44 Inspirational Quotes About Change That Will Help You Think Differently (2024)

Every great team knows how to change and adapt based on their situation, like a pitcher changing the pitch, they’re going to throw on the mound, or an executive modifying the go-to-market strategy for a vertical. Whether in business or life, change takes time to get used to — and even the greats struggle to keep up. So, how can you be ready for change or even cause the change you want to see in your community, team, or life?

Here are some inspiring quotes about change that distill life and business experiences to inspire you to achieve great things.

Quotes About Change in Life

1. “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” -Winston Churchill

2. “I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” -Jimmy Dean

3. “If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.” -Maya Angelou

4. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela

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

6. “Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality.” -Nikos Kazantzakis

7. “There is nothing permanent except change.” -Heracl*tus

8. “Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.” -Sydney J. Harris

9. "Change before you have to." -Jack Welch

Famous Quotes About Change

10. “Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future” -John F. Kennedy

11. “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change” -Albert Einstein

12. “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward” -Martin Luther King Jr.

13. “If I’d asked my customers what they wanted, they’d have said ‘Don’t change anything.’” -Henry Ford

14. “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 that we seek.” -Barack Obama

15. “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” -Mother Teresa

16. “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” -John C. Maxwell

17. “In order to change the world, you have to get your head together first.” -Jimi Hendrix

18. “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead

19. “How wonderful is it that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank

Inspirational Quotes About Change

20. “One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world” -Malala Yousafzai

21. “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude” -Oprah Winfrey

22. “The price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the price of change.” —Bill Clinton

23. “Don’t let rejection create self-doubt. The founder of Starbucks was turned down by 217 of the 242 investors he initially spoke with.” -Elizabeth Galbut

24. “Things don’t have to change the world to be important” -Steve Jobs

25. “Every day the clock resets. Your wins don't matter. Your failures don't matter. Don't stress on what was, fight for what could be. “ -Sean Higgins

26. “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” -John D. Rockefeller

27. “What's dangerous is not to evolve.”-Jeff Bezos

28. “Change in all things is sweet.” -Aristotle

29 “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” -James Baldwin

30. “Miracles happen every day, change your perception of what a miracle is and you’ll see them all around you.” -Jon Bon Jovi

Positive Quotes About Change

31. “You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” -Ralph Marston

32. “Just take any step, whether small or large. And then another and repeat day after day. It may take months, maybe years, but the path to success will become clear” -Aaron Ross

33. “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.” -Helen Keller

34. “If your startup builds a room full of pessimists and you have one optimist at the table, then I think you’re in the wrong business. But the other way around is invaluable and necessary” -David Cohen

35. “There is nothing permanent except change.” -Heracl*tus

36. “If you know what you want to achieve in life, then you are more inspired to change for the better.” - Philip Vang

37. “Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” -Dr. Suess

38. “In order to design a future of positive change, we must first become expert at changing our minds.” -Jacque Fresco

Quotes About Change and Moving On

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

40. “Play to your strengths. If you aren’t great at something, do more of what you’re great at.” -Jason Lemkin

41. “You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.” -Johnny Cash

42.“Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn’t stop for anybody.” - Stephen Chobsky

43. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” -Harriet Tubman

44. “Times and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our aim constantly focused on the future.” -Walt Disney

Gain inspiration from motivational quotes

If you are looking for motivation, these quotes will ignite your sales drive. Alternatively, if music is more your style, a playlist of songs can get you pumped. Oh, and don’t worry, podcasters, we have an idea just for you. Create a list of sales podcasts to keep you motivated during your sales journey.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.