--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only when you find the courage to say…" description: "\"Only when you find the courage to say something to someone that might influence a change in your behavior, does that behavior change.\" — Octavia Spencer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/octavia-spencer-6802_behavior_only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-so_664978.jpg" --- # Only when you find the courage to say something to someone… ![“Only when you find the courage to say something to someone that might influence a change in your behavior, does that behavior change.” quote by Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/octavia-spencer-6802_behavior_only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-so_664978.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/octavia-spencer-6802_behavior_only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-so_664978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/octavia-spencer-6802_behavior_only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-so_664978.jpg) > “Only when you find the courage to say something to someone that might influence a change in your behavior, does that behavior change.” [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Courage to speak up can trigger personal behavioral change, influencing oneself and others. **In simple terms:** Speaking up can change behavior. Key Takeaway Speak boldly to inspire change. Themes courage communication personal growth influence Mood motivational encouraging Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - team meetings - conflict resolution - personal coaching Key Concepts Behavioral psychology assertiveness social impact Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from speaking up? - How can you frame feedback constructively? A Different Perspective Speaking out may provoke resistance or backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Behavior change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior-change/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) ## Related quotes > [A change of heart leads to change in behavior, and a change in behavior leads to changing the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/a-change-of-heart-leads-to-change-in-behavior-and-a-change-in/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Change your mindset, and you’ll change your behavior. Change your behavior, and you’ll change their behavior. Change their behavior, and you’ll change their performance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-souza/change-your-mindset-and-you-ll-change-your-behavior-change-your/) Brian Souza > [How do you change your behavior? Change what you worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/how-do-you-change-your-behavior-change-what-you-worship/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [There are three ways to correct our faults:We can change through behavior We can change through understanding We can change heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/there-are-three-ways-to-correct-our-faults-we-can-change-through/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Change is difficult and it takes time. It is hard for people to change their own behavior, much less that of others. Change programs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-rumelt/change-is-difficult-and-it-takes-time-it-is-hard-for-people-to-change/) [Richard P. Rumelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-rumelt/) > [Our bodies change our minds, and our minds can change our behavior, and our behavior can change our outcomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-bodies-change-our-minds-and-our-minds-can-change-our-behavior-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The brilliant rationalist had encountered a central, frustrating tenet of human nature: behavior change is hard. The cleverest engineer or economist or politician or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-brilliant-rationalist-had-encountered-a-central-frustrating-tenet/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“And Pudgy," she called after him, causing him to hesitate at the door, "Sometimes the best way to change someone else's behavior is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-pudgy-she-called-after-him-causing-him-to-hesitate-at-the-door/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I don’t mean to say that thinking and reaching decisions have no influence on behavior. But behavior does not merely enact whatever has already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/i-don-t-mean-to-say-that-thinking-and-reaching-decisions-have-no/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [Look at your goals. Look at your behavior. Does your behavior match your goals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-john/look-at-your-goals-look-at-your-behavior-does-your-behavior-match/) [Dan John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-john/) > [Your beliefs dont make you a better person, your behavior does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/your-beliefs-dont-make-you-a-better-person-your-behavior-does/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behavior does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukhraj-s-dhillon/your-beliefs-don-t-make-you-a-better-person-your-behavior-does/) [Sukhraj S. Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukhraj-s-dhillon/) > [How I feel about and behave toward myself is the basic determinant of most of my behavior. If I improve my self-regard, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-schutz/how-i-feel-about-and-behave-toward-myself-is-the-basic-determinant-of/) [William Schutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-schutz/) > [More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/more-often-than-not-the-belief-that-you-are-bad-contributes-to-the/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Don't be much closer to anyone. BECAUSE A small change in their behavior hurts a lot… :(](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/don-t-be-much-closer-to-anyone-because-a-small-change-in-their/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) ## More by Octavia Spencer > [There are enough negative images of Black women out there and I did not want to portray Dorothy Vaughn in any stereotype. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/there-are-enough-negative-images-of-black-women-out-there-and-i-did/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [Our challenges make us unique, and how we deal with them makes us unique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/our-challenges-make-us-unique-and-how-we-deal-with-them-makes-us/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [Because we all come from different circumstances, our life experiences really color how we view things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/because-we-all-come-from-different-circumstances-our-life-experiences/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [The things that scare you only make you better and stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/the-things-that-scare-you-only-make-you-better-and-stronger/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [Every character I get to play has some element of who I am, but there's no fun in playing yourself. At least, for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/every-character-i-get-to-play-has-some-element-of-who-i-am-but-there/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [Meeting Oprah Winfrey, I cried like a baby. Meeting Steven Spielberg, I cried like a baby. Meeting Denzel Washington, I gushed like a crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/meeting-oprah-winfrey-i-cried-like-a-baby-meeting-steven-spielberg-i/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [I do believe that everyone has something to contribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/i-do-believe-that-everyone-has-something-to-contribute/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [I can only be the best version of myself and understand that the only way that we as a people can heal is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/i-can-only-be-the-best-version-of-myself-and-understand-that-the-only/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [The first time I saw E.T., the actual image of an alien, and he was so sweet-looking. I wanted him. I wanted E.T.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/the-first-time-i-saw-e-t-the-actual-image-of-an-alien-and-he-was-so/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [There is one thing about knowing history, and another in recreating it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/there-is-one-thing-about-knowing-history-and-another-in-recreating-it/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [I'm an actor and I am looking for roles where I can continue to evolve, and things that are challenging. I gravitate to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/i-m-an-actor-and-i-am-looking-for-roles-where-i-can-continue-to/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [I look for roles that resonate with me these days. While I love putting out just fabulous entertainment, I think now as artists, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/i-look-for-roles-that-resonate-with-me-these-days-while-i-love/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [At 21, you can live life with reckless abandon, as reckless as your abandon is. Then, at 30, there's something there are the supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/at-21-you-can-live-life-with-reckless-abandon-as-reckless-as-your/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [As an actor, I've learned to become a detective. You have to figure out who that person is. If the character is a thief,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/as-an-actor-i-ve-learned-to-become-a-detective-you-have-to-figure-out/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [I'm glad that I get to take my final walk as the princess of 2012. ...there's nothing wrong with winning an Oscar!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/i-m-glad-that-i-get-to-take-my-final-walk-as-the-princess-of-2012/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) [Explore all 97 Octavia Spencer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) ## More Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think we've told a lot of lies about human behavior through film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/i-think-we-ve-told-a-lot-of-lies-about-human-behavior-through-film/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The strongest rebellion may be expressed in quiet, undramatic behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/the-strongest-rebellion-may-be-expressed-in-quiet-undramatic-behavior/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only when you find the courage to say something to someone that might influence a change in your behavior, does that behavior change.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Octavia Spencer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-something-to-someone-that-might/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behavior" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-something-to-someone-that-might/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/octavia-spencer-6802_behavior_only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-so_664978.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/octavia-spencer-6802_behavior_only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-so_664978.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/octavia-spencer-6802_behavior_only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-so_664978.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only when you find the courage to say something to someone that might influence a change in your behavior…” — Octavia Spencer", "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": "Octavia Spencer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only when you find the courage...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-something-to-someone-that-might/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/only-when-you-find-the-courage-to-say-something-to-someone-that-might/#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 } } ] } ```