33 Inspiring Quotes on Change

In business and in life, change is constant. Whether you want to change or not, things always change.

In fact, ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus once said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”

Leaders know the impact of change. While most changes we observe or create are small, some are large and disruptive. I’ve observed that when there’s a seismic change, leaders often undercommunicate. When we do that, our direct reports and our organization start to create their own stories about the change. These stories can cause trust and engagement to deteriorate quickly. In short, if you think you’re overcommunicating, you are not.

Overcommunicate in times of change.

This article includes 33 quotes about change. I hope they inspire you to effectively process change in your life!

“Embrace what you don’t know, especially in the beginning, because what you don’t know can become your greatest asset.  It ensures that you will absolutely be doing things different from everybody else.”  —  Sara Blakely

“People in any organization are always attached to the obsolete – the things that should have worked but did not, the things that once were productive and no longer are.”  —  Peter F. Drucker

“In life, change is inevitable. In business, change is vital.”  —  Warren Bennis 

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” — President John F. Kennedy

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” —  Mark Twain

“The things we fear most in organizations–fluctuations, disturbances, imbalances–are the primary sources of creativity.”  —  Margaret Wheatley

“Be a yardstick of quality.  Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”  —  Steve Jobs

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.  Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”  —  George Bernard Shaw

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose.” — President Lyndon B. Johnson

“If you focus on results, you’ll never change.  If you focus on change, you’ll get results.”   —  Jack Dixon

“Don’t think, just do.”  —  Horace

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time.  We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.  We are the change we seek.”  —   President Barack Obama

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”  —  Pablo Piccaso

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”   —   Sun Tzu

“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”  —  John Wooden

“A professional is a person who can do his best at a time when he doesn’t particularly feel like it.”  —  Alistair Cooke

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and uncertainty.”   — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“When you see the right thing to do, you’d better do it.”  —  Paul Newman

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” — Leo Tolstoy

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” — Maya Angelou

“Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right.” — Tony Robbins

“Change is inevitable, growth is optional.”  — John C. Maxwell

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” — Buckminster Fuller

“If you don’t change your beliefs, your life will be like this forever. Is that good news?” — W. Somerset Maugham

“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” — Abraham Maslow

“Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent.” — Nolan Ryan

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”― Lao Tzu

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” – Benjamin Franklin

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ― Margaret Mead

“Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” ― William Jennings Bryan

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates

Which quotes resonated most with you? Leave a comment below.

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