---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We cant change who we are, but we can…"
description: "\"“We cant change who we are, but we can change the way we do things.”\" — Edwin Medina"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/edwin-medina-111193_change_we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-cha_1730114.jpg"
---

#  We cant change who we are, but we can change the way we do…

![“We cant change who we are, but we can change the way we do things.” quote by Edwin Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/edwin-medina-111193_change_we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-cha_1730114.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/edwin-medina-111193_change_we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-cha_1730114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/edwin-medina-111193_change_we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-cha_1730114.jpg)

> ““We cant change who we are, but we can change the way we do things.””

[Edwin Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-medina/)

## About This Quote

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

Personal traits are fixed, but habits and actions can be altered, allowing change in behavior.

**In simple terms:** You can’t change who you are, but you can change what you do.

Key Takeaway

Focus on changing actions, not identity.

Themes

change personal growth habit behavior self‑improvement

Mood

motivational pragmatic hopeful

Type

Change:1 Life:1 Things:1 Change Way:1 Change Change:1 Way Things:1

When to use this quote

- coaching sessions
- self‑help workshops
- therapy
- personal development plans
- goal setting

Key Concepts

agency choice self‑efficacy behavioral change habit formation

Questions to Reflect On

- What habits could you change today?
- How does changing actions affect self‑identity?

A Different Perspective

Assumes identity is static, ignoring possible personal evolution.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-change/) [Change Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-way/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Way Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-things/)

## Related quotes

> [To change the way you see things is already to change things themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jr/to-change-the-way-you-see-things-is-already-to-change-things/)

[JR](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jr/)

> [Change the way you see things, and the things you see will change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/change-the-way-you-see-things-and-the-things-you-see-will-change/)

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

> [If you don;t like something ,change it. If you can't change it ,change the way you think about it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-ngr/if-you-don-t-like-something-change-it-if-you-can-t-change-it-change-4/)

[Simi Ngr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-ngr/)

> [I now know that nothing in my life will change until I change the way I see my life and myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/i-now-know-that-nothing-in-my-life-will-change-until-i-change-the-way/)

[Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/)

> [Things don't change. You change your way of looking, that's all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/things-don-t-change-you-change-your-way-of-looking-that-s-all/)

[Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/)

> [Never worry about things That you are unable to change. Change your own way Of looking at truth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/never-worry-about-things-that-you-are-unable-to-change-change-your/)

[Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/)

> [“if you don't like something change it and if you cannot change it ,change the way you you think about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/if-you-don-t-like-something-change-it-and-if-you-cannot-change-it/)

[Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/)

> [What you're supposed to do when you don't like something is change it. If you can't change it,then change the way you think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/what-you-re-supposed-to-do-when-you-don-t-like-something-is-change-it/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/what-you-re-supposed-to-do-when-you-don-t-like-a-thing-is-change-it/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [If you can't change it.. change the way you think about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-you-think-about-it/)

[Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/)

> [If you dont like something, change it. If you cant change it, change the way you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-dont-like-something-change-it-if-you-cant-change-it-change-the/)

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

> [If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-like-something-change-it-if-you-can-t-change-it-change/)

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

> [Create Change...Before change creates you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-shope/create-change-before-change-creates-you/)

[Austin Shope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-shope/)

> [I am not very happy the way things are going out there in New Zealand,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanath-jayasuriya/i-am-not-very-happy-the-way-things-are-going-out-there-in-new-zealand/)

[Sanath Jayasuriya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanath-jayasuriya/)

> [There isn't a way things should be. There's just what happens, and what we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-isn-t-a-way-things-should-be-there-s-just-what-happens-and-what/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## More by Edwin Medina

> [“We are never alone God will always be with us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-medina/we-are-never-alone-god-will-always-be-with-us/)

[Edwin Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-medina/)

[Explore all 2 Edwin Medina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-medina/)

## 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": "“We cant change who we are, but we can change the way we do things.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Edwin Medina"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-medina/we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-change-the-way-we-do-things/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Change"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-medina/we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-change-the-way-we-do-things/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/edwin-medina-111193_change_we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-cha_1730114.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/edwin-medina-111193_change_we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-cha_1730114.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a5/edwin-medina-111193_change_we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-cha_1730114.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We cant change who we are, but we can change the way we do things.” — Edwin Medina",
                "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": "Edwin Medina",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-medina/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“We cant change who we are,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-medina/we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-change-the-way-we-do-things/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-medina/we-cant-change-who-we-are-but-we-can-change-the-way-we-do-things/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
