“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” It’s a phrase that may not have been explicitly stated by Mahatma Gandhi, but which continues to influence people all around the world. ‘Make a difference’ quotes like this can be profound reminders that we can’t just sit back and hope for a better tomorrow. We must create it ourselves and embody the traits needed to push society in the right direction.
Sometimes we don’t know how to foster change. Or, we hold a belief that making a difference is only possible through larger-than-life acts like holding public office or finding the cure to a disease. In reality, though, it begins with just small, everyday deeds and with one person: you. Then, when you band together with others who share in your mission, that’s when true magic can happen.
It takes compassion, courage, patience and resilience to change the ways of the world, and perhaps a bit of a nudge from the following ‘make a difference’ quotes. Let them remind you that great things can happen around you and within you when you lead with your heart and recognize your personal power.
Quotes to Remind Us That Every Small Action Matters
Many people become paralyzed into inaction because they believe they don’t have the money, time or resources to inspire change. But this sentiment couldn’t be further from the truth. Even the smallest of actions can snowball into something much greater, filling the communities involved with compassion and empathy. This could be something as simple as giving someone a compliment or smiling warmly at a stranger on the street. Another great example is paying it forward in the drive-thru line–a gesture that commonly sparks a powerful chain reaction.
The following “little things that make a big difference” quotes remind us that groundbreaking transformations always start with a single step, and every contribution along the way is worthwhile.
- “For the great doesn’t happen through impulse alone, and is a succession of little things that are brought together.” —Vincent Van Gogh
- “There can be no difference anywhere that doesn’t make a difference elsewhere.” —William James, Pragmatism
- “Every action, reader, no matter how small, has a consequence.” —Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux
- “The journey of a thousand miles starts from beneath your feet.” —Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
- “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” —Howard Zinn
- “We may not have the ability to change all of the world’s wrongs, but we can make a difference where we are.” —Dillon Burroughs, Hunger No More
- “Words are where most change begins.” —Brandon Sanderson, Words of Radiance
- “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” —Robert Kennedy
- “Even the largest avalanche is triggered by small things.” —Vernor Vinge
Related: Mel Robbins: It’s Never Too Late to Make a Difference
‘Change the World’ Quotes to Inspire You to Make a Difference
“Be the difference” quotes can come from some of the world’s most influential people, from Nelson Mandela to Malala Yousafzai. These individuals weren’t born with a superhuman power to effect change.
Instead, they believed that change was possible and relentlessly stood up for what they believed in. Let their words be a reminder that you, too, can make an impact. Whether your cause is environmental, social, economic or political, have the courage to act now and let your voice be heard.
- “I know many great people, but I’ve been especially inspired by those who had deep enough a faith in mankind to believe that the world can change. The people who somehow know and feel at work so that wherever there is injustice, they don’t talk about it—they do something. Where there is suffering, they do something, they act.” —Marian Wright Edelman
- “The greatest danger to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” —Robert Swan
- “If you do a good job for others, you heal yourself at the same time, because a dose of joy is a spiritual cure.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- “My meaningfulness is here. It’s enough that I am of comfort to someone today. It’s enough that I make a difference now.” —Hugh Prather, Notes to Myself
- “Never start a business just to ‘make money.’ Start a business to make a difference.” —Marie Forleo
- “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” —Nelson Mandela
- “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.” —Malala Yousafzai
- “No matter what anyone tells you, words and ideas have the power to change the world.” —N.H. Kleinbaum, Dead Poets Society
- “If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it.” —Lucy Lacom, The Poetical Works of Lucy Lacom
Related: Embrace What Makes You Different to Make a Difference
‘Thank You for Making a Difference’ Sayings to Show Your Appreciation
At times, working towards a better tomorrow can seem like a thankless job or one that yields painfully slow results. Use these original SUCCESS® sayings to express gratitude to those people in your life who hustle day in and day out just to spread kindness and goodwill. Maybe they organize fundraisers every year or donate meals through their small business. Whatever it may be, these are the true unsung heroes of our community, and they deserve to be recognized for their efforts and sacrifices.
On a personal level, these quotes can act as motivation and help you to remember that even if it’s not obvious right now, you are making a difference.
- “Your dedication to making the world a better place inspires us all.”
- “Thank you for being the change you wish to see.”
- “We are all better off because of your selflessness and acts for the greater good.”
- “Sometimes heroes look like everyday men and women doing what they can to lift up their own communities.”
- “Many people simply discuss the topic of change. You’re putting those words into action.”
- “Thank you for recognizing the work that needed to be done and not waiting for someone else to make a difference.”
- “No matter how small, your efforts will cause a ripple of influence that reaches farther than you ever thought possible.”
- “Hope radiates from people like you who show up and dedicate themselves to a cause bigger than themselves.”
- “Thank you for all your quiet deeds that weren’t always seen but always felt.”
- “You are a reminder to those around you that we shouldn’t just live in the world, but build it up to be a better place to exist and grow.”
‘One Person Can Make a Difference’ Quotes to Give Us Perspective
In the same way that just one small act can spark a revolution, one person can, too. Historical figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mother Teresa are real-life proof that this is possible. Their work and commitment to their causes started entire movements that altered the course of our history.
Most of us won’t operate on such a large global scale, but you can start with your own sphere of influence, such as your workplace or local town. “You make a difference” quotes highlight our individual power and show us that with a little faith, we can go far.
- “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.” —Jane Goodall, Reason for Hope
- “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito.” —West African Proverb
- “You have been created in order that you might make a difference. You have within you the power to change the world.” —Andy Andrews, The Butterfly Effect
- “A dynamic person is a person who really makes a difference in the world; who does something that really changes things or people. The magnitude of the work done may not be very great, but the fact still remains that the world is a little different because that person has lived and worked. “ —Emmet Fox, Make Your Life Worthwhile
- “I am impactful: What I do makes a difference in the lives of others.” —Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- “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
- “I am but one—but I am one. I cannot do much, but I can do something: and all I can do, I ought to do; and by God’s grace will do.” —John Angell James, The Church In Earnest
- “You change the world by being yourself.” —Yoko Ono
Powerful ‘Together We Can Make a Difference’ Quotes
“Teamwork makes the dream work” is a simple phrase, but one that holds much truth. We’re all capable and valuable as individuals. However, groups carry a strength that no one person alone could bear. Think about signing a petition or joining a rally. The voices of many travel further than the voice of one.
Similarly, when numerous people work towards the same goal, they can leverage a wider range of knowledge and skills to reach their goals more efficiently. The following impact quotes help us to see just how much we can accomplish when we work together.
- “My motto is that each and every one of us can make a difference, but together we can make change.” —Barbara Mikulski
- “Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” —Helen Keller, Helen and Teacher
- “For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.” —Phil Jackson, Eleven Rings
- “None of us is as smart as all of us.” —Kenneth Blanchard, The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams
- “Together we can face any challenges as deep as the ocean and as high as the sky.” —Sonia Gandhi
- “Great things in business are never done by one person, they are done by a team of people.” —Steve Jobs
- “But you are not just working alone. You’re with millions of different people across the world who also believe in the world you envision. Being part of a movement, and that sense of friendship, community and working together—that gives me hope.” —Vanessa Nakate
- “If you believe you can make a difference, then you will make a difference. Believe in yourself, your family and your community and you will win.” —Lindsay Fox
- “Family, friends, good health and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive difference are what really matters.” —Richard Branson
Spark Change, One Act at a Time
How would you build a house? One brick at a time. When you’re in the beginning stages, making a difference seems like a lofty, unattainable goal. But, with dedication and intention–not power, fame or even perfection–you can spark change. Every small act, from volunteering to helping a neighbor to voting in an election, inspires another and sets the pace for continued momentum. Before you know it, there will be multiple hands alongside your own laying down concrete slabs and pouring the foundation for a better future.
Let these “make a difference” quotes serve as a reminder that change starts with you, and the world needs what only you can give.
Photo by PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock
