--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most difficult matter is not so much…" description: "\"The most difficult matter is not so much to change the world as yourself.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/909/nelson-mandela-248_change_the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much_2255202.jpg" --- # The most difficult matter is not so much to change the… ![“The most difficult matter is not so much to change the world as yourself.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/909/nelson-mandela-248_change_the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much_2255202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/909/nelson-mandela-248_change_the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much_2255202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/909/nelson-mandela-248_change_the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much_2255202.jpg) > “The most difficult matter is not so much to change the world as yourself.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing oneself is a greater challenge than attempting to change the world. **In simple terms:** Self‑change is harder than world‑change. Key Takeaway Focus on personal growth first. Themes self‑improvement leadership change Mood hopeful determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - social activism - education reform Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What habits will you transform? - How does personal growth affect societal impact? A Different Perspective External change may be limited without inner change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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/) [Changing the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-the-world/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-matter-235539/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-change-2336016/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-can-change-the-world-and-make-it-a-better-place-it-is-in-your/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Sport has the power to change the world... Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/sport-has-the-power-to-change-the-world-sport-can-awaken-hope-where/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/your-victory-has-demonstrated-that-no-person-anywhere-in-the-world/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Do reasons matter when there's nothing that can be done to change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/do-reasons-matter-when-there-s-nothing-that-can-be-done-to-change/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“No matter what you do, you cannot change what has already happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-renaye/no-matter-what-you-do-you-cannot-change-what-has-already-happened/) [Paula Renaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-renaye/) > [Every human is a combination of spirit and matter. You can change the form but you can't change the essence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/every-human-is-a-combination-of-spirit-and-matter-you-can-change-the/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“As for me, all I’ve ever wanted, when you get right down to it, is to change the world. I don’t literally mean the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-gaines/as-for-me-all-i-ve-ever-wanted-when-you-get-right-down-to-it-is-to/) [Chip Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-gaines/) > [We can only change the world if we have a heart for the world and deliver the message for the world. We can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell/we-can-only-change-the-world-if-we-have-a-heart-for-the-world-and/) [Jerry Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell/) > [If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/if-you-want-to-change-the-world-start-off-by-making-your-bed/) [William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/) > [Carry yourself as one who will change the world, because you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/carry-yourself-as-one-who-will-change-the-world-because-you-will/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) > [I'm not out to change the world. I'm out to change mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-white/i-m-not-out-to-change-the-world-i-m-out-to-change-mine/) [Rodney White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-white/) > [The only way to change the world is to change the main character of our story - the one we believe that we are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/the-only-way-to-change-the-world-is-to-change-the-main-character-of/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Don't underestimate the power of your vision to change the world. Whether that world is your office, your community, an industry or a global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/don-t-underestimate-the-power-of-your-vision-to-change-the-world/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## 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": "The most difficult matter is not so much to change the world as yourself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nelson Mandela" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much-to-change-the-world-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much-to-change-the-world-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/909/nelson-mandela-248_change_the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much_2255202.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/909/nelson-mandela-248_change_the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much_2255202.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/909/nelson-mandela-248_change_the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much_2255202.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The most difficult matter is not so much to change the world as yourself.” — Nelson Mandela", "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": "Nelson Mandela", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The most difficult matter is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much-to-change-the-world-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-most-difficult-matter-is-not-so-much-to-change-the-world-as/#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 } } ] } ```