Quotes about change

A collection of quotes on the topic of motivational, wise, change, doing.

Best quotes about change

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

Stephen Hawking (1942–2018) British theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author

“Change is good only when you know yourself.”

Mwanandeke Kindembo (1996) Congolese author

“You're only as young as the last time you changed your mind.”

Timothy Leary (1920–1996) American psychologist

As quoted in Office Yoga : Simple Stretches for Busy People (2000) by Darrin Zeer, p. 52

“We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.”

George Orwell book 1984

Source: 1984

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”

Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity

“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.”

Martin Luther (1483–1546) seminal figure in Protestant Reformation

“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.”

Audre Lorde (1934–1992) writer and activist

“And what's the point of changing when I'm happy as I am?”

Paul McCartney (1942) English singer-songwriter and composer

“If the shoe doesn't fit, must we change the foot?”

Gloria Steinem (1934) American feminist and journalist

Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions (1983), p. 228

“All things change; nothing perishes.”

Ovid (-43–17 BC) Roman poet

B.K.S. Iyengar quote: “Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.”

Carl R. Rogers quote: “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”

+ 3 quotes

Ernesto Che Guevara quote: “Let the world change you and you can change the world”

Allen Ginsberg quote: “Our heads are round so thought can change direction”

George Bernard Shaw quote: “Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

Quotes about change

“You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She's not perfect—you aren't either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break—her heart. So don't hurt her, don't change her, don't analyze and don't expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she's not there.”

Bob Marley (1945–1981) Jamaican singer, songwriter, musician

Variant: You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She's not perfect — you aren't either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break — her heart. So don't hurt her, don't change her, don't analyze and don't expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she's not there.

love, Love, Smile, Thinking

“Well, I’m being portrayed as the challenger, but I’m always chasing after other skaters’ strengths, and I’m always seeking to challenge other skaters. So, I always see myself as a challenger, and nothing really has changed between this season’s World Championships and last season’s.”

Yuzuru Hanyu (1994) Japanese figure skater (1994-)

Annotation: Hanyu's being asked what difference it makes for him to go into the 2020 World Championships as a challenger after being the considered favorite for the title in recent years.
CBC interview with Scott Russell
Original: (ja) えっと、まあ、チャレンジャーっていうことを言われますけど、でもいつも他のスケーターの良いところを追いかけてるし、他のスケーターに対してチャレンジしたいなって思ってるし、だからいつも自分はチャレンジャーだと思っていて、だから今シーズンの世界選手権でも先シーズンの世界選手権でも何も変わらないかなって思います。

Season, World

“To trust is a profound commitment, and to trust is to make oneself vulnerable... It’s such an optimistic act, because you’re putting your faith in the hands of someone or something which you expect to remain constant, even if the circumstances change.”

Tom Hiddleston (1981) English actor, producer and musical performer

Faith, Making love

“Nature in fact the best and wisest is an architect and urban planner. (…) The history of establishing gardens and orchards throughout the centuries in Poland is worth knowing, taking into consideration changes in fashions and the foreign influences. Unfortunately, not many objects from those days manifesting the love of nature by man have remained till the present days.”

Marek Żukow-Karczewski (1961) Polish historian, journalist and opinion journalist

Gardens and orchards in the old Poland, "Aura" 11, 1987-11, p.17-18. http://pbn.nauka.gov.pl/sedno-webapp/works/508860

Love, History, Fashion, Nature

“In the second half of the 18th century, first residences-museums were created in Poland. Old palaces were changed to adapt them for exhibitions purposes, or new buildings were erected with separate museum annexes. First such museums in Poland was established in 1802 by Stanisław Kostka Potocki at Wilanów. The museums at Nieborów, Nieśwież, Puławy, Rogalin, Gołuchów and Kórnik followed. At first these museums were established as a response to fashion, later national and patriotic issues became prevailing reasons.”

Marek Żukow-Karczewski (1961) Polish historian, journalist and opinion journalist

Residences-museums: Heritage of the european culture in Poland, "Aura" 7, 1991-07, p. 14-16. http://yadda.icm.edu.pl/yadda/element/bwmeta1.element.agro-81720189-fe01-4686-befa-5b1649bfb0d9?q=1248075a-cd0e-4666-81f5-dc2af54d3ff7$4&qt=IN_PAGE

Fashion

“Don't ever change yourself to impress someone. They should be impress that you don't change to please others”

Cornelius Keagon (1996) Liberian humanitarian aid worker

Source: https://www.academia.edu/57019490/Cornelius_Keagon_biography Academic.edu, Cornelius Keagon biography

“In a world that changes at an exponential rate, members of such world community have to be very proficient in finding reasonable solutions to the problems that they face by themselves.”

Sukavich Rangsitpol (1935) Thai politician

citizenship in the changing world of tomorrow.

World, Problem, Communication

“People generally don't change unless a traumatic event occurs in their life which triggers the brain into new action.”

Jordan Peterson (1962) Canadian clinical psychologist, cultural critic, and professor of psychology

Other

Life, People

“No matter how far you go, don't ever forget where you came from. You were born there for a reason, so make sure to return and change the world”

Cornelius Keagon (1996) Liberian humanitarian aid worker

Forgetting, World

“You gotta make a change. Its time for us as a people to start making some changes, lets change the way we eat, lets change the way we live, and lets change the way we treat each other. You see the old way wasn't working so its on us, to do what we gotta do to survive.”

Tupac Shakur (1971–1996) rapper and actor

People, Way, Time

“Both individuals and communities must be able to possess the skills and knowledge required to function productively in the changing world.”

Sukavich Rangsitpol (1935) Thai politician

Education helps reduce social problems and improves quality of life

World, Knowledge, Communication

“We are just waves in time and space, changing continuously, and the illusion of individuality is produced through the concatenation of the rapidly succeeding phases of existence. What we define as likeness is merely the result of the symmetrical arrangement of molecules which compose our body.”

Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) Serbian American inventor

Time

“The speedily changing world and the growth in business and industrial enterprises have led to greater demand of semi-skilled manpower, who need a higher level of education in order to perform their tasks at the adequate level. To keep up with the speedy change, the educational system can no longer take a passive role.”

Sukavich Rangsitpol (1935) Thai politician

Education helps reduce social problems and improves quality of life

World, Education, Business

“I can't change the fact that my paintings don't sell. But the time will come when people will recognize that they are worth more than the value of the paints used in the picture.”

Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890) Dutch post-Impressionist painter (1853-1890)

People, Time, Painting

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian writer

Motivational, Deep, Success, Inspirational

“The provision of education has to be congruent with the pace of the changing world. This era - the era of globalization where all sources of information can be accessed within a few seconds through Internet and World-Wide-Web linkages, we inevitably have to take a further step beyond literacy level.”

Sukavich Rangsitpol (1935) Thai politician

Education helps reduce social problems and improves quality of life

World, Education

“Waiting to die in old age will not benefit anyone if you have wasted your youth and do not want to change anything right now.”

Mwanandeke Kindembo (1996) Congolese author

Waiting, Youth, Age

“Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right.”

Jane Goodall (1934) British primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist

Reported in Yolanda Brooks, Do Animals Have Rights? (2008), p. 23

Powerful, People

“The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.”

Carl R. Rogers (1902–1987) American psychologist

Education, Learning, Personality

“Magick is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.”

Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) poet, mountaineer, occultist

Introduction.
Source: Magick Book IV : Liber ABA, Part III : Magick in Theory and Practice (1929)
Context: Magick is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.
(Illustration: It is my Will to inform the World of certain facts within my knowledge. I therefore take "magical weapons", pen, ink, and paper; I write "incantations" — these sentences — in the "magical language" ie, that which is understood by the people I wish to instruct; I call forth "spirits", such as printers, publishers, booksellers and so forth and constrain them to convey my message to those people. The composition and distribution of this book is thus an act of Magick by which I cause Changes to take place in conformity with my Will.)
In one sense Magick may be defined as the name given to Science by the vulgar.

Art, Science

“Today is filled with anger, fueled with hidden hate.
Scared of being outkast, afraid of common fate.
Today is build on tragedies which no one want's to face.
Nightmares to humanity and morally disgraced.
Tonight is filled with Rage, violence in the air.
Children bred with ruthlessness cause no one at home cares.
Tonight I lay my head down but the pressure never stops,
knowing that my sanity content when I'm droped.
But tomorrow I see change, a chance to build a new,
build on spirit intent of heart and ideas based on truth.
Tomorrow I wake with second wind and strong because of pride.
I know I fought with all my heart to keep the dream alive.”

Tupac Shakur (1971–1996) rapper and actor

Hate, Fate, Children, Truth

“I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world.”

Tupac Shakur (1971–1996) rapper and actor

Posthumous attributions, Tupac: Resurrection (2003)

World

“When I'm gone, people will no doubt remember me for Queen, but I would much rather be remembered for attempting to change the way we treat our fellow creatures.”

Brian May (1947) English musician and astrophysicist

Interview with The Sunday Times, quoted in "Brian May Converts Estate Into Wildlife Refuge", in Contactmusic.com (9 July 2012) http://www.contactmusic.com/queen/news/brian-may-converts-estate-into-wildlife-refuge_1359933.

People, Way

“Serious tweet: we all must learn to be happy with being alone; that is when things begin to change.”

Tyler Joseph (1988) American singer-songwriter and record producer

Learning, Happiness

“There are many variables intertwined in every problem and components of all the variable involved have to be carefully studied. Forming solutions by studying and synthesizing the relationship among key variables seems to be very much in need. The ability to identify a meaning from observable and obtained data is the core of human characteristics in such changing society. Hence, inductive thinking has to be instilled in every learner for a productive citizenship in the changing world of tomorrow.”

Sukavich Rangsitpol (1935) Thai politician

citizenship in the changing world of tomorrow.

Study, Problem, Thinking, World

“I had a dream
I got everything I wanted
But when I wake up, I see
You with me

And you say
As long as I'm here
No one can hurt you
Don't wanna lie here
But you can learn to
If I could change the way that you see yourself
You wouldn't wonder why you hear
"They don't deserve you"”

Billie Eilish (2001) American singer-songwriter

"everything i wanted"
Singles (2017 - )

Hurt, Dreams, Learning, Lie

“Do not swear by the moon, for she changes constantly. then your love would also change.”

William Shakespeare book Romeo and Juliet

Source: Romeo and Juliet

Love

“Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.”

Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity

“Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.”

B.K.S. Iyengar (1918–2014) Indian yoga teacher and scholar

Source: Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom, p. 61

Way, Personality

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”

Carl R. Rogers (1902–1987) American psychologist

Source: On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

Max Planck (1858–1947) German theoretical physicist

Attitude, Depressing, Hope, Positive

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

Socrates (-470–-399 BC) classical Greek Athenian philosopher

This is actually a quotation http://books.google.com/books?id=FUIHmRHf8SUC&lpg=PA130&dq=%22not%20on%20fighting%20the%20old%20but%20on%20building%20the%20new%22&pg=PA130#v=onepage&q=%22not%20on%20fighting%20the%20old%20but%20on%20building%20the%20new%22&f=false from a character named Socrates in Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book that Changes Lives http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_the_Peaceful_Warrior, by Dan Millman. <br class="br">Misattributed

Success, Deep, Inspirational, Business

“I was trying to figure out what I’m doing, and that was the first time I was constantly being kicked down for doing that. When I didn’t know, I just wanted to say, ‘This is what I want, this is where I am in my professional life, things changed in my personal life, things changed in my heart — everything.’ And people just thought, ‘Alright, this is what we think.’ And yeah, I made some decisions that weren’t great as well, and so did he and that’s why we went through all that to only make us better. And he has heard [the song] and he has seen the video, and it’s something that I feel like girls need hear, and it’s something I’m willing to share with people.”

Selena Gomez (1992) American singer and actress

Life, People, Feeling, Girl

“One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.”

Malala Yousafzai (1997) Pakistani children's education activist

UN speech, June 2013
Context: So let us wage a glorious struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism, let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution.

Inspirational, Hope, Powerful, Teachers' Day

“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.”

Henri Bergson (1859–1941) French philosopher

Powerful

“Get going. Move forward. Aim high. Plan for a takeoff. Don't just sit on the runway and hope someone will come along and push the airplane. It simply won't happen. Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.”

Donald J. Trump (1946) 45th President of the United States of America

Trump: How to Get Rich (2004), p. 74
2000s

Love, Hope

“We are the change we have been waiting for.”

Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America

Waiting

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”

Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962) American actress, model, and singer

People, Learning

“Actors are agents of change. A film, a piece of theater, a piece of music, or a book can make a difference. It can change the world.”

Alan Rickman (1946–2016) English film, television and stage actor

Interview: Alan Rickman on "Nobel Son" http://www.ifc.com/2008/12/alan-rickman-on-nobel-son by Aaron Hillis, IFC.com (4 December 2008)

Books, World, Music

“A thug changes, and love changes
and best friends become strangers, word up”

Nas (1973) American rapper, record producer and entrepreneur

The Message
On Albums, It Was Written (1996)

Love

“How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?”

Emma Watson (1990) British actress and model

"Emma Watson HeForShe Speech at the United Nations | UN Women 2014" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Dg226G2Z8, <br class="br">UN Speech on the HeForShe campaign (2014)

World, Feeling

“One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Angel

Source: The Infernal Devices, Clockwork Angel (2010), p. 87

Books

“The truth is: the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water and air. It is the most precious thing we have and we need to defend it.”

David Attenborough (1926) British broadcaster and naturalist

Truth, World, Food, Nature

“Let the world change you and you can change the world”

Ernesto Che Guevara (1928–1967) Argentine Marxist revolutionary

World

“Observe the movements of the stars as if you were running their courses with them, and let your mind constantly dwell on the changes of the elements into each other. Such imaginings wash away the filth of life on the ground.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations

Life, Imagination, Star

“A great revolution in just one single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a society and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of humankind.”

Daisaku Ikeda (1928) Japanese writer

Variant: A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, can even enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.
Source: The Human Revolution

Help

“What we see changes what we know. What we know changes what we see.”

Jean Piaget (1896–1980) Swiss psychologist, biologist, logician, philosopher & academic

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America

Senator Barack Obama’s speech to supporters after the Feb. 5 2018 nominating contests, as provided by Federal News Service and released in the New York Times (5 February 2008) https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/us/politics/05text-obama.html <br class="br">2008

Time, Waiting, Personality

“Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions. You change direction but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn't something that blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside of you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and plugging up your ears so the sand doesn't get in, and walk through it, step by step. There's no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense of time. Just fine white sand swirling up into the sky like pulverized bones. That's the kind of sandstorm you need to imagine.”

Haruki Murakami book Kafka on the Shore

Source: Kafka on the Shore (2002), Chapter One

Death, Fate, Imagination, Sense

“You have to change your life if you’re not happy, and wake up if things aren’t going the way you want.”

Keanu Reeves (1964) Canadian actor, director, producer and musician

Way, Life, Happiness

“The past is behind you and there is nothing you can do to change it. However, you are in total control of your future.

RJ Intindola – 1980 *”

Gandolfo – (RJ Intindola)

Past, Future

“The past is behind you and there is nothing you can do to change it. However, you are in total control of your future.

RJ Intindola – 1980 *”

Gandolfo – (RJ Intindola)

Past, Future

“Persevere in prayer without ceasing.. to understand and live according to his will, not to change it.”

Charbel Makhlouf (1828–1898) Lebanese Maronite monk and saint

Love is a Radiant Light: The Life & Words of Saint Charbel (2019)

Understanding, Perseverance

“Although we accept the inevitability of change, humans meet it with a lot of resistance. In most cases, change threatens those in positions of advantage and for the most part they are there in the first place to keep things the way they are.”

Jacque Fresco (1916–2017) American futurist and self-described social engineer

Designing the Future (2007)

Way, Parting

“When the rate of change outside exceeds the rate of change inside, the end is in sight.”

Jack Welch (1935) American executive: General Electric CEO

Variant: If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near.

“The entire universe is God's cosmic motion picture, and that individuals are merely actors in the divine play who change roles through reincarnation; mankind's deep suffering is rooted in identifying too closely with one's current role, rather than with the movie's director, or God.”

Paramahansa Yogananda (1893–1952) Yogi, a guru of Kriya Yoga and founder of Self-Realization Fellowship

God, Suffering, Universe

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

Harriet Tubman (1820–1913) African-American abolitionist and humanitarian

Inspirational, Success, Motivational, Hope

“One small cat changes coming home to an empty house to coming home.”

Pam Brown (1948) Australian poet

Home, Cats, Housing

“In youth, it was a way I had,
To do my best to please.
And change, with every passing lad
To suit his theories.

But now I know the things I know
And do the things I do,
And if you do not like me so,
To hell, my love, with you.”

Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist

Source: The Complete Poems of Dorothy Parker

Love, Youth, Way, Hell

“Many people say, "Well, I'd love to make a decision like that, but I'm not sure how I could change my life." They're paralyzed by the fear that they don't know exactly how to turn their dreams
into reality. And as a result, they never make the decisions that could make their lives into the masterpieces they deserve to be. I'm here to tell you that it's not important initially to know how
you're going to create a result. What's important is to decide you will find a way, no matter what.”

Anthony Robbins (1960) Author, actor, professional speaker

Love, Life, People, Fear

“I wanted to change the world. But I have found that the only thing one can be sure of changing is oneself.”

Aldous Huxley book Point Counter Point

Source: Point Counter Point

World

“You should never, ever be understood completely. That's like the kiss of death, isn't it? It's a full stop. I don't ever think you should put full stops on thoughts. They change.”

John Lydon (1956) English singer, songwriter, and musician

Death, Kiss, Thinking

“This knotted dilemma lies at the center of women's development. How can girls both enter and stay outside of, be educated in and then try to change, what for millennia has been a man's world?”

Carol Gilligan (1936) American feminist, ethicist, and psychologist

Source: Joining the Resistance

Women, World, Education, Girl

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Viktor E. Frankl book Man's Search for Meaning

Source: Man's Search for Meaning

Attitude, Peaceful

“We cannot change anything unless we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate; it oppresses.”

C.G. Jung book Modern Man in Search of a Soul

Variant: We cannot change anything unless we accept it.
Source: Modern Man in Search of a Soul

“I'm not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I've always been a freak. So I've been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know. I'm one of those people.”

John Lennon (1940–1980) English singer and songwriter

Life, People, Way, Feeling

“By eating meat we share the responsibility of climate change, the destruction of our forests, and the poisoning of our air and water. The simple act of becoming a vegetarian will make a difference in the health of our planet.”

Thich Nhat Hanh (1926) Religious leader and peace activist

Source: The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology

Health, Water

“A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things.”

Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America

People

“Our heads are round so thought can change direction”

Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997) American poet

“(on the perceived need for cautious political development): "We are the High Chiefs of these islands. We are the leaders of the people. On us is the duty of pointing out to them the right course. Bear this in mind. We have to lead on two points- hold back those who advocate radical changes (for which we are not sufficiently educated) and enliven the laggards before their ignorance destroys us."”

Lala Sukuna (1888–1958) Chief of Lau and civil servant in Fiji

1936 speeches to the Great Council of Chiefs

People, Education

“I think my government are fascists. I feel that if we don't change from a society that worships money and power over to one that worships compassion and generosity, there is no hope for human survival this century.”

Patch Adams (1945) Physician, activist, diplomat, author

As quoted in "Entrevista com o médico americano P. Adams" in Roda Viva - Entrevista (13 November 2007)

Money, Hope, Feeling, Thinking

“Reality has changed, and we changed with it. However, I never changed sides. I have always been on the side of justice, democracy and social equality.”

Dilma Rousseff (1947) 36th President of Brazil

Interview http://veja.abril.com.br/240210/candidata-conquista-ninho-p-050.shtml to Veja magazine, February 24. <br class="br">2010

Justice, Democracy, Reality

“My main professional interest during the 1970s has been in the dramatic change of concepts and ideas that has occurred in physics during the first three decades of the century, and that is still being elaborated in our current theories of matter. The new concepts in physics have brought about a profound change in our world view; from the mechanistic conception of Descartes and Newton to a holistic and ecological view, a view which I have found to be similar to the views of mystics of all ages and traditions.”

Fritjof Capra book The Turning Point

Preface.
The Turning Point (1982)

Age, World, Idea

“To be kind is to respond with sensitivity and human warmth to the hopes and needs of others. Even the briefest touch of kindness can lighten a heavy heart. Kindness can change the lives of people.”

Aung San Suu Kyi (1945) State Counsellor of Myanmar and Leader of the National League for Democracy

Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech (2012)
Context: Of the sweets of adversity, and let me say that these are not numerous, I have found the sweetest, the most precious of all, is the lesson I learnt on the value of kindness. Every kindness I received, small or big, convinced me that there could never be enough of it in our world. To be kind is to respond with sensitivity and human warmth to the hopes and needs of others. Even the briefest touch of kindness can lighten a heavy heart. Kindness can change the lives of people.

People, Hope, Heart

“Time changes, and our desires change. What we
believe—even what we are—is ever-
changing. The world is change, which forever
takes on new qualities.”

Luís de Camões (1524–1580) Portuguese poet

Selected Sonnets: A Bilingual Edition (2008), ed. William Baer, p. 70
Lyric poetry, Não pode tirar-me as esperanças, Mudam-se os tempos, mudam-se as vontades

Time

“Remember, when someone says ‘you’ve changed,’ it usually just means you’ve stopped living your life their way.”

Ricky Gervais (1961) English comedian, actor, director, producer, musician, writer, and former radio presenter

Way, Life

“When climate change is running faster than we are, everything must be done to defeat climate change.”

António Guterres (1949) Secretary-General of the United Nations

Said in a visit to Nigeria in 2019. Recorded in an Instagram post https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzxt5h-nYhT/ on UN Environment

“I like people to go away from a Queen show feeling fully entertained, having had a good time. I think Queen songs are pure escapism, like going to see a good film - after that, they can go away and say that was great, and go back to their problems. I don't want to change the world with our music. There are no hidden messages in our songs, except for some of Brian's.”

Freddie Mercury (1946–1991) British singer, songwriter and record producer

"The Man Who Would Be Queen" in Melody Maker (2 May 1981).

Time, People, Music, Problem

“If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change.”

Michael Jackson (1958–2009) American singer, songwriter and dancer

Source: Song Man in the Mirror
Context: I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change

World, Making love

“Whether you are in a toxic relationship, or you wish to make that ‘final decision’ which will change your life, you must not, at any cost, allow the time to pass while sitting idle.”

Mwanandeke Kindembo (1996) Congolese author

Time, Decision, Life