--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the world is to change for the better…" description: "\"If the world is to change for the better it must start with a change in human consciousness, in the very humanness of modern man.\" — Vaclav Havel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/vaclav-havel-2013_change_if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better_3011345.jpg" --- # If the world is to change for the better it must start… ![“If the world is to change for the better it must start with a change in human consciousness, in the very humanness of modern man.” quote by Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/vaclav-havel-2013_change_if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better_3011345.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/vaclav-havel-2013_change_if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better_3011345.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/vaclav-havel-2013_change_if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better_3011345.jpg) > “If the world is to change for the better it must start with a change in human consciousness, in the very humanness of modern man.” [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human consciousness must evolve for societal improvement; inner change precedes external progress. **In simple terms:** Changing minds is the first step to changing the world. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness to foster societal change. Themes consciousness social change humanism Mood hopeful thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - activism - community building Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can personal growth influence public policy? - What practices nurture collective consciousness? A Different Perspective Individual change alone may not shift systemic structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change for the better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-for-the-better/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Human consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-consciousness/) [Humanness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanness/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Modern man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-man/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Start believing that things are going to change for the better. Not because you deserve it, but simply because God loves you that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-believing-that-things-are-going-to-change-for-the-better-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are always open to instruction, willing to be wiser every day than we were before, and to change whatever we can change for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/we-are-always-open-to-instruction-willing-to-be-wiser-every-day-than/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [My own growth comes not (just) individually, but mainly as part of a greater change for the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varg-vikernes/my-own-growth-comes-not-just-individually-but-mainly-as-part-of-a/) [Varg Vikernes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varg-vikernes/) > [The world will change for the better when people decide they are sick and tired of being sick and tired of the way the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-madwed/the-world-will-change-for-the-better-when-people-decide-they-are-sick/) [Sydney Madwed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-madwed/) > [“Find a way to change your attitude for the better and your life will change for the better with little effort from you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/find-a-way-to-change-your-attitude-for-the-better-and-your-life-will/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [All change is change for the better. There is no such thing as "change for the worse." Change is the process of Life Itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/all-change-is-change-for-the-better-there-is-no-such-thing-as-change/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [If you stay, stay forever. If you go, do it today. If you change, change for the better. And if you talk, make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-stay-stay-forever-if-you-go-do-it-today-if-you-change-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fact some people never change is actually quite upsetting because if you cant change for the better to move forward, you will get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fact-some-people-never-change-is-actually-quite-upsetting-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am a strong believer in the ability of human beings to change for the better. I am a strong believer in trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-am-a-strong-believer-in-the-ability-of-human-beings-to-change-for/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [One day you will realise that for your life to change for the better, you must first change for the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-brown/one-day-you-will-realise-that-for-your-life-to-change-for-the-better/) [Leon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-brown/) > [Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/any-change-even-a-change-for-the-better-is-always-accompanied-by/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Sometimes men change for the better. Sometimes men change for the worse. And often, very often, given time and opportunity . . .’ He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/sometimes-men-change-for-the-better-sometimes-men-change-for-the/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“No matter who and where you are in life... you absolutely have within you the power to positively change for the better. You always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/no-matter-who-and-where-you-are-in-life-you-absolutely-have-within/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [“People have to be less internally focused and show more of a desire to help others in order to create change for the better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/people-have-to-be-less-internally-focused-and-show-more-of-a-desire/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Don't change for anyone, change for the better but if you do change, for someone don't forget who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-change-for-anyone-change-for-the-better-but-if-you-do-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Vaclav Havel > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [People who live in the post-totalitarian system know only too well that the question of whether one or several political parties are in power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/people-who-live-in-the-post-totalitarian-system-know-only-too-well/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [“For by this very fact, individuals confirm the system, fulfill the system, make the system, are the system.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/for-by-this-very-fact-individuals-confirm-the-system-fulfill-the/) [Václav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Hope is not a feeling of certainty that everything ends well. Hope is just a feeling that life and work have a meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/hope-is-not-a-feeling-of-certainty-that-everything-ends-well-hope-is/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [This is a confusing and uncertain period, when a thousand wise words can go completely unnoticed, and one thoughtless word can provoke an utterly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/this-is-a-confusing-and-uncertain-period-when-a-thousand-wise-words/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [If by believing you mean praying to an anthropomorphic deity who created the world and half controls it and half observes it, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/if-by-believing-you-mean-praying-to-an-anthropomorphic-deity-who/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Human beings are compelled to live within a lie, but they can be compelled to do so only because they are in fact capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/human-beings-are-compelled-to-live-within-a-lie-but-they-can-be/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Our country, if that is what we want, can now permanently radiate love, understanding, the power of the spirit and of ideas. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/our-country-if-that-is-what-we-want-can-now-permanently-radiate-love/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [I cannot imagine that I could strive for something if I did not carry hope in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-cannot-imagine-that-i-could-strive-for-something-if-i-did-not-carry/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [People, your Government has returned to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/people-your-government-has-returned-to-you/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [A person who has been seduced by the consumer value system, whose identity is dissolved in an amalgam of the accouterments trappings of mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/a-person-who-has-been-seduced-by-the-consumer-value-system-whose/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Whether all is really lost or not depends entirely on whether or not I am lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/whether-all-is-really-lost-or-not-depends-entirely-on-whether-or-not/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Sober perseverance is more effective than enthusiastic emotions, which are all too capable of being transferred, with little difficulty, to something different each day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/sober-perseverance-is-more-effective-than-enthusiastic-emotions-which/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [The exercise of power is determined by thousands of interactions between the world of the powerful and that of the powerless, all the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/the-exercise-of-power-is-determined-by-thousands-of-interactions/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [It's not true that you should first think up an idea for a better world and only then "put it into practice," but, rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/it-s-not-true-that-you-should-first-think-up-an-idea-for-a-better/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) [Explore all 190 Vaclav Havel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) ## 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": "If the world is to change for the better it must start with a change in human consciousness, in the very humanness of modern man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vaclav Havel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better-it-must-start-with-a-change/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better-it-must-start-with-a-change/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/vaclav-havel-2013_change_if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better_3011345.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/vaclav-havel-2013_change_if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better_3011345.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/vaclav-havel-2013_change_if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better_3011345.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the world is to change for the better it must start with a change in human consciousness, in the very…” — Vaclav Havel", "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": "Vaclav Havel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If the world is to change...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better-it-must-start-with-a-change/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/if-the-world-is-to-change-for-the-better-it-must-start-with-a-change/#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 } } ] } ```