--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we set out to change things, we…" description: "\"“When we set out to change things, we don't pay enough attention to what we want to leave unchanged.”\" — Dietrich Dörner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/dietrich-d-rner-64037_change_when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don_1315052.jpg" --- # When we set out to change things, we don't pay enough… ![“When we set out to change things, we don't pay enough attention to what we want to leave unchanged.” quote by Dietrich Dörner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/dietrich-d-rner-64037_change_when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don_1315052.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/dietrich-d-rner-64037_change_when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don_1315052.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/dietrich-d-rner-64037_change_when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don_1315052.jpg) > ““When we set out to change things, we don't pay enough attention to what we want to leave unchanged.”” [Dietrich Dörner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-d-rner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing systems often overlooks preserving valuable existing elements, leading to unintended loss. **In simple terms:** Change can erase useful parts if not considered. Key Takeaway Preserve what works while innovating. Themes change systems preservation Mood cautious reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - organizational restructuring - software updates - policy reform - personal habits Key Concepts systems theory trade‑offs Questions to Reflect On - What essential aspects are you risking losing? - How can you protect them? A Different Perspective Neglecting continuity can cause more harm than benefit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-things/) [Leave Unchanged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave-unchanged-302590/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Set Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-change-783650/) ## Related quotes > [FABLEHAVEN: None who enter will leave unchanged. Trespassers will be turned to stone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/fablehaven-none-who-enter-will-leave-unchanged-trespassers-will-be/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [It's strange just to see how quickly a set can change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-martin/it-s-strange-just-to-see-how-quickly-a-set-can-change/) [Stacy Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-martin/) > [I have set out to change the language of the international system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-short/i-have-set-out-to-change-the-language-of-the-international-system/) [Clare Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-short/) > [We set out to change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelo-sotira/we-set-out-to-change-the-world/) [Angelo Sotira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelo-sotira/) > [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [What really distinguishes this generation in all countries from earlier generations ... is its determination to act, its joy in action, the assurance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/what-really-distinguishes-this-generation-in-all-countries-from/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“why would white dudes want to change things when they held all the cards?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/why-would-white-dudes-want-to-change-things-when-they-held-all-the/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back; I’ve just decided I can’t keep hoping to be rescued from my life. Maybe it’s up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/i-m-not-saying-jesus-won-t-come-back-i-ve-just-decided-i-can-t-keep/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [When something doesn't go your way, never lose hope in Allah. That faith could be just enough for Him to change things around for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-something-doesn-t-go-your-way-never-lose-hope-in-allah-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm always trying to change things - change my character, change my look, change my hair, change my facial hair, change my costumes, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/i-m-always-trying-to-change-things-change-my-character-change-my-look/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [You cannot change the things, so you don't need to stress if you're going to change them. So why complain? It looks so simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/you-cannot-change-the-things-so-you-don-t-need-to-stress-if-you-re/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I believe that prayer changes us and we change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-used-to-believe-that-prayer-changes-things-but-now-i-believe-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Gandhi is best remembered for his adherence to the principle of nonviolence; but no less important was his adherence to non-demonization. Even when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-truett-anderson/gandhi-is-best-remembered-for-his-adherence-to-the-principle-of/) [Walter Truett Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-truett-anderson/) > [Simply having rules does not change the things that people want to do. You have to change incentives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/simply-having-rules-does-not-change-the-things-that-people-want-to-do/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) ## More by Dietrich Dörner > [“We have a tendency, under time pressure, to apply overdoses of established measures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-d-rner/we-have-a-tendency-under-time-pressure-to-apply-overdoses-of/) [Dietrich Dörner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-d-rner/) > [“If we want to solve problems effectively...we must keep in mind not only many features but also the influences among them. Complexity is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-d-rner/if-we-want-to-solve-problems-effectively-we-must-keep-in-mind-not/) [Dietrich Dorner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-d-rner/) > [“We find a tendency, under time pressure, to apply overdoses of established measures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-d-rner/we-find-a-tendency-under-time-pressure-to-apply-overdoses-of/) [Dietrich Dorner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-d-rner/) > [“New information muddies the picture. Once we finally reach a decision, we are relieved to have the uncertainty of decision making behind us. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-d-rner/new-information-muddies-the-picture-once-we-finally-reach-a-decision/) [Dietrich Dörner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-d-rner/) [Explore all 5 Dietrich Dörner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-d-rner/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "“When we set out to change things, we don't pay enough attention to what we want to leave unchanged.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dietrich Dörner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-d-rner/when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don-t-pay-enough-attention-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-d-rner/when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don-t-pay-enough-attention-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/dietrich-d-rner-64037_change_when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don_1315052.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/dietrich-d-rner-64037_change_when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don_1315052.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/dietrich-d-rner-64037_change_when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don_1315052.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When we set out to change things, we don't pay enough attention to what we want to leave unchanged.” — Dietrich Dörner", "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": "Dietrich Dörner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-d-rner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When we set out to change...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-d-rner/when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don-t-pay-enough-attention-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-d-rner/when-we-set-out-to-change-things-we-don-t-pay-enough-attention-to/#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 } } ] } ```