--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to change something, whether…" description: "\"“If you want to change something, whether in a relationship, work, or anywhere, identify and focus on the few most important bits, and don't throw in e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/jay-woodman-3412_change_if-you-want-to-change-something-whether_1809700.jpg" --- # If you want to change something, whether in a… ![“If you want to change something, whether in a relationship, work, or anywhere, identify and focus on the few most important bits, and don't throw in extras to mess it up.” quote by Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/jay-woodman-3412_change_if-you-want-to-change-something-whether_1809700.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/jay-woodman-3412_change_if-you-want-to-change-something-whether_1809700.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/jay-woodman-3412_change_if-you-want-to-change-something-whether_1809700.jpg) > ““If you want to change something, whether in a relationship, work, or anywhere, identify and focus on the few most important bits, and don't throw in extras to mess it up.”” [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on the essential elements and avoid unnecessary complications to achieve effective change. **In simple terms:** Prioritize key factors, ignore excess. Key Takeaway Identify and act on the most important bits. Themes focus prioritization efficiency Mood determined practical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - relationship improvement - workplace change - personal projects Key Concepts systems thinking resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - What are the few most important bits in your current goal? - How can you eliminate distractions? A Different Perspective Neglecting minor details can cause unintended consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-relationship/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Focus Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus-important/) [Focus-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus-quotes/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-bits-2103660/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Want Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-change/) ## Related quotes > [“If you want drama, settle for the one who will change your relationship status. If you want love, wait for the one who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/if-you-want-drama-settle-for-the-one-who-will-change-your/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Facebook should change the relationship status from 'Its complicated' to 'Sammie and Ronnie'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/facebook-should-change-the-relationship-status-from-its-complicated/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that's not mean to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-trying-to-change-yourself-for-a-relationship-that-s-not-mean-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People's view of cancer will change when they have their own relationship with cancer, which everyone will, at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-linney/people-s-view-of-cancer-will-change-when-they-have-their-own/) [Laura Linney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-linney/) > [“I discovered I could hate her a bit, and because I didn’t tell her so, because our friendship went along on this reduced, part-time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-discovered-i-could-hate-her-a-bit-and-because-i-didn-t-tell-her-so/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [Facebook should have some kind of limit on the number of times that people can change their relationship statuses. 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After 3 it should be default to unstable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/popoola-emmanuel/facebook-should-have-a-limit-on-how-many-times-you-can-change/) [Popoola Emmanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/popoola-emmanuel/) > [If you change your relationship with time, you will change your life. The most important time of your life is right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-change-your-relationship-with-time-you-will-change-your-life/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Long distance is hard. You have to trust that as you each change on your own, your relationship will also change along with you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-m-mullaney/long-distance-is-hard-you-have-to-trust-that-as-you-each-change-on/) [Craig M. Mullaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-m-mullaney/) > [Emailing a meaningful photograph to someone who is not expecting it can change a relationship forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kelsh/emailing-a-meaningful-photograph-to-someone-who-is-not-expecting-it/) [Nick Kelsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kelsh/) > [You can't change anyone else but people do change in relationship to your change. All relationships are a system, and when any one part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/you-can-t-change-anyone-else-but-people-do-change-in-relationship-to/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [Sorry your decision to quietly change your relationship status was broadcast to every single one of your Facebook friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sorry-your-decision-to-quietly-change-your-relationship-status-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Facebook should have a limit on how many times you can change your relationship status. After 5 it should default to 'Unstable.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/facebook-should-have-a-limit-on-how-many-times-you-can-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jay Woodman > [“I honour the clarity of the present moment, and the stillness at the centre of being (mine & others), even in the midst of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/i-honour-the-clarity-of-the-present-moment-and-the-stillness-at-the/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“In every atom, there is a reflection of the whole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/in-every-atom-there-is-a-reflection-of-the-whole/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“from CHAOS? Trust the imagination - lines and shapes revealed - space and light instead of blackness. Silence being tentative, tender life of universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/from-chaos-trust-the-imagination-lines-and-shapes-revealed-space-and/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“never put all the good people in one plane, ship, train …”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/never-put-all-the-good-people-in-one-plane-ship-train/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“be the calm eye of the storm where nothing phases you, focus on your centre to remain balanced, let your life flow like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/be-the-calm-eye-of-the-storm-where-nothing-phases-you-focus-on-your/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“We attract what we're meant to because we're aware & self-empowered enough to choose most of the time. Other times we have lessons to learn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/we-attract-what-we-re-meant-to-because-we-re-aware-self-empowered/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“like sunlight under their skins, they want to be loved" from the poem STAY in RidingTheEscalator”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/like-sunlight-under-their-skins-they-want-to-be-loved-from-the-poem/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“Thou shalt wear trousers, but they shall fall half down to teach humility over arrogance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/thou-shalt-wear-trousers-but-they-shall-fall-half-down-to-teach/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“ART The world is full of confusion and contradiction. We cannot expect to do anything that is absolutely right. We can only measure rightness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/art-the-world-is-full-of-confusion-and-contradiction-we-cannot-expect/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“Love is stronger than both fear and hope - if you can love the natural beauty around you, the amazing gifts and skills we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/love-is-stronger-than-both-fear-and-hope-if-you-can-love-the-natural/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“The soul accepts the mystery within and all around, immersing itself in it, celebrating it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/the-soul-accepts-the-mystery-within-and-all-around-immersing-itself/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“ego promenades, flounces, pushes in unwanted places, trips, stands on others, whereas a sense of destiny grounds - you just do what you do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/ego-promenades-flounces-pushes-in-unwanted-places-trips-stands-on/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“Every moment - something beautiful happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/every-moment-something-beautiful-happens/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“All in tune with love and the slow world moving" from the poem - STAY from the book - RidingTheEscalator”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/all-in-tune-with-love-and-the-slow-world-moving-from-the-poem-stay/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) > [“When you truly sing, you sing yourself free. When you truly dance, you dance yourself free. When you walk in the mountains or swim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/when-you-truly-sing-you-sing-yourself-free-when-you-truly-dance-you/) [Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) [Explore all 131 Jay Woodman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/) ## 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": "“If you want to change something, whether in a relationship, work, or anywhere, identify and focus on the few most important bits, and don't throw in extras to mess it up.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jay Woodman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/if-you-want-to-change-something-whether-in-a-relationship-work-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/if-you-want-to-change-something-whether-in-a-relationship-work-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/jay-woodman-3412_change_if-you-want-to-change-something-whether_1809700.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/jay-woodman-3412_change_if-you-want-to-change-something-whether_1809700.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/jay-woodman-3412_change_if-you-want-to-change-something-whether_1809700.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want to change something, whether in a relationship, work, or anywhere, identify and focus on the few…” — Jay Woodman", "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": "Jay Woodman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you want to change something,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/if-you-want-to-change-something-whether-in-a-relationship-work-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/if-you-want-to-change-something-whether-in-a-relationship-work-or/#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 } } ] } ```