--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cultivate virtue in the world, and it…" description: "\"Cultivate virtue in the world, and it will be universal.\" — Laozi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/laozi-147_character_cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-wil_564455.jpg" --- # Cultivate virtue in the world, and it will be universal. ![“Cultivate virtue in the world, and it will be universal.” quote by Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/laozi-147_character_cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-wil_564455.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/laozi-147_character_cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-wil_564455.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/laozi-147_character_cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-wil_564455.jpg) > “Cultivate virtue in the world, and it will be universal.” [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cultivating personal virtue leads to universal harmony. **In simple terms:** Good character spreads globally. Key Takeaway Practice virtue to influence the world. Themes ethics universality harmony Mood peaceful thoughtful Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - community building - social reform - personal development Key Concepts Taoism morality Questions to Reflect On - How can personal virtue affect broader society? - What obstacles hinder universal virtue? A Different Perspective Virtue alone may not change systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cultivate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultivate/) [Cultivate Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultivate-virtue-698743/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Taoism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taoism/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-world-1789151/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-universal-2877301/) ## Related quotes > [Cultivate virtue in yourself, and it will be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/cultivate-virtue-in-yourself-and-it-will-be-true/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What I've realized is that the joy of meeting and greeting people from all around the world is universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-gebbia/what-i-ve-realized-is-that-the-joy-of-meeting-and-greeting-people/) [Joe Gebbia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-gebbia/) > [The gift of song is just like... I think music is one of those true things in this world that is universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-king/the-gift-of-song-is-just-like-i-think-music-is-one-of-those-true/) [Charles King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-king/) > [Music is one of the most beautiful things in the world. It's universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abderrahmane-sissako/music-is-one-of-the-most-beautiful-things-in-the-world-it-s-universal/) [Abderrahmane Sissako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abderrahmane-sissako/) > [Music is in every country and every culture around the world. It's universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hoppus/music-is-in-every-country-and-every-culture-around-the-world-it-s/) [Mark Hoppus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hoppus/) > [Let us face a pluralistic world in which there are no universal churches, no single remedy for all diseases, no one way to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/let-us-face-a-pluralistic-world-in-which-there-are-no-universal/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“Truth is the world's oldest saint; virtue is the world's oldest sage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/truth-is-the-world-s-oldest-saint-virtue-is-the-world-s-oldest-sage/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“The dominating idea of English society was not cultivate virtue but to avoid scandal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-short/the-dominating-idea-of-english-society-was-not-cultivate-virtue-but/) [Edward Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-short/) > [Without constancy there is neither love, friendship, nor virtue in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/without-constancy-there-is-neither-love-friendship-nor-virtue-in-the/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The highest virtue here may be least in another world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/the-highest-virtue-here-may-be-least-in-another-world/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [“Where is there virtue in this world that is of any practical good whose vital force is not to be found in example rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hooker-dewey/where-is-there-virtue-in-this-world-that-is-of-any-practical-good/) [Edward Hooker Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hooker-dewey/) > [“Do not be concerned with the faults of other persons. Do not see others' faults with a hateful mind. There is an old saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen-master-dogen/do-not-be-concerned-with-the-faults-of-other-persons-do-not-see/) [Zen Master Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen-master-dogen/) > [We can think of Lent as a time to eradicate evil or cultivate virtue, a time to pull up weeds or to plant good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/we-can-think-of-lent-as-a-time-to-eradicate-evil-or-cultivate-virtue/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [When we pray for any virtue, we should cultivate the virtue as well as pray for it; the form of your prayer should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/when-we-pray-for-any-virtue-we-should-cultivate-the-virtue-as-well-as/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [Sincere prayer implies that when we ask for any virtue or blessing, we should work for the blessing and cultivate the virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/sincere-prayer-implies-that-when-we-ask-for-any-virtue-or-blessing-we/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) ## More by Laozi > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In lightness the root is lost. In haste the ruler is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-lightness-the-root-is-lost-in-haste-the-ruler-is-lost/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If the sage wants to stand above people, he must speak to them from below. If he wants to lead people, he must follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-the-sage-wants-to-stand-above-people-he-must-speak-to-them-from/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Goodie-goodies are the thieves of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/goodie-goodies-are-the-thieves-of-virtue/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He that humbles himself shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight. He that is empty shall be filled. He that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-that-humbles-himself-shall-be-preserved-entire-he-that-bends-shall/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Way of the Sage is to act but not to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-way-of-the-sage-is-to-act-but-not-to-compete/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-nonstriving-savor-the-flavorless-regard-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Without looking through the window, you can see Heaven's Way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/without-looking-through-the-window-you-can-see-heaven-s-way/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What's the difference between beautiful and ugly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-s-the-difference-between-beautiful-and-ugly/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-stillness-the-muddied-water-returns-to-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He (the sage) is good to those who are good. He is also good to those who are not good. That is the virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-the-sage-is-good-to-those-who-are-good-he-is-also-good-to-those/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There is a thing inherent and natural which existed before heaven and earth. Motionless and fathomless, It stands alone and never changes; It pervades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/there-is-a-thing-inherent-and-natural-which-existed-before-heaven-and/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job? If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-is-a-good-man-but-a-bad-man-s-teacher-what-is-a-bad-man-but-a/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Explore all 1,140 Laozi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Cultivate virtue in the world, and it will be universal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laozi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-will-be-universal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-will-be-universal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/laozi-147_character_cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-wil_564455.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/laozi-147_character_cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-wil_564455.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/laozi-147_character_cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-wil_564455.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cultivate virtue in the world, and it will be universal.” — Laozi", "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": "Laozi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Cultivate virtue in the world, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-will-be-universal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/cultivate-virtue-in-the-world-and-it-will-be-universal/#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 } } ] } ```