--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been a war reporter and a human…" description: "\"I've been a war reporter and a human rights defender. A professor and a columnist. A diplomat and - by far most thrillingly - a mother. And what I've l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/samantha-power-3969_change_i-ve-been-a-war-reporter-and-a-human-rig_2548046.jpg" --- # I've been a war reporter and a human rights defender. A… ![“I've been a war reporter and a human rights defender. A professor and a columnist. A diplomat and - by far most thrillingly - a mother. And what I've learned from all these experiences is that any change worth making is going to be hard. Period.” quote by Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/samantha-power-3969_change_i-ve-been-a-war-reporter-and-a-human-rig_2548046.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/samantha-power-3969_change_i-ve-been-a-war-reporter-and-a-human-rig_2548046.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/samantha-power-3969_change_i-ve-been-a-war-reporter-and-a-human-rig_2548046.jpg) > “I've been a war reporter and a human rights defender. A professor and a columnist. A diplomat and - by far most thrillingly - a mother. And what I've learned from all these experiences is that any change worth making is going to be hard. Period.” [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Significant change requires effort and perseverance despite difficulty. **In simple terms:** Hard work is essential for meaningful change. Key Takeaway Persist through challenges. Themes politics human rights leadership Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational pragmatic When to use this quote - activism - diplomacy - parenting Key Concepts resilience hardship policy advocacy Questions to Reflect On - What obstacles have you faced in driving change? - How do you sustain motivation? A Different Perspective Change can be slow and met with resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Reporter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reporter/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not a war reporter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-heineman/i-m-not-a-war-reporter/) [Matthew Heineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-heineman/) > [It's often frustrating when you're a war reporter and you're covering these places that far away. You're frustrated by making stories that people can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-rowley/it-s-often-frustrating-when-you-re-a-war-reporter-and-you-re-covering/) [Rick Rowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-rowley/) > [I wanted to be a war reporter - scrabbling around, exposing things. I didn't want to go to university, I wanted to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-bawden/i-wanted-to-be-a-war-reporter-scrabbling-around-exposing-things-i/) [Nina Bawden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-bawden/) > [My wife made me watch this documentary about the Iraq War, and there was a really powerful moment where they followed some civilian whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/my-wife-made-me-watch-this-documentary-about-the-iraq-war-and-there/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [Falling in love is one of the most exhilarating and life altering experiences. It can change your entire perspective on life. It can consume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/falling-in-love-is-one-of-the-most-exhilarating-and-life-altering/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Our experiences change us,” he said, but he addressed the canvas instead of Kat. “They cause us to do things, to become people we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-davis/our-experiences-change-us-he-said-but-he-addressed-the-canvas-instead/) Jacqueline Davis > [If I'm going to change, my life and experiences should change me for the wiser and more profound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/if-i-m-going-to-change-my-life-and-experiences-should-change-me-for/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Our beliefs are what create our experiences. As we change our beliefs, we alter our perception, our version of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/our-beliefs-are-what-create-our-experiences-as-we-change-our-beliefs/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [There has been a real influence on young people, whose travel is experiential. For them, their values change when their experiences change; travel is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/there-has-been-a-real-influence-on-young-people-whose-travel-is/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [“Imagining God can be so different from wishful thinking, if your spiritual experiences change your behavior over time. Have you become more generous, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/imagining-god-can-be-so-different-from-wishful-thinking-if-your/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [You either learn from your experiences or go back and do the same thing, and I learned from my experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/you-either-learn-from-your-experiences-or-go-back-and-do-the-same/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [“They say that near-death experiences change people. That they suddenly discover what tolerance and love are really about. That they have no more use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/they-say-that-near-death-experiences-change-people-that-they-suddenly/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [I'm sure that like anybody else, I'm probably the sum total of my life experiences. If I'm smart and I've gained any wisdom, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/i-m-sure-that-like-anybody-else-i-m-probably-the-sum-total-of-my-life/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [I learned to take those experiences that were difficult in my life and in the adversity that I had overcome to use it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-moceanu/i-learned-to-take-those-experiences-that-were-difficult-in-my-life/) [Dominique Moceanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-moceanu/) > [Change is inevitable...Why arm wrestle fate...Everything in life experiences change...What's truly meant to be WILL ultimately BE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/change-is-inevitable-why-arm-wrestle-fate-everything-in-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Samantha Power > [There are something like 300 anti-genocide chapters on college campuses around the country. It's bigger than the anti-apartheid movement. There are something like 500…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/there-are-something-like-300-anti-genocide-chapters-on-college/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [Virtually all of Darfur's six million residents are Muslim, and, because of decades of intermarriage, almost everyone has dark skin and African features.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/virtually-all-of-darfur-s-six-million-residents-are-muslim-and/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [There is a fair amount of competition, obviously, with ISIL and the terrorist networks around the world, China also posing a different kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/there-is-a-fair-amount-of-competition-obviously-with-isil-and-the/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [All we talk about is 'Islamic terrorism.' If the two words are associated for long enough it's obviously going to have an effect on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/all-we-talk-about-is-islamic-terrorism-if-the-two-words-are/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [In the '90s, there was scant presidential leadership and insufficient domestic political mobilization for foreign policy grounded in human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/in-the-90s-there-was-scant-presidential-leadership-and-insufficient/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [Initially, I tried to become an aid worker and someone who could help people, but I was unsuccessful in convincing anyone that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/initially-i-tried-to-become-an-aid-worker-and-someone-who-could-help/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [I tell young people: If you make a job choice on the basis of something other than your nose or your gut, it's unlikely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/i-tell-young-people-if-you-make-a-job-choice-on-the-basis-of/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [I was extremely close to my father, inseparable. Where we hung out most of the time was the pub.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/i-was-extremely-close-to-my-father-inseparable-where-we-hung-out-most/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [When I wake up in the morning, I think about Syria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/when-i-wake-up-in-the-morning-i-think-about-syria/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [President Reagan, of course, did more than any other person to entrench the Republican reputation for toughness on national security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/president-reagan-of-course-did-more-than-any-other-person-to-entrench/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [American decision-makers must understand how damaging a foreign policy that privileges order and profit over justice really is in the long term.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/american-decision-makers-must-understand-how-damaging-a-foreign/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [I have only so many foreign-language neurons. When I learned Spanish, that displaced whatever Irish was left, and then I learned German, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/i-have-only-so-many-foreign-language-neurons-when-i-learned-spanish/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [In many college classes, laptops depict split screens - notes from a class, and then a range of parallel stimulants: NBA playoff statistics on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/in-many-college-classes-laptops-depict-split-screens-notes-from-a/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [America needs a sensible, sustainable Iran policy that can meet U.S. security and economic interests, command international support and withstand the shifting Middle Eastern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/america-needs-a-sensible-sustainable-iran-policy-that-can-meet-u-s/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [The U.S. government engages with many countries around the world in official dialogues on human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/the-u-s-government-engages-with-many-countries-around-the-world-in/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) [Explore all 118 Samantha Power quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) ## 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 > [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": "I've been a war reporter and a human rights defender. 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