---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’ve found that 20 percent of any change…"
description: "\"“I’ve found that 20 percent of any change is knowing how; but 80 percent is knowing why. If”\" — Anthony Robbins"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/anthony-robbins-15346_change_i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change_1803874.jpg"
---

#  I’ve found that 20 percent of any change is knowing how…

![“I’ve found that 20 percent of any change is knowing how; but 80 percent is knowing why. If” quote by Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/anthony-robbins-15346_change_i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change_1803874.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/anthony-robbins-15346_change_i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change_1803874.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/anthony-robbins-15346_change_i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change_1803874.jpg)

> ““I’ve found that 20 percent of any change is knowing how; but 80 percent is knowing why. If””

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Understanding the purpose behind change drives success more than the mechanics alone.

**In simple terms:** Purpose matters more than method.

Key Takeaway

Focus on why you change.

Themes

motivation change purpose

Mood

inspired reflective

Type

motivational practical

When to use this quote

- personal development
- organizational change
- leadership coaching

Key Concepts

psychology behavioral science

Questions to Reflect On

- What core purpose fuels your current change?
- How can you clarify purpose for others?

A Different Perspective

Knowing why can be ambiguous and hard to articulate.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/)

## Related quotes

> [To paraphrase the philosopher Nietzsche, he who has a strong enough why can bear almost any how. I've found that 20 percent of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/to-paraphrase-the-philosopher-nietzsche-he-who-has-a-strong-enough/)

[Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/)

> [The coach's main job is 20 percent technical and 80 percent inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-stampfl/the-coach-s-main-job-is-20-percent-technical-and-80-percent/)

[Franz Stampfl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-stampfl/)

> [Covering Africa is 80 percent logistics and 20 percent reporting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-borrell/covering-africa-is-80-percent-logistics-and-20-percent-reporting/)

Johnny Borrell

> [If you think about stripping away 80 percent of the things that don't matter and focusing on the the 20 percent that will actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartz/if-you-think-about-stripping-away-80-percent-of-the-things-that-don-t/)

[Julia Hartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartz/)

> [Winning at money is 80 percent behavior and 20 percent head knowledge. What to do isn’t the problem; doing it is. Most of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/winning-at-money-is-80-percent-behavior-and-20-percent-head-knowledge/)

[Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/)

> [I think 80 percent of the population are really great, caring people who will help you and tell you the truth. That's just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-think-80-percent-of-the-population-are-really-great-caring-people/)

[Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/)

> [“He partitioned his mind: 80 percent for combat, 20 percent for searches on faggots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/he-partitioned-his-mind-80-percent-for-combat-20-percent-for-searches/)

[Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/)

> [“Spend your time on the 20 percent of the refactorings that provide 80 percent of the benefit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcconnell/spend-your-time-on-the-20-percent-of-the-refactorings-that-provide-80/)

[Steve McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mcconnell/)

> [People have always said this game is 20 percent talent and 80 percent what's going on in your head. I think that's what sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-aaron-fox/people-have-always-said-this-game-is-20-percent-talent-and-80-percent/)

[De'Aaron Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-aaron-fox/)

> [I live by the 80-20 rule: 80 percent of the time, you eat really healthy, and 20 percent, you treat yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-jenner/i-live-by-the-80-20-rule-80-percent-of-the-time-you-eat-really/)

[Kris Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-jenner/)

> [“80 percent of the results you achieve in your life come from only 20 percent of the activities that occupy your time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/80-percent-of-the-results-you-achieve-in-your-life-come-from-only-20/)

[Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/)

> [I live by the 80/20 rule: I'm 80 percent healthy, and then 20 percent indulgent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/i-live-by-the-80-20-rule-i-m-80-percent-healthy-and-then-20-percent/)

[Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/)

> [“Economists often talk about the 80/20 Principle, which is the idea that in any situation roughly 80 percent of the “work” will be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/economists-often-talk-about-the-80-20-principle-which-is-the-idea-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Economists often talk about the 80/20 Principle, which is the idea that in any situation roughly 80 percent of the “work” will be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/economists-often-talk-about-the-80-20-principle-which-is-the-idea/)

[Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/)

> [I try to use a balance of the 80/20 percent, where 80 percent of the time I'm eating very well, and 20 percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffani-thiessen/i-try-to-use-a-balance-of-the-80-20-percent-where-80-percent-of-the/)

[Tiffani Thiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffani-thiessen/)

## More by Anthony Robbins

> [“success is simple. First, you decide what you want specifically; and second, you decide you’re willing to pay the price to make it happen—and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/success-is-simple-first-you-decide-what-you-want-specifically-and/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“They think that everything happens for a reason, and it serves them. They believe that every adversity contains the seed of an equivalent or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/they-think-that-everything-happens-for-a-reason-and-it-serves-them/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [If you can't, you must. If you must, you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/if-you-can-t-you-must-if-you-must-you-can/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“that people who produce outstanding results think this way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/that-people-who-produce-outstanding-results-think-this-way/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“The mystic poet William Blake once wrote, “The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water and breeds reptiles of the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/the-mystic-poet-william-blake-once-wrote-the-man-who-never-alters-his/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“Live life fully while you’re here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/live-life-fully-while-you-re-here/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“1) Decide what you want, 2) Take action, 3) Notice what’s working or not, and 4) Change your approach until you achieve what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/1-decide-what-you-want-2-take-action-3-notice-what-s-working-or-not/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [Do what you fear, and the death of fear is certain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/do-what-you-fear-and-the-death-of-fear-is-certain/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“No season lasts forever because all of life is a cycle of planting, reaping, resting, and renewal. Winter is not infinite: even if you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/no-season-lasts-forever-because-all-of-life-is-a-cycle-of-planting/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“Or maybe in school you didn’t learn as quickly as you thought other kids did, and rather than considering the idea that you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/or-maybe-in-school-you-didn-t-learn-as-quickly-as-you-thought-other/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/the-quality-of-your-life-is-the-quality-of-your-relationships/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“In life, never spend more than 10 percent of your time on the problem, and spend at least 90 percent of your time on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/in-life-never-spend-more-than-10-percent-of-your-time-on-the-problem/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“What are our beliefs designed for? They’re the guiding force to tell us what will lead to pain and what will lead to pleasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/what-are-our-beliefs-designed-for-they-re-the-guiding-force-to-tell/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“Some men see things as they are, and say, ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were, and say, ‘Why not?’” —GEORGE BERNARD SHAW”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/some-men-see-things-as-they-are-and-say-why-i-dream-of-things-that-2/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

> [“THE PROBLEM-SOLVING QUESTIONS 1. What is great about this problem? 2. What is not perfect yet? 3. What am I willing to do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/the-problem-solving-questions-1-what-is-great-about-this-problem-2/)

[Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

[Explore all 42 Anthony Robbins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/)

## More Change quotes

> [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/)

Phil Hogan

> [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/)

[William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/)

[Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/)

> [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/)

[Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/)

> [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/)

[Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/)

> [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

[Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I’ve found that 20 percent of any change is knowing how; but 80 percent is knowing why. If”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Anthony Robbins"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change-is-knowing-how-but-80/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Change"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change-is-knowing-how-but-80/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/anthony-robbins-15346_change_i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change_1803874.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/anthony-robbins-15346_change_i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change_1803874.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/anthony-robbins-15346_change_i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change_1803874.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I’ve found that 20 percent of any change is knowing how; but 80 percent is knowing why. If” — Anthony Robbins",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Anthony Robbins",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I’ve found that 20 percent of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change-is-knowing-how-but-80/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/i-ve-found-that-20-percent-of-any-change-is-knowing-how-but-80/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
