--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to make the world a better…" description: "\"If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and make a change.\" — Michael Jackson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/michael-jackson-411_activism_if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-p_1351737.jpg" --- # If you want to make the world a better place, take a look… ![“If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and make a change.” quote by Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/michael-jackson-411_activism_if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-p_1351737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/michael-jackson-411_activism_if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-p_1351737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/michael-jackson-411_activism_if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-p_1351737.jpg) > “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and make a change.” [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Improving the world starts with self‑improvement and personal responsibility. **In simple terms:** Change yourself first. Key Takeaway Reflect and act on personal flaws. Themes self‑improvement social responsibility inner change global better Mood inspirational thought‑provoking Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - community volunteering - personal counseling - environmental activism - education reform Key Concepts psychology ethics activism Questions to Reflect On - What personal change can you make today? - How does your inner work affect others? A Different Perspective Self‑change alone may not address systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) [Better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-place/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-place-take-a-look-at-yourself-2/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-m-starting-with-the-man-in-the-mirror-i-m-asking-him-to-change-his/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Take a look at yourself and make that change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-a-look-at-yourself-and-make-that-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Together we can make a change of the world. Together we can help to stop racism. Together we can help to stop prejudice. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/together-we-can-make-a-change-of-the-world-together-we-can-help-to/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [It only takes one person to make a change...Let it begin with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-thompson/it-only-takes-one-person-to-make-a-change-let-it-begin-with-you/) Joyce Thompson > [“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-may-not-control-all-the-events-that-happen-to-you-but-you-can/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is to raise your standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-time-you-sincerely-want-to-make-a-change-the-first-thing-you-must/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Changing the world is like trying to straighten a dog's tail. However much you may try, you won't succeed. But although the tail won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/changing-the-world-is-like-trying-to-straighten-a-dog-s-tail-however/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [Give me one good reason why I should never make a change, baby if you hold me then all of this will go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ezra/give-me-one-good-reason-why-i-should-never-make-a-change-baby-if-you/) [George Ezra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ezra/) > [If you're gonna make a change, you're gonna have to operate from a new belief that says life happens not to me but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/if-you-re-gonna-make-a-change-you-re-gonna-have-to-operate-from-a-new/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/make-every-effort-to-change-things-you-do-not-like-if-you-cannot-make/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [If we want to make a change in our lives, we should first focus on our personal attitudes and behaviors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/if-we-want-to-make-a-change-in-our-lives-we-should-first-focus-on-our/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change, and break away. I won't forget the place I came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/gotta-take-a-risk-take-a-chance-make-a-change-and-break-away-i-won-t/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [When you're a kid, you have these big ideas and these big dreams to make a change, or maybe you feel like you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annasophia-robb/when-you-re-a-kid-you-have-these-big-ideas-and-these-big-dreams-to/) [AnnaSophia Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annasophia-robb/) > [Take a stand for what's right. Raise a ruckus and make a change. You may not always be popular, but you'll be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/take-a-stand-for-what-s-right-raise-a-ruckus-and-make-a-change-you/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) ## More by Michael Jackson > [In times like these, we need each other. We must bond together in spirit and in service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/in-times-like-these-we-need-each-other-we-must-bond-together-in/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I've never asked a girl out in my life, they have to ask me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-never-asked-a-girl-out-in-my-life-they-have-to-ask-me/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Elizabeth Taylor is gorgeous, beautiful, and she still is today, I'm crazy about her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/elizabeth-taylor-is-gorgeous-beautiful-and-she-still-is-today-i-m/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I think a great artist should be able to create any style, any form, anything from rock to pop to gospel to spiritual, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-think-a-great-artist-should-be-able-to-create-any-style-any-form/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [There are people that I am in love with, totally in love with them. I would die for them. I love Michelangelo. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/there-are-people-that-i-am-in-love-with-totally-in-love-with-them-i/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I've heard that Black people and Black faces don't sell magazines, but one day you're going to beg me to be on there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-heard-that-black-people-and-black-faces-don-t-sell-magazines-but/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Those who criticize, they desire our blood not our pain. But still I must achieve I must seek truth in all things. I must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/those-who-criticize-they-desire-our-blood-not-our-pain-but-still-i/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Please go for your dreams. Whatever your ideals, you can become whatever you want to become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/please-go-for-your-dreams-whatever-your-ideals-you-can-become/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I go around the world dealing with running and hiding... I can't take a walk in the park . I can't go to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-go-around-the-world-dealing-with-running-and-hiding-i-can-t-take-a/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [“What happened to truth? Did it go out of style?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/what-happened-to-truth-did-it-go-out-of-style/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [If - and it can be in a movie or in a department store - I hear someone arguing with their child, I break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/if-and-it-can-be-in-a-movie-or-in-a-department-store-i-hear-someone/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Everything that I love is behind those gates. We have elephants, and giraffes, and crocodiles, and every kind of tigers and lions. And -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/everything-that-i-love-is-behind-those-gates-we-have-elephants-and/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [My deepest gratitude to the Creator for His gift to me...the joy I receive in creating my music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/my-deepest-gratitude-to-the-creator-for-his-gift-to-me-the-joy-i/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I have been a vulnerable target for those who want money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-have-been-a-vulnerable-target-for-those-who-want-money/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [“It 's strange that God doesn't mind expressing Himself/Herself in all the religions of the world, while people still cling to the notion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/it-s-strange-that-god-doesn-t-mind-expressing-himself-herself-in-all/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) [Explore all 584 Michael Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) ## More Activism quotes > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“All struggles against oppression in the modern woeld begin by redefining what had previously been consideered private, non-public and non-political issues as matters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyla-benhabib/all-struggles-against-oppression-in-the-modern-woeld-begin-by/) Seyla Benhabib > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Paul Revere earned his living as a silversmith. But what do we remember him for? His volunteer work. All activism is volunteering in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-ellis/paul-revere-earned-his-living-as-a-silversmith-but-what-do-we/) Susan J. Ellis > [Being in service and being involved in something that is greater than you is what makes a person complete and whole. The very first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/being-in-service-and-being-involved-in-something-that-is-greater-than/) [Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/) > [“The times do not call for grassroots political activism, as if the next election might be enough to reverse a massive cultural earthquake. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-miller/the-times-do-not-call-for-grassroots-political-activism-as-if-the/) Paul D. Miller > [He went to Paris looking for answers to questions that bothered him so. He was impressive, young and aggressive, saving the world on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/he-went-to-paris-looking-for-answers-to-questions-that-bothered-him/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [There's a lot of activism that doesn't deal with empowerment, and you have to empower yourself in order to be relevant to any type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/there-s-a-lot-of-activism-that-doesn-t-deal-with-empowerment-and-you/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [“Until you find a cause you can die for, you are not worthy to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/until-you-find-a-cause-you-can-die-for-you-are-not-worthy-to-live/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Ya'll know what you need to do? Get together, make a We Are The World record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/ya-ll-know-what-you-need-to-do-get-together-make-a-we-are-the-world/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [“There is no way to tell if we are the pioneers of a visionary new age, whisking humanity into the high vibrations of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-talat-phillips/there-is-no-way-to-tell-if-we-are-the-pioneers-of-a-visionary-new-age/) [Jonathan Talat Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-talat-phillips/) > [Terence McKenna says, "The culture is not your friend." I am not sure we can change this culture. But I think we can rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/terence-mckenna-says-the-culture-is-not-your-friend-i-am-not-sure-we/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“A spirituality that is only private and self-absorbed, one devoid of an authentic political and social consciousness, does little to halt the suicidal juggernaut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/a-spirituality-that-is-only-private-and-self-absorbed-one-devoid-of/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) [Browse all 820 Activism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and make a change.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Jackson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-place-take-a-look-at-yourself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-place-take-a-look-at-yourself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/michael-jackson-411_activism_if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-p_1351737.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/michael-jackson-411_activism_if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-p_1351737.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/michael-jackson-411_activism_if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-p_1351737.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and make a change.” — Michael Jackson", "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": "Michael Jackson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want to make the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-place-take-a-look-at-yourself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/if-you-want-to-make-the-world-a-better-place-take-a-look-at-yourself/#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 } } ] } ```