--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any real change implies the breakup of…" description: "\"Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/james-a-baldwin-2080_able_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_973449.jpg" --- # Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one… ![“Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such a moment, unable to see and not daring to imagine what the future will now bring forth, one clings to what one knew, or dreamed that one possessed…” quote by James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/james-a-baldwin-2080_able_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_973449.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/james-a-baldwin-2080_able_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_973449.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/james-a-baldwin-2080_able_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_973449.jpg) > “Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such a moment, unable to see and not daring to imagine what the future will now bring forth, one clings to what one knew, or dreamed that one possessed. Yet, it is only when a man is able, without bitterness or self-pity, to surrender a dream he has long cherished or a privilege he has long possessed that he is set free - he has set himself free - for higher dreams, for greater privileges.” [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Significant transformation forces loss of familiar identity and safety, but surrendering old dreams without resentment opens the path to higher aspirations. **In simple terms:** Change breaks old identity; letting go frees you for new dreams. Key Takeaway Release old attachments to pursue greater purpose. Themes identity change freedom growth resilience Mood reflective hopeful determined Type philosophical inspirational motivational When to use this quote - career transition - personal crisis - grieving loss - starting anew - creative reinvention Key Concepts existentialism psychology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What old identity are you clinging to? - How can you let go without bitterness? A Different Perspective Surrender may be painful and can lead to regret if not balanced with self‑compassion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness/) [Breakup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakup/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Daring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daring/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Real change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-change/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-pity/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-the-world-as-one-has-always-3/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-the-world-as-one-has-always-2/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [“ANY REAL CHANGE IMPLIES THE breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-the-world-as-one-has-always-4/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [There is no such thing as change, but I would describe it as an alteration.'' Change implies transformation, if humanity has instincts and impulses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/there-is-no-such-thing-as-change-but-i-would-describe-it-as-an/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“When God requires us to surrender one dream, it’s because He wants to hand us a bigger and better one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/when-god-requires-us-to-surrender-one-dream-it-s-because-he-wants-to/) [Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/) > [“Yet it is only when one is able, without bitterness or self-pity, to surrender a dream one has long cherished, or a privilege one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/yet-it-is-only-when-one-is-able-without-bitterness-or-self-pity-to/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [Surrender the dream and the truth will be revealed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/surrender-the-dream-and-the-truth-will-be-revealed/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [Real change begins with citizens registering to vote, becoming active and engaged in their communities, and casting their ballot at every election for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-turner/real-change-begins-with-citizens-registering-to-vote-becoming-active/) [Nina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-turner/) > [“Uncertainty is a certainty in life. Unknown is well-known in life. Uncertainty and unknown gives space for the impossible to become possible. Real change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-downer/uncertainty-is-a-certainty-in-life-unknown-is-well-known-in-life/) [Kitty Downer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-downer/) > [Ideas are very important to the shaping of society. In fact, they are more powerful than bombings or armies or guns. And this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/ideas-are-very-important-to-the-shaping-of-society-in-fact-they-are/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [To experience playing with other big players, to be maybe a second choice. To face difficulty, a new language for his family. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/to-experience-playing-with-other-big-players-to-be-maybe-a-second/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [If you want real change, if you want a stronger America at home and abroad and an America that cherishes our highest ideals, head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/if-you-want-real-change-if-you-want-a-stronger-america-at-home-and/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington . . . I'm asking you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-m-asking-you-to-believe-not-just-in-my-ability-to-bring-about-real/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Everything I did to get back, if it wasnt for my team, it was for my city. Thats one thing that I bought into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lewis/everything-i-did-to-get-back-if-it-wasnt-for-my-team-it-was-for-my/) [Ray Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lewis/) > [Real change doesn't come without crisis. Childbirth doesn't come without crisis. I think that's happening with humanity now. Our growth has generated multiple crises...and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/real-change-doesn-t-come-without-crisis-childbirth-doesn-t-come/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) ## More by James A. Baldwin > [One cannot deny the humanity of another without diminishing one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/one-cannot-deny-the-humanity-of-another-without-diminishing-one-s-own/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [All I know about music is that not many people ever really hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/all-i-know-about-music-is-that-not-many-people-ever-really-hear-it/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [I've always believed that you can think positive just as well as you can think negative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/i-ve-always-believed-that-you-can-think-positive-just-as-well-as-you/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The white man discovered the Cross by way of the Bible, but the black man discovered the Bible by way of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-white-man-discovered-the-cross-by-way-of-the-bible-but-the-black/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The American ideal of sexuality appears to be rooted in the American ideal of masculinity. This idea has created cowboys and Indians, good guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-american-ideal-of-sexuality-appears-to-be-rooted-in-the-american/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Voyagers discover that the world can never be larger than the person that is in the world; but it is impossible to foresee this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/voyagers-discover-that-the-world-can-never-be-larger-than-the-person/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [We take our shape, it is true, within and against that cage of reality bequeathed us at our birth; and yet it is precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/we-take-our-shape-it-is-true-within-and-against-that-cage-of-reality/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The American ideal is, after all, that everyone should be as much alike as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/the-american-ideal-is-after-all-that-everyone-should-be-as-much-alike/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [James Joyce is right about history being a nightmare-- but it may be that nightmare from which no one can awaken. People are trapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/james-joyce-is-right-about-history-being-a-nightmare-but-it-may-be/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [I think Americans are terrified of feeling anything. I never met a people more infantile in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/i-think-americans-are-terrified-of-feeling-anything-i-never-met-a/) [James A. 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Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [A devotion to humanity is... too easily equated with a devotion to a Cause, and Causes, as we know, are notoriously bloodthirsty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/a-devotion-to-humanity-is-too-easily-equated-with-a-devotion-to-a/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Most people... find a disorientating mismatch between the long-term nature of their liabilities and the increasingly short-term nature of their assets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/most-people-find-a-disorientating-mismatch-between-the-long-term/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) [Explore all 187 James A. Baldwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such a moment, unable to see and not daring to imagine what the future will now bring forth, one clings to what one knew, or dreamed that one possessed. 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