Grab the World by the Lapels: Unpacking Maya Angelou’s Boldest Advice
When Dr. Maya Angelou spoke, the world generally stopped what it was doing to listen. She had a voice that sounded like it was made of velvet and tectonic plates—soothing, but capable of shaking the ground beneath you. Among her many gems of wisdom is a quote that stands out for its sheer, kinetic energy:
“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels.”
It’s a sentence that packs a punch. It isn’t about waiting for permission, and it certainly isn’t about being a wallflower. But what does it actually mean to grab the universe by its jacket collar? Is it about aggression? Ambition? Or is it simply about refusing to be ignored?
Let’s dive into the meaning of this iconic quote with a little wit, a little wisdom, and a lot of attitude.
The Anatomy of the “Lapel” Metaphor
First, let’s look at the imagery here. Lapels are found on suits. Historically, suits represent business, the establishment, authority, and—let’s be honest—the patriarchy.
When Angelou suggests grabbing the world by the lapels, she isn’t suggesting a polite tap on the shoulder. She isn’t suggesting you raise your hand and wait to be called on. She is describing a move that demands eye contact. It is an act of arresting motion.
If you grab someone by the lapels, you are effectively saying, “I am here, I have arrived, and you are going to deal with me right now.”
For young women, who are often socialized to be polite, quiet, and accommodating, this advice is revolutionary. It suggests that the world is not something that happens to you; it is something you happen to. It’s about shaking the loose change out of the universe’s pockets and claiming it as your own.
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Audacity Over Apologies
We live in an era where “I’m sorry” is used as a filler word. We apologize for asking questions, we apologize for taking up space on the subway, and we apologize for sending emails.
“Grabbing the world by the lapels” is the anti-apology.
This quote is a masterclass in audacity. It means entering a room with the assumption that you belong there. It’s the difference between knocking on a door hoping it opens, and turning the knob because you live there.
However, don’t mistake this for blind arrogance. Angelou wasn’t advocating for rudeness; she was advocating for presence. It’s a witty reminder that life is often like a busy waiter in a crowded restaurant—if you don’t catch its eye and demand service, you’re going to go hungry.
Life is a Rough Draft (So Edit Boldly)
There is a frantic energy to the word “grab.” It implies action in the moment. It doesn’t say “I love to see a young woman plan a five-year strategy to eventually touch the world’s lapels.”
The quote speaks to the messy, beautiful, chaotic nature of taking a risk. When you reach out to take charge of your destiny, you might wrinkle the fabric. You might mess up. You might look a little ungraceful in the process.
And that is the point.
Perfectionism is the enemy of the lapel-grab. You cannot seize an opportunity if you are terrified of getting your hands dirty. This quote gives you permission to be a work in progress, provided you are a moving work in progress. It tells us that enthusiasm and grit are worth more than a pristine resume.
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The “Young Woman” Factor
Why did she specify a “young girl” or “young woman”? Because that is the time when the world tries hardest to define you. It is the time when society attempts to hand you a script that says, “Sit down, look pretty, and don’t be too loud.”
Angelou, who lived a thousand lives in one—as a fry cook, a sex worker, a dancer, a civil rights activist, and a poet—knew that if you don’t define yourself early, the world will happily do it for you. And the world rarely gives you a flattering description.
By encouraging young women to take charge, she is encouraging a disruption of the status quo. It is a call to arms (or rather, a call to hands-on-lapels) to define your own narrative before the ink dries.
How to Apply This to Modern Life
So, how do you actually apply this? You can’t go around physically grabbing people’s blazers—HR will have a problem with that.
Here is the translation for the modern age:
- Send the Email: Apply for the job you are only 60% qualified for. Men do it all the time.
- Speak Up in the Meeting: Don’t wait for the “right time.” The right time is when the thought hits your brain.
- Wear the Outfit: Dress for the person you are becoming, not the person you were yesterday.
- Negotiate: Never accept the first offer. The world holds out on you until you shake it a little.
It means looking at challenges not as stop signs, but as hurdles. Hurdles are meant to be jumped over.
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Conclusion: The World is Waiting
Maya Angelou’s quote is timeless because it taps into a universal truth: The world respects momentum.
It is easy to feel small. It is easy to feel like the world is a giant, scary place that is out to get you. But if you flip the script—if you view the world as a thing that can be grabbed, held, and shaken—it becomes smaller. It becomes manageable.
So, take a look at your life. Are you standing in the corner waiting for an invitation to dance? Or are you walking right up to the DJ booth?
Go out there. Find the lapels. And don’t let go until you get what you came for.
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