Ghandi’s famous quote goes like this:
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Except Ghandi never said that. Or, at least, not quite like that. Here’s what he really said:
“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him.”
The quote we use today more closely resembles a quote from the early 70s by a Brooklyn educator named Arlene Lorrance who was the creator of an effort called THE LOVE PROJECT.
“One way to start a preventative program is to be the change you want to see happen.That is the essence and substance of the simple and successful endeavor known as THE LOVE PROJECT.”
This, of course, isn’t exactly the quote either. Which begs the question: Where did it come from? (Or, at least, it begs the question from my engineer self.)
No one, apparently.
(Note: Here’s an interesting article discussing the origin story for that quote.)
But here’s the thing — it doesn’t matter. It’s a powerful quote, regardless of it’s factual origin, because it conveys a powerful message that resonates with us as humans.
It starts with you. Be the change.
