--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The truth about change is that we tend to…" description: "\"“The truth about change is that we tend to overestimate its speed while underestimating its reach.”\" — Jeffrey J. Selingo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/jeffrey-j-selingo-60600_change_the-truth-about-change-is-that-we-tend-t_2524839.jpg" --- # The truth about change is that we tend to overestimate its… ![“The truth about change is that we tend to overestimate its speed while underestimating its reach.” quote by Jeffrey J. Selingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/jeffrey-j-selingo-60600_change_the-truth-about-change-is-that-we-tend-t_2524839.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/jeffrey-j-selingo-60600_change_the-truth-about-change-is-that-we-tend-t_2524839.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/jeffrey-j-selingo-60600_change_the-truth-about-change-is-that-we-tend-t_2524839.jpg) > ““The truth about change is that we tend to overestimate its speed while underestimating its reach.”” [Jeffrey J. Selingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-j-selingo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Change often feels faster than it truly is, yet its overall impact is larger than we anticipate. **In simple terms:** We misjudge change speed and underestimate its effects. Key Takeaway Plan for long‑term impact, not just quick shifts. Themes change perception impact Mood thoughtful analytical Type advisory strategic When to use this quote - career planning - technology adoption - policy making - personal growth Key Concepts cognitive bias systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance short‑term urgency with long‑term vision? - What evidence can you gather to gauge true impact? A Different Perspective Speed perception can cause premature decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“Don't overestimate your emotions and underestimate your intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-overestimate-your-emotions-and-underestimate-your-intelligence/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [There has been so much underestimating of animal cognition that to perhaps overestimate it, as I probably do, is probably a healthy reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/there-has-been-so-much-underestimating-of-animal-cognition-that-to/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [“The strategy of fear is to convince us that we are underestimating it so that we will fall prey to the paralysis of overestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-strategy-of-fear-is-to-convince-us-that-we-are-underestimating-it/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“People in love overvalue their heart and undervalue their mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/people-in-love-overvalue-their-heart-and-undervalue-their-mind/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“It’s not like I want to be friends with you now, Frankie. Don’t even talk to me, I seriously can’t deal with you. I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/it-s-not-like-i-want-to-be-friends-with-you-now-frankie-don-t-even/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“one in this world, so far as I know, has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-in-this-world-so-far-as-i-know-has-ever-lost-money-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's good that people are underestimating me. I'm the guy from Down Under, and I'm going to show them what's up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/it-s-good-that-people-are-underestimating-me-i-m-the-guy-from-down/) [Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/) > [I think anybody who doesn't think I'm smart enough to handle the job is underestimating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-think-anybody-who-doesn-t-think-i-m-smart-enough-to-handle-the-job/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“High performers whom exhibit tremendous self-control tend to be burden by their own competence. Studies indicate that being extraordinary competent can place a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/high-performers-whom-exhibit-tremendous-self-control-tend-to-be/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [All my life, people have been underestimating me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-carey/all-my-life-people-have-been-underestimating-me/) Hugh Carey > [“His father had told him time and again never to underestimate the power of something that could kill you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-hill/his-father-had-told-him-time-and-again-never-to-underestimate-the/) [C.J. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-hill/) > [“Don't make a career out of underestimating me." — Claire de Haven”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/don-t-make-a-career-out-of-underestimating-me-claire-de-haven/) [James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/) > [This is a perverse thing, personally, but I would rather be in the cycle where people are underestimating us. It gives us latitude to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/this-is-a-perverse-thing-personally-but-i-would-rather-be-in-the/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [“Never underestimate a person who is kind and sweet. They may have friends in high places or some other superpower. I have written a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailin-gow/never-underestimate-a-person-who-is-kind-and-sweet-they-may-have/) [Kailin Gow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailin-gow/) > [I'm used to people not paying me a whole lot of attention and underestimating me and, frankly, for me a big challenge is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/i-m-used-to-people-not-paying-me-a-whole-lot-of-attention-and/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) ## More by Jeffrey J. Selingo > [“Colleges now view students as customers and market their degree programs as products.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-j-selingo/colleges-now-view-students-as-customers-and-market-their-degree/) [Jeffrey J. Selingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-j-selingo/) > [“In the last decade, the percentage of students from families at the highest income levels who got a bachelor’s degree has grown to 82…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-j-selingo/in-the-last-decade-the-percentage-of-students-from-families-at-the/) [Jeffrey J. Selingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-j-selingo/) > [“in Computer Science I. He had just started his sophomore year and was dabbling in the intro class for computer science majors. Growing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-j-selingo/in-computer-science-i-he-had-just-started-his-sophomore-year-and-was/) [Jeffrey J. Selingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-j-selingo/) > [“In many ways, higher education is like any industry that has produced its product a particular way for a long time and is suspicious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-j-selingo/in-many-ways-higher-education-is-like-any-industry-that-has-produced/) [Jeffrey J. Selingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-j-selingo/) [Explore all 5 Jeffrey J. Selingo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-j-selingo/) ## 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": "“The truth about change is that we tend to overestimate its speed while underestimating its reach.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeffrey J. 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