--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have only to change the point of view…" description: "\"We have only to change the point of view and the greatest action looks mean.\" — William Makepeace Thackeray" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_action_we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view_2254876.jpg" --- # We have only to change the point of view and the greatest… ![“We have only to change the point of view and the greatest action looks mean.” quote by William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_action_we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view_2254876.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_action_we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view_2254876.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_action_we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view_2254876.jpg) > “We have only to change the point of view and the greatest action looks mean.” [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing perspective can make a seemingly minor act appear significant and impactful. **In simple terms:** A shift in view makes small deeds seem great. Key Takeaway Reframe problems to see hidden value. Themes perspective perception action meaning interpretation Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership decisions - conflict resolution - creative problem solving - personal growth Key Concepts relativism psychology social influence Questions to Reflect On - How does your viewpoint alter the perceived value of actions? - When can reframing be misleading? A Different Perspective May overlook actual importance of the act itself. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Action Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action-looks-5165832/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Greatest Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-action-1547774/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Looks Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks-mean-3097775/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Point View](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-view/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) ## Related quotes > [SO many people know someone is terrible, or mean, or stupid but they'll still say damn she's hot! or he's gorgeous!, As soon as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/so-many-people-know-someone-is-terrible-or-mean-or-stupid-but-they-ll/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [My looks mean nothing to me. If anything, they are a hindrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-beart/my-looks-mean-nothing-to-me-if-anything-they-are-a-hindrance/) [Emmanuelle Beart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-beart/) > [I admired a tremendous number of photographers, but for some reason I arrived at a point of view of my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-leiter/i-admired-a-tremendous-number-of-photographers-but-for-some-reason-i/) [Saul Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-leiter/) > [Just another point of view, I'm just a reflection of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bootsy-collins/just-another-point-of-view-i-m-just-a-reflection-of-you/) [Bootsy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bootsy-collins/) > [You've got all these characters and yet, you're hovering over one character like a fly over a stinky diaper. Realize that you've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/you-ve-got-all-these-characters-and-yet-you-re-hovering-over-one/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [One of the most difficult things in writing a novel or anything at all is to choose the point of view from which it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-in-writing-a-novel-or-anything-at/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Some people call Police Story the greatest action film of all time, and while I have to be humble and say that I disagree,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/some-people-call-police-story-the-greatest-action-film-of-all-time/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [The measure of action is the sentiment from which it proceeds. The greatest action may easily be one of the most private circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-measure-of-action-is-the-sentiment-from-which-it-proceeds-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [With 'The Expendables,' you have such a brilliant mess of the greatest action stars of all time, so you're in for the ride with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-statham/with-the-expendables-you-have-such-a-brilliant-mess-of-the-greatest/) [Jason Statham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-statham/) > [The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-greatest-action-is-not-conforming-with-the-worlds-ways/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The world leaves no track in space, and the greatest action of man no mark in the vast idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-world-leaves-no-track-in-space-and-the-greatest-action-of-man-no/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [What we get in the States is a pro-Palestinian point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-pellegrino/what-we-get-in-the-states-is-a-pro-palestinian-point-of-view/) [Mark Pellegrino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-pellegrino/) > [“Nothing is ever right, it just isn't wrong from our point of view.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-gomez/nothing-is-ever-right-it-just-isn-t-wrong-from-our-point-of-view/) [Bryan Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-gomez/) > [I have a tendency to often share the point of view of the conspiracy theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-cotillard/i-have-a-tendency-to-often-share-the-point-of-view-of-the-conspiracy/) [Marion Cotillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-cotillard/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) ## More by William Makepeace Thackeray > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [As nature made every man with a nose and eyes of his own, she gave him a character of his own, too; and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/as-nature-made-every-man-with-a-nose-and-eyes-of-his-own-she-gave-him/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [It is best to love wisely, no doubt; but to love foolishly is better than not to be able to love at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/it-is-best-to-love-wisely-no-doubt-but-to-love-foolishly-is-better/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Diffidence is a sort of false modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/diffidence-is-a-sort-of-false-modesty/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Our great thoughts, our great affections, the truths of our life, never leave us. Surely they can not separate from our consciousness, shall follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/our-great-thoughts-our-great-affections-the-truths-of-our-life-never/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Charming Alnaschar visions! it is the happy privilege of youth to construct you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/charming-alnaschar-visions-it-is-the-happy-privilege-of-youth-to/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [To see a young couple loving each other is no wonder; but to see an old couple loving each other is the best sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-see-a-young-couple-loving-each-other-is-no-wonder-but-to-see-an/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [An immense percentage of snobs, I believe, is to be found in every rank of this mortal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/an-immense-percentage-of-snobs-i-believe-is-to-be-found-in-every-rank/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Vanity is often the unseen spur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/vanity-is-often-the-unseen-spur/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [A good laugh is sunshine in the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/a-good-laugh-is-sunshine-in-the-house/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Novelty has charms that our minds can hardly withstand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/novelty-has-charms-that-our-minds-can-hardly-withstand/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“Picture to yourself, O fair young reader, a worldly, selfish, graceless, thankless, religionless old woman, writhing in pain and fear, and without her wig.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/picture-to-yourself-o-fair-young-reader-a-worldly-selfish-graceless/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Certain opuscules, denominated 'Christmas Books,' with the ostensible intention of swelling the tide of exhilaration, or other expansive emotions, incident upon the exodus of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/certain-opuscules-denominated-christmas-books-with-the-ostensible/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Explore all 384 William Makepeace Thackeray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [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/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have only to change the point of view and the greatest action looks mean.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Makepeace Thackeray" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view-and-the-greatest-action/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view-and-the-greatest-action/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_action_we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view_2254876.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_action_we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view_2254876.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_action_we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view_2254876.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have only to change the point of view and the greatest action looks mean.” — William Makepeace Thackeray", "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": "William Makepeace Thackeray", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have only to change the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view-and-the-greatest-action/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/we-have-only-to-change-the-point-of-view-and-the-greatest-action/#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 } } ] } ```