--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Making systems work is the great task of…" description: "\"Making systems work is the great task of my generation of physicians and scientists. But I would go further and say that making systems work - whether ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/atul-gawande-1871_climate_making-systems-work-is-the-great-task-of_651814.png" --- # Making systems work is the great task of my generation of… ![“Making systems work is the great task of my generation of physicians and scientists. But I would go further and say that making systems work - whether in healthcare, education, climate change, making a pathway out of poverty - is the great task of our generation as a whole.” quote by Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/atul-gawande-1871_climate_making-systems-work-is-the-great-task-of_651814.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/atul-gawande-1871_climate_making-systems-work-is-the-great-task-of_651814.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/atul-gawande-1871_climate_making-systems-work-is-the-great-task-of_651814.png) > “Making systems work is the great task of my generation of physicians and scientists. But I would go further and say that making systems work - whether in healthcare, education, climate change, making a pathway out of poverty - is the great task of our generation as a whole.” [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Improving systems across fields is the central challenge for our generation. **In simple terms:** Fixing systems is vital. Key Takeaway Work to design effective, equitable systems. Themes systems social impact innovation Mood optimistic determined Type leadership strategic When to use this quote - healthcare reform - education improvement - climate action - poverty alleviation Key Concepts system design policy interdisciplinary collaboration Questions to Reflect On - What system change would most improve daily life? - How can diverse stakeholders collaborate on systemic reform? A Different Perspective Complex systems resist change; solutions may be slow and contested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Generation Physicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation-physicians-5210604/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Great Task](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-task-1320321/) [Healthcare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthcare/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Making Systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-systems-5210605/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [My generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-generation/) [Our generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-generation/) [Pathways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pathways/) [Physicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicians/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/systems/) [Systems Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/systems-work-1870969/) [Tasks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tasks/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) ## Related quotes > [Systems are made by players rather than players making systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-foley/systems-are-made-by-players-rather-than-players-making-systems/) [Theo Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-foley/) > [The way to build a complex system that works is to build it from very simple systems that work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/the-way-to-build-a-complex-system-that-works-is-to-build-it-from-very/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [“At any given moment, millions of systems are at work all around us. The blood pumping through our veins. The planets. The food chain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-rivera/at-any-given-moment-millions-of-systems-are-at-work-all-around-us-the/) [Gabby Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-rivera/) > [I want to work with the Philippine people and make life better there; there are systems I can work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-want-to-work-with-the-philippine-people-and-make-life-better-there/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Once a week, do a thorough review of all your projects in as much detail as you need to. If you do, your systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/once-a-week-do-a-thorough-review-of-all-your-projects-in-as-much/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [As a rule, software systems do not work well until they have been used, and have failed repeatedly, in real applications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-a-rule-software-systems-do-not-work-well-until-they-have-been-used/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The great task of life is to learn the will of the Lord and then do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-great-task-of-life-is-to-learn-the-will-of-the-lord-and-then-do-it/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [He that seeketh to be eminent amongst able men hath a great task; but that is ever good for the public. But he that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/he-that-seeketh-to-be-eminent-amongst-able-men-hath-a-great-task-but/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The great task of our time is to blow up all existing institutions to destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-great-task-of-our-time-is-to-blow-up-all-existing-institutions-to/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Gratefulness is the great task, the how of our spiritual work, because, rightly understood, it re-roots us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/gratefulness-is-the-great-task-the-how-of-our-spiritual-work-because/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [I think our great task is to make certain that our young men and women in the military do not get sucked into never-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-our-great-task-is-to-make-certain-that-our-young-men-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [A great task has been completed and an even larger one remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/a-great-task-has-been-completed-and-an-even-larger-one-remains/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [You are great young people. I have said again and again, we have the finest generation of young people ever in the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/you-are-great-young-people-i-have-said-again-and-again-we-have-the/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [God hath work to do in this world; and to desert it because of its difficulties and entanglements, is to cast off His authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/god-hath-work-to-do-in-this-world-and-to-desert-it-because-of-its/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Do not be caught up in materialism, one of the real plagues of our generation-that is, acquiring things, fast-paced living, and securing career success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/do-not-be-caught-up-in-materialism-one-of-the-real-plagues-of-our/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) ## More by Atul Gawande > [Don’t let yourself be. Find something new to try, something to change. Count how often it succeeds and how often it doesn’t. Write about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/don-t-let-yourself-be-find-something-new-to-try-something-to-change/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“Wilson spent several days camped out in one government office after another until she had secured an exemption. Unbelievably, she and her husband cleared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/wilson-spent-several-days-camped-out-in-one-government-office-after/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“8. 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When you are young and healthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/how-we-seek-to-spend-our-time-may-depend-on-how-much-time-we-perceive/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“I cannot pretend he escaped unscathed. The extended period of low blood pressure damaged an optic nerve and left him essentially blind in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/i-cannot-pretend-he-escaped-unscathed-the-extended-period-of-low/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [The battle of being mortal is the battle to maintain the integrity of one’s life,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/the-battle-of-being-mortal-is-the-battle-to-maintain-the-integrity-of/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“an average of $94,000 during the last year of life with a metastatic breast cancer. 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I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. 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Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [We live in a state with a wonderful climate and plenty of natural beauty, from the shores of Cumberland Island to the Chattahoochee River…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/we-live-in-a-state-with-a-wonderful-climate-and-plenty-of-natural/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. 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