---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I must change in order to change the…"
description: "\"“I must change in order to change the world. The only revolution with any permanent value takes part in the breast of the individual person.”\" — Stephe..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82f/stephen-covey-339_change_i-must-change-in-order-to-change-the-wor_2912805.png"
---

#  I must change in order to change the world. The only…

![“I must change in order to change the world. The only revolution with any permanent value takes part in the breast of the individual person.” quote by Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82f/stephen-covey-339_change_i-must-change-in-order-to-change-the-wor_2912805.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82f/stephen-covey-339_change_i-must-change-in-order-to-change-the-wor_2912805.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82f/stephen-covey-339_change_i-must-change-in-order-to-change-the-wor_2912805.png)

> ““I must change in order to change the world. The only revolution with any permanent value takes part in the breast of the individual person.””

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Personal transformation is the only lasting catalyst for societal change.

**In simple terms:** Change yourself to change the world.

Key Takeaway

Focus on inner growth.

Themes

self-improvement leadership social impact

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- coaching
- personal development
- community activism

Key Concepts

personal responsibility inner change social change

Questions to Reflect On

- How can personal growth influence larger systems?
- What structures support or hinder this link?

A Different Perspective

Individual change alone cannot solve systemic issues.

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[Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Self help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-help/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/)

## Related quotes

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Nicolas G. Janovsky

> [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

> [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/)

> [>> Everybody wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change his self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juba-larbes/everybody-wants-to-change-the-world-but-nobody-wants-to-change-his/)

[Juba Larbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juba-larbes/)

> [“Live each day as if it's our last', that was the conventional advice, but really who had the energy for that? What if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/live-each-day-as-if-it-s-our-last-that-was-the-conventional-advice/)

[David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/)

> [“I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina" He said. "You and I are going to change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-been-waiting-for-you-a-long-time-alina-he-said-you-and-i-are/)

[Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/)

> [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/)

> [Larry Kramer wisely realized so early on that to change the world, people have to know you. If they know you and see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-murphy/larry-kramer-wisely-realized-so-early-on-that-to-change-the-world/)

[Ryan Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-murphy/)

> [“if i am not in the world simply to adapt to it, but rather transform it, and if it is not possible to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/if-i-am-not-in-the-world-simply-to-adapt-to-it-but-rather-transform/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [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 I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [Paul Gray - he believed in my art, and I believed in his music. Together, we decided to change the world, and that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-crahan/paul-gray-he-believed-in-my-art-and-i-believed-in-his-music-together/)

[Shawn Crahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-crahan/)

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[Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/)

## More by Stephen Covey

> [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/)

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> [Empathic listening takes time, but it doesn't take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/empathic-listening-takes-time-but-it-doesn-t-take-anywhere-near-as/)

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

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[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

> [In a very real sense, there are only two roles in organisations: customers and suppliers. Everybody functions simultaneously in both roles, whether inside or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/in-a-very-real-sense-there-are-only-two-roles-in-organisations/)

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> [To blame and accuse other people, is to choose to empower them, to control us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/to-blame-and-accuse-other-people-is-to-choose-to-empower-them-to/)

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

> [Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/be-part-of-the-solution-not-part-of-the-problem/)

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

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[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

> [I believe in Coach Louis Wong. He is so much more than just a football coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/i-believe-in-coach-louis-wong-he-is-so-much-more-than-just-a-football/)

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

> [Most people struggle with life balance simply because they haven't paid the price to decide what is really important to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/most-people-struggle-with-life-balance-simply-because-they-haven-t/)

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> [Highly proactive people don't blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/highly-proactive-people-don-t-blame-circumstances-conditions-or/)

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[Explore all 663 Stephen Covey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

## 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/)

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[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

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> [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/)

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[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

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[Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/)

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[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

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[Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/)

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[Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/)

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