--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must look within ourselves, become…" description: "\"We must look within ourselves, become responsible and provide fresh solutions if we ever want to do more than complain,or make excuses.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nelson-mandela-248_complaining_we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-res_1905743.jpg" --- # We must look within ourselves, become responsible and… ![“We must look within ourselves, become responsible and provide fresh solutions if we ever want to do more than complain,or make excuses.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nelson-mandela-248_complaining_we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-res_1905743.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nelson-mandela-248_complaining_we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-res_1905743.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nelson-mandela-248_complaining_we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-res_1905743.jpg) > “We must look within ourselves, become responsible and provide fresh solutions if we ever want to do more than complain,or make excuses.” [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. Self‑reflection and personal responsibility are prerequisites for creating innovative solutions instead of merely complaining or making excuses. **In simple terms:** Take responsibility and act creatively. Key Takeaway Act responsibly, innovate. Themes responsibility self‑improvement innovation accountability Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - social activism - business strategy - education reform Key Concepts personal growth solution‑oriented thinking Questions to Reflect On - What personal habit prevents you from acting? - How can you shift from complaint to solution? A Different Perspective Self‑criticism can become paralyzing if not balanced with action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) ## Related quotes > [“We find it hard to accept that sometimes death and destruction are the only solutions if we want to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/we-find-it-hard-to-accept-that-sometimes-death-and-destruction-are/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [I hear the complaining about tax increases and benefit cuts. But I don't hear a lot of alternative solutions. What do you want them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hear-the-complaining-about-tax-increases-and-benefit-cuts-but-i-don/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I assume everyone around me is older because they look more responsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armando-iannucci/i-assume-everyone-around-me-is-older-because-they-look-more/) [Armando Iannucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armando-iannucci/) > [“There will no longer be so many pleasant things to look at if responsible people do not do something about the unpleasant ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/there-will-no-longer-be-so-many-pleasant-things-to-look-at-if/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Never complain or make excuses. If something seems unfair, just prove yourself by working twice as hard and being twice as good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/never-complain-or-make-excuses-if-something-seems-unfair-just-prove/) [Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/) > [Don't make excuses! Make changes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gaskins/don-t-make-excuses-make-changes/) [Tony Gaskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gaskins/) > [If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you but answer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-anyone-tells-you-that-a-certain-person-speaks-ill-of-you-do-not/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Don't make excuses, just get it done!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-yoculan/don-t-make-excuses-just-get-it-done/) [Suzanne Yoculan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-yoculan/) > [God my Creator said, 'Go and make disciples.' So I don't want to sit and make excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-my-creator-said-go-and-make-disciples-so-i-don-t-want-to-sit-and/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [You can make all the excuses you want, but if you're not mentally tough and you're not prepared to play every night, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/you-can-make-all-the-excuses-you-want-but-if-you-re-not-mentally/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Refuse to make excuses or blame others. The leader always says, If it's to be, it's up to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/refuse-to-make-excuses-or-blame-others-the-leader-always-says-if-it-s/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Do not make excuses, whether it's your fault or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-make-excuses-whether-it-s-your-fault-or-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don’t make excuses; accept responsibility. You must take responsibility for how you respond to everything that happens in your life; whether you cause it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-word-hollis/don-t-make-excuses-accept-responsibility-you-must-take-responsibility/) [Michelle Word Hollis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-word-hollis/) > [Don't make excuses, make good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/don-t-make-excuses-make-good/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [When you're tired, you rationalize. You make excuses in your mind. You say, "I'm too tired; I'm bushed; I can't do this; I'll loaf."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/when-you-re-tired-you-rationalize-you-make-excuses-in-your-mind-you/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) ## 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 Complaining quotes > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You shouldn't get to live in society and give nothing back. People complain about their taxes, yet they do nothing for the community. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/you-shouldn-t-get-to-live-in-society-and-give-nothing-back-people/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Once the war began, the government could do anything 'necessary' to win it; so it was with the 'final solution of the Jewish problem,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/once-the-war-began-the-government-could-do-anything-necessary-to-win/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [I'll tell you that the dog whistle politics is badly missing the mark. Because, you know, as I've been speaking about it, sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naheed-nenshi/i-ll-tell-you-that-the-dog-whistle-politics-is-badly-missing-the-mark/) [Naheed Nenshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naheed-nenshi/) Browse all 1,994 Complaining quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must look within ourselves, become responsible and provide fresh solutions if we ever want to do more than complain,or make excuses.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nelson Mandela" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-responsible-and-provide-fresh/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Complaining" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-responsible-and-provide-fresh/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nelson-mandela-248_complaining_we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-res_1905743.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nelson-mandela-248_complaining_we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-res_1905743.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/nelson-mandela-248_complaining_we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-res_1905743.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must look within ourselves, become responsible and provide fresh solutions if we ever want to do more…” — 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": "We must look within ourselves, become...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-responsible-and-provide-fresh/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-look-within-ourselves-become-responsible-and-provide-fresh/#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 } } ] } ```