Wendy Kopp Quotes

People like me who are reform-minded ignore the people who say, 'Just criticize and don't do anything and let's win by default.' That's ridiculous.

One person can make a difference. In fact, it's not only possible for one person to make a difference, it's essential that one person makes a difference. And believe it or not, that person is you.

If you are going to make a change, make it big and bold. Walk up to the biggest guy on the block, stand in his face and get it started. Then go around, brigade by brigade, making it make sense.

There are so many causes that you care about, but one can't change or take on the world, so one has to really focus on where you feel you can - to use a very overworked phrase - truly try to do something to make a difference.

I have not been part of an active counterculture movement, as it is not the approach that I have personally pursued to create a qualitatively beneficial and meaningful impact on society. Perhaps, my belief is along the old saying that 'it is always better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.'

I don't think there's much point in bemoaning the state of the world unless there's some way you can think of to improve it. Otherwise, don't bother writing a book; go and find a tropical island and lie in the sun.

Some people get in the way of change happening. Some people spend their whole careers thinking they can make a difference. Other people want to do as little as possible to get the day done.

When you scratch the surface, every one of us has something that we deeply want to contribute to the world. All we have to do is step up and do it.

I never thought we had a chance of impacting anything. I am just starting to realize that we can change things - not just VICE, but all of us. In fact, we have to.

You should have certainty in what you do. Anyone who has done anything in this world was hated. If you're not hated, you've done nothing.

To make a difference is just... I think... the purpose of what life is.

I can't fix the world. If you want to make a difference in life, you have to direct your energies in a focused way.

You can't go through life and leave things the way they are. We can all make a difference, and if I die today, I know I made a difference.

You can have an impact anywhere you are.

When I lecture kids, I say, 'You've got to be ambitious by the advertising - ambitious. You've got to say, 'See, this product? Maybe I can change the world with this product.'' They look at me like I'm nuts, but that's what you can do.

I like to be part of the change I want to see in the world. Not being afraid of criticism is actually a big advantage.

You have to have sharp elbows if you want to change something.

It is a mistake to do nothing just because you think you can only do a little.

The one thing I witnessed over and over were these pretty young people who would throw themselves into a cause larger than themselves and believe they could change the world.

You can talk about what’s wrong with the world or help fix it.

It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little.

On one hand, I am very pessimistic, but on the other hand, if I didn't believe that speaking up would do something, I wouldn't have spoken.

You don't have to be one of those people that accepts things as they are. Every day, take responsibility for changing them right where you are.

I'm in politics to change things - if possible, for the better. I was a journalist for a long time, but I had a kind of midlife crisis, and I decided I needed to do something to get on the pitch and stop endlessly kicking over other peoples' sandcastles.

Work on something that matters. Have courage.