Jeremy Heimans Quotes

Powerful Jeremy Heimans for Daily Growth

About Jeremy Heimans

Jeremy Heimans is a renowned social entrepreneur, public speaker, and co-founder of several groundbreaking organizations that harness the power of networks and technology to drive social change. Born in Australia in 1976, Heimans moved to the United States at a young age, where he studied at Brown University and Harvard Law School. His journey into social entrepreneurship began in earnest with the co-founding of Avaaz (meaning "voice" in many languages), an online activist community with millions of members worldwide. Avaaz has been instrumental in campaigns such as stopping oil drilling in the Arctic, pressuring governments to act on climate change, and advocating for human rights. Heimans' work has also extended to the realm of political organizing. In 2013, he co-founded Purpose, a company that creates campaigns, movements, and nonprofits designed to inspire and mobilize people around the world. One of Purpose's most notable projects is the Iranian campaign #IranWantstoTalk, which aimed to establish a dialogue between Iranians and the international community during the 2013 nuclear negotiations. In his book "New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World—and How to Make It Work for You," Heimans explores the shift from old power structures (centralized, hierarchical) to new power structures (distributed, participatory), and how individuals can harness this change to effect real social transformation. Jeremy Heimans' work continues to inspire and empower people around the globe, demonstrating that collective action, networks, and technology can be potent forces for positive change. His quotes often reflect his belief in the power of ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things when they organize together.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Change happens when powerful communities come together around a common purpose."

This quote by Jeremy Heimans emphasizes that significant change in society arises from the collective action of empowered communities united by a shared goal or purpose. It suggests that when diverse individuals come together, pooling their resources, knowledge, and influence, they can effectively challenge established norms, drive innovation, and bring about lasting transformation. The idea is that the strength lies not only in individual efforts but in collaborative action towards a common cause.


"The power of technology lies not in automating processes but in empowering people to connect, collaborate and take collective action."

This quote highlights that the true potential of technology doesn't lie solely in automation, but rather, it resides in its ability to facilitate connections between people and enable collaboration for collective action. Essentially, Jeremy Heimans is suggesting that technology should serve as a tool that fosters human interaction and empowers individuals to work together towards common goals, thereby amplifying their combined impact.


"The most powerful force for change in the 21st century will be networks."

The quote suggests that in the 21st century, the driving force behind significant changes in society will primarily stem from interconnected groups or networks of people, rather than traditional institutions such as governments or corporations. These networks have the potential to bring about change more quickly, efficiently, and democratically due to their ability to leverage collective knowledge, resources, and influence. Examples include social movements like Black Lives Matter, online activist groups, and collaborative innovation platforms. The quote underscores the importance of fostering connections, building strong networks, and empowering individuals within those networks in order to bring about meaningful change in our society.


"It's not about a single, heroic act; it's about collective action from many people over time."

This quote emphasizes that meaningful change is not solely dependent on individual acts of heroism but rather on the collective efforts of many individuals over an extended period. It suggests that lasting impact arises from consistent, collaborative actions among a group of people, rather than relying on a single spectacular event or act. This idea underscores the importance of community engagement and collective responsibility in addressing significant issues and driving positive change.


"Movements win when society cannot ignore them."

Jeremy Heimans' quote underscores the power that social movements hold in bringing about change. When a movement gains enough visibility, momentum, and public support, it becomes increasingly difficult for society to ignore its demands or messages. This recognition can compel decision-makers to take notice and respond, ultimately leading to change in policies, attitudes, or behaviors. The implication is that the more impactful a social movement is, the greater its potential to drive transformation and effect positive change on a large scale.


One example of 21st century activism we are engaging in is All Out, a first-of-its-kind global movement to advance the interests and rights of LGBT people. All Out is bringing together people of all identities to build a world in which everyone can live freely and be embraced for who they are.

- Jeremy Heimans

Example, Out, Global, Engaging

From the age of 8, I was running media campaigns on global issues back home in Australia. I was ever so slightly precocious. I would meet with senior Australian government officials, including the prime minister and foreign minister, proposing various solutions to third-world debt and malnutrition.

- Jeremy Heimans

Back, Proposing, Slightly, Senior

Perhaps the most encouraging trend is that, through technology, people are realizing how much agency they actually have. Technology has revolutionized the way we eat, live, communicate, socialize, learn, and do. We see enormous potential to create lasting, positive change in the way the world works by doing what we are doing.

- Jeremy Heimans

Doing, Communicate, Through, Realizing

You must engage at the level of people's higher order values, and in doing so, you can engage them in a meaningful way on a large number of issues.

- Jeremy Heimans

Doing, Level, Large, Meaningful Way

Building up an organisation is like starting a social movement. At the center of everything is the core team. I have the honor of working with some phenomenal people at Purpose who are at the top of their fields. That energy and common purpose among the team is what inspires me and where the magic happens.

- Jeremy Heimans

Purpose, Magic, Some, Organisation

I am the CEO and co-founder of Purpose - a social movement incubator and agency. We work on ways to help millions of people combine their power as citizens, consumers and cultural agents.

- Jeremy Heimans

Purpose, Social, Agency, Agents

Politics have been changed forever because of people. The Internet is one of the tools that has helped. And it isn't just politics. The new networked dynamics that are now possible with these new forms of communication are also changing the way people engage as consumers that demand more social value from corporations.

- Jeremy Heimans

Politics, Changing, Been, Forms

Before we had the Internet, I organized a fax campaign against the first Iraq war. We blasted faxes to the hotel where James Baker and Tariq Aziz were having their final meeting before the two sides went to war. Much more recently, I co-founded Avaaz and Get Up, which inspired the creation of Purpose.

- Jeremy Heimans

Purpose, Against, Before, Baker

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