--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can change our wives,” he said. “We…" description: "\"We can change our wives,” he said. “We can change our jobs, our nationalities and even our religions, but we can never change our team.\" — Elizabeth Gi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_change_we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-c_448139.jpg" --- # We can change our wives,” he said. “We can change our… ![“We can change our wives,” he said. “We can change our jobs, our nationalities and even our religions, but we can never change our team.” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_change_we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-c_448139.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_change_we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-c_448139.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_change_we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-c_448139.jpg) > “We can change our wives,” he said. “We can change our jobs, our nationalities and even our religions, but we can never change our team.” [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People can change many aspects of their lives, but the core dynamics of a team remain constant, making team composition crucial for success. **In simple terms:** You can change many things, but not the team you work with. Key Takeaway Focus on building the right team rather than trying to change it later. Themes team dynamics change leadership collaboration Mood pragmatic strategic Type business motivational When to use this quote - startup formation - project management - sports coaching - corporate restructuring Key Concepts organizational behavior group cohesion strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess whether a team is adaptable? - When is it better to form a new team? A Different Perspective Changing a team is often difficult and may cause disruption; sometimes a new team is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-team-950182/) [Change Wives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-wives-651411/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Never change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-change/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Wives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wives/) [Wives Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wives-said-675593/) ## Related quotes > [People change their positions all the time, the way they change their wives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cohen/people-change-their-positions-all-the-time-the-way-they-change-their/) [Michael Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cohen/) > [“Every time I change wives I should burn the last one. That way I'd be rid of them. They wouldn't be around to complicate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/every-time-i-change-wives-i-should-burn-the-last-one-that-way-i-d-be/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [If they lost the incredible conviction that they can change their wives or husbands, marriage would collapse at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-pearsall-smith/if-they-lost-the-incredible-conviction-that-they-can-change-their/) [Logan Pearsall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-pearsall-smith/) > [I was playing once with the King of Samoa. I asked him what his handicap was. "Six wives," he said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-redmond/i-was-playing-once-with-the-king-of-samoa-i-asked-him-what-his/) [Jack Redmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-redmond/) > [In his life, a man can change wives, political parties or religions but he cannot change his favourite soccer team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-his-life-a-man-can-change-wives-political-parties-or-religions-but/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Sex suppressed will go berserk, But it keeps us all alive. It's a wonderful change from wives and work And it ends at half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-ewart/sex-suppressed-will-go-berserk-but-it-keeps-us-all-alive-it-s-a/) [Gavin Ewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-ewart/) > [I'm fine wherever I land as long as I can show what I can do, just play, help change a team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-aaron-fox/i-m-fine-wherever-i-land-as-long-as-i-can-show-what-i-can-do-just/) [De'Aaron Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-aaron-fox/) > [One player doesn't change a team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/one-player-doesn-t-change-a-team/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [To change a team you must change their comfort zone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-collins/to-change-a-team-you-must-change-their-comfort-zone/) [Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-collins/) > [I am interested in how much and how quickly Klopp, the manager that I know, can change the team at Liverpool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinji-kagawa/i-am-interested-in-how-much-and-how-quickly-klopp-the-manager-that-i/) [Shinji Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinji-kagawa/) > [The challenge is not to replace Obama but with who. It's not enough to just change up the uniform, if we don't change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/the-challenge-is-not-to-replace-obama-but-with-who-it-s-not-enough-to/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [I just wanted to change my life. I wanted to change everything. The first team that called me was Toronto FC. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-giovinco/i-just-wanted-to-change-my-life-i-wanted-to-change-everything-the/) [Sebastian Giovinco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-giovinco/) > [For me going into the NBA, I know it's going to be tough to change a team, but for me I wanted to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-aaron-fox/for-me-going-into-the-nba-i-know-it-s-going-to-be-tough-to-change-a/) [De'Aaron Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-aaron-fox/) > [When you change team, and you have the right mindset and a coach who respects you, everything becomes easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/when-you-change-team-and-you-have-the-right-mindset-and-a-coach-who/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [I played very well in AC Milan, but I had two years of injury problems. I needed to change team and the city for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-pato/i-played-very-well-in-ac-milan-but-i-had-two-years-of-injury-problems/) [Alexandre Pato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-pato/) ## More by Elizabeth Gilbert > [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. He's just the guy who's like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/that-s-your-friend-my-husband-is-my-best-friend-he-s-not-the-mirror/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Not to mention that I have finally arrived at that age where a woman starts to question whether the wisest way to get over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/not-to-mention-that-i-have-finally-arrived-at-that-age-where-a-woman/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“The Buddha taught that all human suffering is rooted in desire. Don't we all know this to be true? Any of us who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-buddha-taught-that-all-human-suffering-is-rooted-in-desire-don-t/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [ “And while \[we\] do have possibilities that are vast and magnificent and almost infinite in scope, it's important to remember that our choice-rich lives… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/and-while-we-do-have-possibilities-that-are-vast-and-magnificent-and/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/learn-your-way-around-loneliness-make-a-map-of-it-sit-with-it-for/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [If we never leave our house except to drive to work, do we need to be even remotely aware of this powerful, humbling, extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-we-never-leave-our-house-except-to-drive-to-work-do-we-need-to-be/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. "We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-will-tell-you-why-we-have-these-extraordinary-minds-and-souls-miss/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Clearing out all your misery gets you out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/clearing-out-all-your-misery-gets-you-out-of-the-way-you-cease-being/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,...The madness of this planet is largely a result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-ingredients-of-both-darkness-and-light-are-equally-present-in-all/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. The seasons are circular. The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-live-in-nature-where-everything-is-connected-circular-the-seasons/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“His spelling was several degrees beyond arbitrary, and his punctuation brought reason to sigh with unhappiness. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/his-spelling-was-several-degrees-beyond-arbitrary-and-his-punctuation/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Before you realize this truth, say the Yogis, you will always be in despair, a notion nicely expressed in this exasperated line from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/before-you-realize-this-truth-say-the-yogis-you-will-always-be-in/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I actually have a great deal of respect for antidepressants; I think they can be enormously mighty tools toward recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-actually-have-a-great-deal-of-respect-for-antidepressants-i-think/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) [Explore all 1,156 Elizabeth Gilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## 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 can change our wives,” he said. “We can change our jobs, our nationalities and even our religions, but we can never change our team.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elizabeth Gilbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-change-our-jobs-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-change-our-jobs-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_change_we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-c_448139.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_change_we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-c_448139.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_change_we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-c_448139.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can change our wives,” he said. “We can change our jobs, our nationalities and even our religions, but we…” — Elizabeth Gilbert", "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": "Elizabeth Gilbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We can change our wives,” he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-change-our-jobs-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/we-can-change-our-wives-he-said-we-can-change-our-jobs-our/#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 } } ] } ```