activism self‑efficacy responsibility Mood inspired determined Type activist philosophical When to use this quote - community volunteering - grassroots campaigns - personal projects Key Concepts social change personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What small change can you make today? - How do you stay motivated when impact seems small? A Different Perspective Systemic issues may overwhelm individual effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Change World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-world/) [Help Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-change/) [Look Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-everybody-294833/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [If you want to change the world, first try to improve and bring about change within yourself. That will help change your family. From…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-you-want-to-change-the-world-first-try-to-improve-and-bring-about/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I have always believed that I could help change the world, because I have been lucky to have adults around me who did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/i-have-always-believed-that-i-could-help-change-the-world-because-i/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [If you learn something that changes you, you've made progress. If you learn something that changes others, you've helped change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanie-lane/if-you-learn-something-that-changes-you-you-ve-made-progress-if-you/) [Lanie Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lanie-lane/) > [Paul Gray - he believed in my art, and I believed in his music. Together, we decided to change the world, and that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-crahan/paul-gray-he-believed-in-my-art-and-i-believed-in-his-music-together/) [Shawn Crahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-crahan/) > [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [When you sit there, and you sing the chorus - and then you look at each other, and everybody has the hair standing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/when-you-sit-there-and-you-sing-the-chorus-and-then-you-look-at-each/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [My philosophy is: Everybody needs to look out for everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-james-thomson/my-philosophy-is-everybody-needs-to-look-out-for-everybody-else/) [Robert James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-james-thomson/) > [Look, everybody in journalism has a reputation of sorts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/look-everybody-in-journalism-has-a-reputation-of-sorts/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [As the filmmaker, yes, I have to look out for everybody. But I don't have to know everybody's approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/as-the-filmmaker-yes-i-have-to-look-out-for-everybody-but-i-don-t/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [If You Look EveryBody Here Is Trying On New Faces ; &nd The Ones That Fit Are Surprisingly Contagious .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mee-3/if-you-look-everybody-here-is-trying-on-new-faces-nd-the-ones-that/) [Mee <3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mee-3/) > [“I hug her one more time and pull her down to the bed. And in my mind, I rise up from the bed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/i-hug-her-one-more-time-and-pull-her-down-to-the-bed-and-in-my-mind-i/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [Big girls dont cry. Look around. You still have everybody. Could gives you 10 times lots of love. Smile. Stand up. Life must go on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/big-girls-dont-cry-look-around-you-still-have-everybody-could-gives/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you don't have a good model for success, just look at what everybody else is doing and do the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/if-you-don-t-have-a-good-model-for-success-just-look-at-what/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [The way I look at it is everybody should have the right to get married, if they so choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lambert/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-everybody-should-have-the-right-to-get/) [Adam Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lambert/) ## More by Janelle Monae > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I am going to take art more seriously. I most definitely want to leave behind art, and that does not just mean music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-am-going-to-take-art-more-seriously-i-most-definitely-want-to-leave/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [ It's hard for me to be serious. I can't really rub oil on me and go all the way with it \[laughs\]. I hear… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-hard-for-me-to-be-serious-i-can-t-really-rub-oil-on-me-and-go/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [People don't ask Jay-Z to take his shirt off when he rhymes,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/people-don-t-ask-jay-z-to-take-his-shirt-off-when-he-rhymes/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I hope women feel confident with themselves and realize that we don't all have to look alike or be the same size to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-hope-women-feel-confident-with-themselves-and-realize-that-we-don-t/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I feel myself becoming the fearless person I have dreamt of being. Have I arrived? No. But I'm constantly evolving and challenging myself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-feel-myself-becoming-the-fearless-person-i-have-dreamt-of-being/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I was made to believe there's something wrong with me,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-was-made-to-believe-there-s-something-wrong-with-me/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I spend a lot of time in the future, But to help the future, sometimes you got to go back to the past, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-in-the-future-but-to-help-the-future-sometimes/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I have worn a tuxedo, but I have never covered up for respectability politics or to shame other women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-have-worn-a-tuxedo-but-i-have-never-covered-up-for-respectability/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [You are only as beautiful as the many beautiful things you do for others without expectation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/you-are-only-as-beautiful-as-the-many-beautiful-things-you-do-for/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Beauty is about enhancing what you have. Let yourself shine through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/beauty-is-about-enhancing-what-you-have-let-yourself-shine-through/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I'm always thinking about that young girl or young boy who doesn't quite know if their music, their messaging, their imaging, their voice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-m-always-thinking-about-that-young-girl-or-young-boy-who-doesn-t/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I've cried over string arrangements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-ve-cried-over-string-arrangements/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) [Explore all 119 Janelle Monae quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "It's up to me to help change the world, I cannot look at everybody else, I can only do what I can do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Janelle Monae" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i-cannot-look-at-everybody/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i-cannot-look-at-everybody/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/janelle-monae-3903_change_it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i_449846.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/janelle-monae-3903_change_it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i_449846.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/968/janelle-monae-3903_change_it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i_449846.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's up to me to help change the world, I cannot look at everybody else, I can only do what I can do.” — Janelle Monae", "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": "Janelle Monae", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's up to me to help...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i-cannot-look-at-everybody/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i-cannot-look-at-everybody/#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 } } ] } ```