--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s folly to think you can avoid change…" description: "\"“It’s folly to think you can avoid change, no matter how much you might want to. But also, to my mind, you shouldn’t want to. There is no growth or suc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/ed-catmull-1553_change_it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change_2043402.jpg" --- # It’s folly to think you can avoid change, no matter how… ![“It’s folly to think you can avoid change, no matter how much you might want to. But also, to my mind, you shouldn’t want to. There is no growth or success without change.” quote by Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/ed-catmull-1553_change_it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change_2043402.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/ed-catmull-1553_change_it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change_2043402.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/ed-catmull-1553_change_it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change_2043402.jpg) > ““It’s folly to think you can avoid change, no matter how much you might want to. But also, to my mind, you shouldn’t want to. There is no growth or success without change.”” [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding change is futile; desire for stagnation blocks growth, so embracing change is essential for success. **In simple terms:** Change is necessary for growth. Key Takeaway Embrace change to succeed. Themes growth change success mindset adaptation Mood motivational realistic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career development - personal improvement - technology Key Concepts psychology innovation resilience learning Questions to Reflect On - What change scares you? - How can you plan for it? A Different Perspective Change can be uncomfortable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“There is no growth or success without change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/there-is-no-growth-or-success-without-change/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“There is no growth or success without change. For”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/there-is-no-growth-or-success-without-change-for/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [Never Have Your Dog Stuffed is really advice to myself, a reminder to myself not to avoid change or uncertainty, but to go with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/never-have-your-dog-stuffed-is-really-advice-to-myself-a-reminder-to/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [Ask yourself: If I can't avoid it, change it, or make it go away, what if I changed my response to it? What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-siebert/ask-yourself-if-i-can-t-avoid-it-change-it-or-make-it-go-away-what-if/) Al Siebert > [The fool,fixed in his folly,may think He can turn the wheel on which he turns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/the-fool-fixed-in-his-folly-may-think-he-can-turn-the-wheel-on-which/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [The ultimate folly is to think that something crucial to your welfare is being taken care of for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/the-ultimate-folly-is-to-think-that-something-crucial-to-your-welfare/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Wise people say it is folly to think anybody perfect; and as to likes and dislikes, we should be friendly to all, and worship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/wise-people-say-it-is-folly-to-think-anybody-perfect-and-as-to-likes/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“Change is one of the unavoidable facts of all existence. Any attempt to avoid change only results in an unnatural waste of energy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-poll/change-is-one-of-the-unavoidable-facts-of-all-existence-any-attempt/) Michael R. Poll > [Success is self-defined. You can choose what you think success is, and you can always change your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/success-is-self-defined-you-can-choose-what-you-think-success-is-and/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“The leader’s joy is the success of change, the evidence of progress and the actualization of a better life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-leader-s-joy-is-the-success-of-change-the-evidence-of-progress/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If you choose the right people for the group, it goes a little bit differently. At the same time, you can't always predict what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wall/if-you-choose-the-right-people-for-the-group-it-goes-a-little-bit/) [Paul Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wall/) > [“An organization is on the road to success when change is part of its nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/an-organization-is-on-the-road-to-success-when-change-is-part-of-its/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [“Whoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/whoever-desires-constant-success-must-change-his-conduct-with-the/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Can success change the human mechanism so completely between one dawn and another? Can if make one feel taller, more alive, handsomer, uncommonly gifted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moss-hart/can-success-change-the-human-mechanism-so-completely-between-one-dawn/) [Moss Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moss-hart/) > [Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/whosoever-desires-constant-success-must-change-his-conduct-with-the/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More by Ed Catmull > [“So I tell myself that I have time, even when I don’t. As in, ‘Okay, I’m going to proceed as if I have time—I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/so-i-tell-myself-that-i-have-time-even-when-i-don-t-as-in-okay-i-m/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“How, then, do you make failure into something people can face without fear? Part of the answer is simple: If we as leaders can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/how-then-do-you-make-failure-into-something-people-can-face-without/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Andrew Stanton says, adding that on each of his own films, he has made a point of doing this on a smaller scale, separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/andrew-stanton-says-adding-that-on-each-of-his-own-films-he-has-made/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came-with-an-added-and-unexpected/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“This principle eludes most people, but it is critical: You are not your idea, and if you identify too closely with your ideas, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/this-principle-eludes-most-people-but-it-is-critical-you-are-not-your/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“You might say I’m an advocate for humility in leaders. But to be truly humble, those leaders must first understand how many of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/you-might-say-i-m-an-advocate-for-humility-in-leaders-but-to-be-truly/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Rejecting failure and avoiding mistakes seem like high-minded”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/rejecting-failure-and-avoiding-mistakes-seem-like-high-minded/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“The most productive creative sessions allow for the exploration of myriad trains of thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/the-most-productive-creative-sessions-allow-for-the-exploration-of/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“My rule of thumb is that any time we impose limits or procedures, we should ask how they will aid in enabling people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/my-rule-of-thumb-is-that-any-time-we-impose-limits-or-procedures-we/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Toy Story went on to become the top-grossing film of the year and would earn $358 million worldwide. But it wasn’t just the numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/toy-story-went-on-to-become-the-top-grossing-film-of-the-year-and/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“THERE IS NOTHING quite like ignorance combined with a driving need to succeed to force rapid learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/there-is-nothing-quite-like-ignorance-combined-with-a-driving-need-to/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“What makes Pixar special is that we acknowledge we will always have problems, many of them hidden from our view; that we work hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/what-makes-pixar-special-is-that-we-acknowledge-we-will-always-have/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Every morning, as I walk into Pixar Animation Studios—past the twenty-foot-high sculpture of Luxo Jr., our friendly desk lamp mascot, through the double doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/every-morning-as-i-walk-into-pixar-animation-studios-past-the-twenty/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“What makes Pixar special is that we acknowledge we will always have problems, many of them hidden from our view; that we work hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/what-makes-pixar-special-is-that-we-acknowledge-we-will-always-have-2/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“I believe that managers must loosen the controls, not tighten them. They must accept risk; they must trust the people they work with and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/i-believe-that-managers-must-loosen-the-controls-not-tighten-them/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) [Explore all 226 Ed Catmull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) ## 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": "“It’s folly to think you can avoid change, no matter how much you might want to. But also, to my mind, you shouldn’t want to. There is no growth or success without change.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ed Catmull" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change-no-matter-how-much-you-might/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change-no-matter-how-much-you-might/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/ed-catmull-1553_change_it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change_2043402.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/ed-catmull-1553_change_it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change_2043402.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/ed-catmull-1553_change_it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change_2043402.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It’s folly to think you can avoid change, no matter how much you might want to. But also, to my mind, you…” — Ed Catmull", "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": "Ed Catmull", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It’s folly to think you can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change-no-matter-how-much-you-might/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/it-s-folly-to-think-you-can-avoid-change-no-matter-how-much-you-might/#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 } } ] } ```