--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a man starts out to build a world…" description: "\"When a man starts out to build a world, He starts first with himself\" — Langston Hughes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/langston-hughes-1527_firsts_when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-h_388109.png" --- # When a man starts out to build a world, He starts first… ![“When a man starts out to build a world, He starts first with himself” quote by Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/langston-hughes-1527_firsts_when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-h_388109.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/langston-hughes-1527_firsts_when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-h_388109.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/langston-hughes-1527_firsts_when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-h_388109.png) > “When a man starts out to build a world, He starts first with himself” [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating a better world begins with self‑improvement and personal integrity. **In simple terms:** Change starts within. Key Takeaway Focus on self‑development first. Themes self‑improvement vision leadership Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - community building - political activism - entrepreneurship - education reform Key Concepts personal growth ethical foundation Questions to Reflect On - What personal habits must you change? - How can self‑growth inspire others? A Different Perspective Self‑change alone may not reshape society. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [There never is a convenient place to fight a war when the other man starts it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arleigh-burke/there-never-is-a-convenient-place-to-fight-a-war-when-the-other-man/) [Arleigh Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arleigh-burke/) > [“Changing the world starts with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-burnett/changing-the-world-starts-with-you/) Camille Burnett > [Try to do a great things in your life Because your world starts FROM YOU](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/try-to-do-a-great-things-in-your-life-because-your-world-starts-from/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [A man starts upon a sudden, takes Pen, Ink, and Paper, and without ever having had a thought of it before, resolves within himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-starts-upon-a-sudden-takes-pen-ink-and-paper-and-without-ever/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Man, only - rash, refined, presumptuous man, Starts from his rank, and mars creation's plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-canning/man-only-rash-refined-presumptuous-man-starts-from-his-rank-and-mars/) [George Canning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-canning/) > [The man who starts out going nowhere, generally gets there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-man-who-starts-out-going-nowhere-generally-gets-there/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“A man’s principles are his own. Man starts flip-flopping on what he believes based on outside influences and he may as well run for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-zep/a-man-s-principles-are-his-own-man-starts-flip-flopping-on-what-he/) J.J. Zep > [They do say that when a man starts down hill everybody is ready to help him with a kick, and I suppose it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/they-do-say-that-when-a-man-starts-down-hill-everybody-is-ready-to/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. Unless a man starts on the strange assumption that he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/unless-a-man-starts-afresh-about-things-he-will-certainly-do-nothing/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Man starts over again everyday, in spite of all he knows, against all he knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/man-starts-over-again-everyday-in-spite-of-all-he-knows-against-all/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [Every man starts with all there is. Everything is here-the essence and substance of all there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/every-man-starts-with-all-there-is-everything-is-here-the-essence-and/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“Revolutionizing the world starts when you rule your world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/revolutionizing-the-world-starts-when-you-rule-your-world/) Anyaele Sam Chiyson > [People can relate to reading a book for the first time and the world starts to create, even without you prepping for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-vikander/people-can-relate-to-reading-a-book-for-the-first-time-and-the-world/) [Alicia Vikander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-vikander/) > [“the way to change the entire world starts with a small baby step”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-corazzari/the-way-to-change-the-entire-world-starts-with-a-small-baby-step/) [Manuel Corazzari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-corazzari/) > [“Be the reflection of God you want to see in the world...It all starts with YOU!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-r-jeffers/be-the-reflection-of-god-you-want-to-see-in-the-world-it-all-starts/) Pamela R. Jeffers ## More by Langston Hughes > [Good morning, daddy! Ain't you heard The boogie-woogie rumble Of a dream deferred? • • • • You think It's a happy beat?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/good-morning-daddy-ain-t-you-heard-the-boogie-woogie-rumble-of-a/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Summer was made to give you a taste of what hell is like. Winter was made for landladies to charge high rents and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/summer-was-made-to-give-you-a-taste-of-what-hell-is-like-winter-was/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I was a victim of a stereotype. There were only two of us Negro kids in the whole class, and our English teacher was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/i-was-a-victim-of-a-stereotype-there-were-only-two-of-us-negro-kids/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I am the American heartbreak- The rock on which Freedom Stumped its toe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/i-am-the-american-heartbreak-the-rock-on-which-freedom-stumped-its-toe/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“As I Grew Older" It was a long time ago. I have almost forgotten my dream. But it was there then, In front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/as-i-grew-older-it-was-a-long-time-ago-i-have-almost-forgotten-my/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Words Like Freedom There are words like Freedom Sweet and wonderful to say. On my heartstrings freedom sings All day everyday. There are words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/words-like-freedom-there-are-words-like-freedom-sweet-and-wonderful/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Beauty for some provides escape, who gain a happiness in eyeing the gorgeous buttocks of the ape or Autumn sunsets exquisitely dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/beauty-for-some-provides-escape-who-gain-a-happiness-in-eyeing-the/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“In America the magazines in which one can frequently publish stories or poems about Negroes are very few, and most of these do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/in-america-the-magazines-in-which-one-can-frequently-publish-stories/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Perhaps the mission of an artist is to interpret beauty to people - the beauty within themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/perhaps-the-mission-of-an-artist-is-to-interpret-beauty-to-people-the/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Do you know that there are libraries in our country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/negro-writers-just-by-being-black-have-been-on-the-blacklist-all-our/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [We Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Censorship for us begins at the color line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/we-negro-writers-just-by-being-black-have-been-on-the-blacklist-all/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die life is a broken-winged bird that can not fly. Hold fast to dreams for when dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/hold-fast-to-dreams-for-if-dreams-die-life-is-a-broken-winged-bird/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [Oh, God of Dust and Rainbows, Help us to see That without the dust the rainbow Would not be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/oh-god-of-dust-and-rainbows-help-us-to-see-that-without-the-dust-the/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I loved my friend He went away from me There's nothing more to say The poem ends, Soft as it began- I loved my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/i-loved-my-friend-he-went-away-from-me-there-s-nothing-more-to-say/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [The Jewish people and the Negro people both know the meaning of Nordic supremacy. We have both looked into the eyes of terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/the-jewish-people-and-the-negro-people-both-know-the-meaning-of/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) [Explore all 230 Langston Hughes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [You sort of can't talk about the post production unless you talk about what comes first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/you-sort-of-can-t-talk-about-the-post-production-unless-you-talk/) [Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [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/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a man starts out to build a world, He starts first with himself", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Langston Hughes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-he-starts-first-with-himself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Firsts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-he-starts-first-with-himself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/langston-hughes-1527_firsts_when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-h_388109.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/langston-hughes-1527_firsts_when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-h_388109.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/langston-hughes-1527_firsts_when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-h_388109.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a man starts out to build a world, He starts first with himself” — Langston Hughes", "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": "Langston Hughes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When a man starts out to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-he-starts-first-with-himself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/when-a-man-starts-out-to-build-a-world-he-starts-first-with-himself/#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 } } ] } ```