--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A time of historic change is no time for…" description: "\"A time of historic change is no time for recklessness.\" — George H. W. Bush" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/george-h-w-bush-1459_change_a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for_195033.png" --- # A time of historic change is no time for recklessness. ![“A time of historic change is no time for recklessness.” quote by George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/george-h-w-bush-1459_change_a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for_195033.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/george-h-w-bush-1459_change_a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for_195033.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/george-h-w-bush-1459_change_a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for_195033.png) > “A time of historic change is no time for recklessness.” [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. During transformative periods, reckless actions risk irreversible damage; caution and foresight are essential. **In simple terms:** Don’t be reckless in times of change. Key Takeaway Act wisely, plan ahead. Themes politics history risk management leadership Mood serious reflective Type political motivational When to use this quote - government decisions - business pivots - personal life transitions Key Concepts change theory strategic planning responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How to balance caution with decisive action? - What safeguards prevent recklessness? A Different Perspective Caution may slow needed bold reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Recklessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recklessness/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Every great historic change has been based on nonconformity, has been bought either with the blood or with the reputation of nonconformists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/every-great-historic-change-has-been-based-on-nonconformity-has-been/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [We stand today at a unique and extraordinary moment. The crisis in the Persian Gulf , as grave as it is, also offers a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/we-stand-today-at-a-unique-and-extraordinary-moment-the-crisis-in-the/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [We in Illinois are very fortunate to have a number of historic structures that have added immeasurably to the cultural life of the state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-thompson/we-in-illinois-are-very-fortunate-to-have-a-number-of-historic/) James R. Thompson > [“I'd felt the pop of the needle sliding into my veins, like a fang into flesh. I'd been enveloped in the golden haze where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-rhodes/i-d-felt-the-pop-of-the-needle-sliding-into-my-veins-like-a-fang-into/) [Taylor Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-rhodes/) > [The thing that bothers me the most is the recklessness and greed of the local ranchers, who run too many cattle back here, choking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/the-thing-that-bothers-me-the-most-is-the-recklessness-and-greed-of/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) > [It was a splendid population - for all the slow, sleepy, sluggish-brained sloths stayed at home - you never find that sort of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-was-a-splendid-population-for-all-the-slow-sleepy-sluggish-brained/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I do not set my life at a pin's fee, And for my soul, what can it do to that, Being a thing immortal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-do-not-set-my-life-at-a-pin-s-fee-and-for-my-soul-what-can-it-do-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“At last there is an unknown element back in my life. This is how it used to be. This is how I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/at-last-there-is-an-unknown-element-back-in-my-life-this-is-how-it/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) > [“Recklessness is almost a man's revenge on his woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/recklessness-is-almost-a-man-s-revenge-on-his-woman/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [Undressing her was an act of recklessness, a kind of vandalism, like releasing a zoo full of animals, or blowing up a dam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/undressing-her-was-an-act-of-recklessness-a-kind-of-vandalism-like/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Men outlive their love, but they don’t outlive the consequences of their recklessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/men-outlive-their-love-but-they-don-t-outlive-the-consequences-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Love of goodness without love of learning degenerates into simple-mindedness. Love of knowledge without love of learning degenerates into utter lack of principle. Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/love-of-goodness-without-love-of-learning-degenerates-into-simple/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/now-more-than-ever-the-people-are-responsible-for-the-character-of/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-am-asking-my-attorney-general-to-create-a-special-unit-of-federal/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The man whom society will not forgive nor restore is driven into recklessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/the-man-whom-society-will-not-forgive-nor-restore-is-driven-into/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) ## More by George H. W. Bush > [America's freedom is the example to which the world expires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/america-s-freedom-is-the-example-to-which-the-world-expires/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I am not one who - who flamboyantly believes in throwing a lot of words around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-am-not-one-who-who-flamboyantly-believes-in-throwing-a-lot-of-words/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Be bold in your caring, and be bold in your dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/be-bold-in-your-caring-and-be-bold-in-your-dreaming/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light...We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/we-can-find-meaning-and-reward-by-serving-some-higher-purpose-than/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [International exchanges are not a great tide to sweep away all differences, but they will slowly wear away at the obstacles to peace as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/international-exchanges-are-not-a-great-tide-to-sweep-away-all/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Well, I think everybody is frustrated by the finances of the U.N. and the inability to solve problems of war and peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/well-i-think-everybody-is-frustrated-by-the-finances-of-the-u-n-and/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [No, I'm not anguished and tormented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/no-i-m-not-anguished-and-tormented/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [You know I vowed when I became President not to talk about the loneliest toughest job in the world and I didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/you-know-i-vowed-when-i-became-president-not-to-talk-about-the/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I think it's very hard to fight the war on terrorism if we're in retreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-think-it-s-very-hard-to-fight-the-war-on-terrorism-if-we-re-in/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I firmly believed we should not march into Baghdad ...To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-firmly-believed-we-should-not-march-into-baghdad-to-occupy-iraq/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Ozone Man, Ozone. He's crazy, way out, far out, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/ozone-man-ozone-he-s-crazy-way-out-far-out-man/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [What's wrong with being a boring kind of guy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/what-s-wrong-with-being-a-boring-kind-of-guy/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [The liberation of Kuwait has begun. In conjunction with the forces of our coalition partners, the United States has moved under the code name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/the-liberation-of-kuwait-has-begun-in-conjunction-with-the-forces-of/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [The United States will continue its efforts to improve our understanding of climate change - to seek hard data, accurate models, and new ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/the-united-states-will-continue-its-efforts-to-improve-our/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [If you believe that there's a being superior to yourself and that will guide you, strengthen you that helps a lot but, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/if-you-believe-that-there-s-a-being-superior-to-yourself-and-that/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) [Explore all 239 George H. W. Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) ## 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": "A time of historic change is no time for recklessness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George H. W. Bush" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for-recklessness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for-recklessness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/george-h-w-bush-1459_change_a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for_195033.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/george-h-w-bush-1459_change_a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for_195033.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/george-h-w-bush-1459_change_a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for_195033.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A time of historic change is no time for recklessness.” — George H. W. Bush", "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": "George H. W. Bush", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A time of historic change is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for-recklessness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/a-time-of-historic-change-is-no-time-for-recklessness/#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 } } ] } ```