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I need to translate the following citation from French to English:

La seule révolution possible
c’est d’essayer de s’améliorer soi-même
en espérant que les autres fassent la même démarche

I tried this:

The only revolution possible
is to try to improve yourself
hoping that others do the same approach

How can I improve my translation? The meaning sounds different.

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I liked it up until "do the same approach." I'd say, "follow the same path" or "walk the same path" or something like that. "approach" makes it sound like a manufacturing process or business strategy, and one doesn't "do" an approach idiomatically. following in another's footsteps, however, is a recognizable metaphor, which is also much more concrete, and hence vivid.

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  • Or perhaps, "In the hope (or 'Hoping') that others will do the same". Seems lighter metrically.
    – Jim Mack
    Aug 23, 2014 at 12:39
  • I like the walking metaphor b/c of the connotation of walking in demarche, but that might just be personal taste. Yours has a nicer meter.
    – shane
    Aug 23, 2014 at 12:45

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