--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the most important issue we have…" description: "\"I think the most important issue we have as a people is what we started, and that is to begin to trust our own thinking again and belive in ourselves e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/wilma-mankiller-15802_belive_i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have_2217467.jpg" --- # I think the most important issue we have as a people is… ![“I think the most important issue we have as a people is what we started, and that is to begin to trust our own thinking again and belive in ourselves enough to think that we can articulate our own vision of the future and then work to make sure that that vision becomes a reality.” quote by Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/wilma-mankiller-15802_belive_i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have_2217467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/wilma-mankiller-15802_belive_i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have_2217467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/wilma-mankiller-15802_belive_i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have_2217467.jpg) > “I think the most important issue we have as a people is what we started, and that is to begin to trust our own thinking again and belive in ourselves enough to think that we can articulate our own vision of the future and then work to make sure that that vision becomes a reality.” [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People must regain confidence in their own reasoning and belief in themselves to shape and realize a future vision. **In simple terms:** Trust your thinking and act on your vision. Key Takeaway Rebuild self‑trust and pursue collective goals. Themes self‑empowerment vision leadership Mood inspirational hopeful Type motivational leadership When to use this quote - community organizing - personal development - political activism Key Concepts confidence agency future‑planning Questions to Reflect On - What steps can restore confidence in personal judgment? - How can communities support individual vision? A Different Perspective Overcoming systemic doubt can be difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belive/) [Belive Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belive-think-456010/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important issue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-issue/) [Important issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-issues/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Think Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-important/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Belive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-belive-4935221/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) [Trust Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-thinking-3715224/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [Visions of the future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visions-of-the-future/) ## Related quotes > [We must trust our own thinking. Trust where we're going. And get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/we-must-trust-our-own-thinking-trust-where-we-re-going-and-get-the/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [“And I belive I am too, and if you think that is awful, then you dont understand a thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smith/and-i-belive-i-am-too-and-if-you-think-that-is-awful-then-you-dont/) [Lee Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smith/) > [There isnt a more important issue in the world than global warming. Even the Cold War and the Bay of Pigs crisis were a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-beaufoy/there-isnt-a-more-important-issue-in-the-world-than-global-warming/) [Simon Beaufoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-beaufoy/) > [The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-robinson/the-right-of-every-american-to-first-class-citizenship-is-the-most/) [Jackie Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-robinson/) > [There isn't a more important issue in the world than global warming. Even the Cold War and the Bay of Pigs crisis were a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-beaufoy/there-isn-t-a-more-important-issue-in-the-world-than-global-warming/) [Simon Beaufoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-beaufoy/) > [I think that trade is an important issue. Of course, we are 5 percent of the world's population; we have to trade with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-that-trade-is-an-important-issue-of-course-we-are-5-percent/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I find freedom to be the most important issue facing any human being today, because without freedom, then life is pointless. The more dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/i-find-freedom-to-be-the-most-important-issue-facing-any-human-being/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [According to various polls conducted, the single most important issue in last week's election was not the Iraq War, not the War on Terror,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doolittle/according-to-various-polls-conducted-the-single-most-important-issue/) [John Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doolittle/) > [In spite of what some people claim, we are not in a post-racial era. I think it's still an important issue to bring up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-jamal-warner/in-spite-of-what-some-people-claim-we-are-not-in-a-post-racial-era-i/) [Malcolm-Jamal Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-jamal-warner/) > [It's a very important issue to me, trying to wake people up to the fact that we'd better take better care of our planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelberg/it-s-a-very-important-issue-to-me-trying-to-wake-people-up-to-the/) [Dan Fogelberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelberg/) > [...the single most important issue in all of life (is) your relationship with the living God... how you can know Him in a personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/the-single-most-important-issue-in-all-of-life-is-your-relationship/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Gay marriage is absolutely something that I am in full support of and a big advocate of, and I think it's an important issue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lynn-sigler-2/gay-marriage-is-absolutely-something-that-i-am-in-full-support-of-and/) [Jamie-Lynn Sigler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lynn-sigler-2/) > [We discussed this very important issue yesterday over a beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-discussed-this-very-important-issue-yesterday-over-a-beer/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Indeed, the distribution of wealth is too important an issue to be left to economists, sociologists, historians, and philosophers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/indeed-the-distribution-of-wealth-is-too-important-an-issue-to-be/) [Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/) > [I think that driving is the least important issue. We as women have a lot more things to tackle before we get to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lubna-olayan/i-think-that-driving-is-the-least-important-issue-we-as-women-have-a/) [Lubna Olayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lubna-olayan/) ## More by Wilma Mankiller > [Negative thoughts were treated by Cherokee healers with the same medicines as wounds, headaches, or physical illness. It was believed that unchecked negative thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/negative-thoughts-were-treated-by-cherokee-healers-with-the-same/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [Remember that I am just a woman who is living a very abundant life. Every step I take forward is on a path paved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/remember-that-i-am-just-a-woman-who-is-living-a-very-abundant-life/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [A significant number of people believe tribal people still live and dress as they did 300 years ago. During my tenure as principal chief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/a-significant-number-of-people-believe-tribal-people-still-live-and/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [Look forward. Turn what has been done into a better path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/look-forward-turn-what-has-been-done-into-a-better-path/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [People say that crisis changes people and turns ordinary people into wiser or more responsible ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/people-say-that-crisis-changes-people-and-turns-ordinary-people-into/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [My name is Mankiller, and in the old Cherokee Nation, when we lived here in the Southeast, we lived in semi-autonomous villages, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/my-name-is-mankiller-and-in-the-old-cherokee-nation-when-we-lived/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [Every single person has leadership ability. Some step up and take them. Some don't. My answer was to step up and lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/every-single-person-has-leadership-ability-some-step-up-and-take-them/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [Women in leadership roles can help restore balance and wholeness to our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/women-in-leadership-roles-can-help-restore-balance-and-wholeness-to/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [A lot of young girls have looked to their career paths and have said they'd like to be chief. There's been a change in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/a-lot-of-young-girls-have-looked-to-their-career-paths-and-have-said/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [Individually and collectively, Cherokee people possess an extraordinary ability to face down adversity and continue moving forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/individually-and-collectively-cherokee-people-possess-an/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [I don't think anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an organization without talking about education. Whoever controls the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/i-don-t-think-anybody-anywhere-can-talk-about-the-future-of-their/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [An Indian is an Indian regardless of the degree of Indian blood or which little government card they do or do not possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/an-indian-is-an-indian-regardless-of-the-degree-of-indian-blood-or/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [Recognizing the good, not just in one's own personal circumstances, but in the world, makes anything possible. When I am asked about the important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/recognizing-the-good-not-just-in-one-s-own-personal-circumstances-but/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [We must trust our own thinking. Trust where we're going. And get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/we-must-trust-our-own-thinking-trust-where-we-re-going-and-get-the/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) > [I've run into more discrimination as a woman than as an Indian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/i-ve-run-into-more-discrimination-as-a-woman-than-as-an-indian/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) [Explore all 42 Wilma Mankiller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) ## More Belive quotes > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Why tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-tell-me-the-sky-s-the-limit-when-there-are-footprints-on-the-moon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm the kinda person, you gotta fight for everything you get. You gotta believe in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-frehley/i-m-the-kinda-person-you-gotta-fight-for-everything-you-get-you-gotta/) [Ace Frehley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-frehley/) > [“There is a hidden power in details”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabeesh-yemmay/there-is-a-hidden-power-in-details/) [Sabeesh Yemmay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabeesh-yemmay/) > [I don't have to believe in Feng Shui, I do it because it makes me money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-don-t-have-to-believe-in-feng-shui-i-do-it-because-it-makes-me-money/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [It's important to adhere to the principles of a large group of people that truly believe these principles, and if they believe them, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/it-s-important-to-adhere-to-the-principles-of-a-large-group-of-people/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [There's this thing called being so open-minded your brains drop out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/there-s-this-thing-called-being-so-open-minded-your-brains-drop-out/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I don't belive Oprah's sexual abuse stories, I mean who would take a black girl when there are plenty of white?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-don-t-belive-oprah-s-sexual-abuse-stories-i-mean-who-would-take-a/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [well, young man," the judge began, what it biols down to this if the court so desires and if you belive that your home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-pelzer/well-young-man-the-judge-began-what-it-biols-down-to-this-if-the/) [Dave Pelzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-pelzer/) > [I belive power can be used for good, I don't think every form of power is absolute evil. I wish I would have stepped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-belive-power-can-be-used-for-good-i-don-t-think-every-form-of-power/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [I'm a big believer in growth. Life is not about achievement, it's about learning and growth, and developing qualities like compassion, patience, perseverance, love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/i-m-a-big-believer-in-growth-life-is-not-about-achievement-it-s-about/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [Whether or not belive in Fate comes down to one thing: who you blame when something goes wrong. Do you think it's your fault…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/whether-or-not-belive-in-fate-comes-down-to-one-thing-who-you-blame/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [In the economy of nature nothing is ever lost. I cannot belive that the soul of man shall prove the one exception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-stratton-porter/in-the-economy-of-nature-nothing-is-ever-lost-i-cannot-belive-that/) [Gene Stratton-Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-stratton-porter/) > [I have come to believe, deeply and firmly, that we can create a poverty free world if we want to. I came to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/i-have-come-to-believe-deeply-and-firmly-that-we-can-create-a-poverty/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [Thus may poor fools Belive false teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thus-may-poor-fools-belive-false-teachers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 102 Belive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the most important issue we have as a people is what we started, and that is to begin to trust our own thinking again and belive in ourselves enough to think that we can articulate our own vision of the future and then work to make sure that that vision becomes a reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wilma Mankiller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have-as-a-people-is-what-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have-as-a-people-is-what-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/wilma-mankiller-15802_belive_i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have_2217467.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/wilma-mankiller-15802_belive_i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have_2217467.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/wilma-mankiller-15802_belive_i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have_2217467.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think the most important issue we have as a people is what we started, and that is to begin to trust our…” — Wilma Mankiller", "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": "Wilma Mankiller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think the most important issue...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have-as-a-people-is-what-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/i-think-the-most-important-issue-we-have-as-a-people-is-what-we/#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 } } ] } ```