--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's one thing worse than change and…" description: "\"There's one thing worse than change and that's the status quo.\" — John le Carre" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/john-le-carre-651_change_there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and_692176.jpg" --- # There's one thing worse than change and that's the status… ![“There's one thing worse than change and that's the status quo.” quote by John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/john-le-carre-651_change_there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and_692176.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/john-le-carre-651_change_there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and_692176.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/john-le-carre-651_change_there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and_692176.jpg) > “There's one thing worse than change and that's the status quo.” [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Change is uncomfortable but staying the same can be worse because it prevents growth and adaptation. **In simple terms:** Staying the same can be harmful. Key Takeaway Embrace change to avoid stagnation. Themes change stagnation growth Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - organizational reform - health habits Key Concepts psychology risk comfort zone Questions to Reflect On - What are you avoiding by staying the same? - How could change improve your situation? A Different Perspective Change can be painful and uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) ## Related quotes > [“Us, we petty humans, we only move from one perception to another; to become better or worse. There is only one change that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nazli/us-we-petty-humans-we-only-move-from-one-perception-to-another-to/) Nazli > [Sometimes you must change yourself for the worse to change some else for the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj/sometimes-you-must-change-yourself-for-the-worse-to-change-some-else/) DJ > [All change is change for the better. There is no such thing as "change for the worse." Change is the process of Life Itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/all-change-is-change-for-the-better-there-is-no-such-thing-as-change/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [“The only thing worse than writing is not writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-cram/the-only-thing-worse-than-writing-is-not-writing/) Buffy Cram > [The only thing worse than being in the Hall of Fame is not being in the Hall of Fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-in-the-hall-of-fame-is-not-being-in/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“The only thing that's worse than people who say "I am what I am" is people who say "I yam what I yam" while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-leve/the-only-thing-that-s-worse-than-people-who-say-i-am-what-i-am-is/) [Ariel Leve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-leve/) > [“If there’s one thing worse than not HAVING a job… It’s LOOKING for one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-stuart/if-there-s-one-thing-worse-than-not-having-a-job-it-s-looking-for-one/) Laurence Stuart > [“Just one thing worse than the dark, ain't there? And that's what's inside it - the things that call it home ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-delaney/just-one-thing-worse-than-the-dark-ain-t-there-and-that-s-what-s/) [Joseph Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-delaney/) > [Now if there is one thing that we do worse than any other nation, it is try and manage somebody else's affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/now-if-there-is-one-thing-that-we-do-worse-than-any-other-nation-it/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“The only thing worse than a perilous adventure is a boring one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/the-only-thing-worse-than-a-perilous-adventure-is-a-boring-one/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [To me, the thing that is worse than death is betrayal. You see, I could conceive death, but I could not conceive betrayal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/to-me-the-thing-that-is-worse-than-death-is-betrayal-you-see-i-could/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The only thing that's been a worse flop than the organization of nonviolence has been the organization of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/the-only-thing-that-s-been-a-worse-flop-than-the-organization-of/) [Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/) > [The only thing worse than starting something and failing... is not starting something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-only-thing-worse-than-starting-something-and-failing-is-not/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“The only thing worse than regretting the things you've done is regretting the things you didn't do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-leahy/the-only-thing-worse-than-regretting-the-things-you-ve-done-is/) Samantha Leahy > [“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-blind-is-having-sight-and-no-vision/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) ## More by John le Carre > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“You're history, Donohue. You think countries run the fucking world! Go back to fucking Sunday school. It's 'God save our multinational' they're singing these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/you-re-history-donohue-you-think-countries-run-the-fucking-world-go/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [When you're my age and you see a story, you better go for it pretty quickly. I'd just like to get a few more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/when-you-re-my-age-and-you-see-a-story-you-better-go-for-it-pretty/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The trouble is, when professional spies go out of their way to make a definitive statement about one of their own, the public tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-trouble-is-when-professional-spies-go-out-of-their-way-to-make-a/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Ideologies have no heart of their own. They're the whores and angels of our striving selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/ideologies-have-no-heart-of-their-own-they-re-the-whores-and-angels/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Home's where you go when you run out of homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/home-s-where-you-go-when-you-run-out-of-homes/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“Pain observed is journalistic pain. It's diplomatic pain. It's television pain, over as soon as you switch off your beastly set.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/pain-observed-is-journalistic-pain-it-s-diplomatic-pain-it-s/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The greatest threat to mankind comes from the renunciation of individual scruple in favor of institutional denominators. . . . 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Over her mother’s shoulder, stilling her pains and her injured pride, Jackie Lacon watched the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/middle-children-weep-longer-than-their-brothers-and-sisters-over-her/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [For decades to come the spy world will continue to be the collective couch where the subconscious of each nation is confessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/for-decades-to-come-the-spy-world-will-continue-to-be-the-collective/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [I happen to write by hand. I don't even type. John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-happen-to-write-by-hand-i-don-t-even-type-john-le-carre/) [John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The more identities a man has, the more they express the person they conceal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-more-identities-a-man-has-the-more-they-express-the-person-they/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) [Explore all 409 John le Carre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## 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": "There's one thing worse than change and that's the status quo.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John le Carre" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and-that-s-the-status-quo/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and-that-s-the-status-quo/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/john-le-carre-651_change_there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and_692176.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/john-le-carre-651_change_there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and_692176.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/john-le-carre-651_change_there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and_692176.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's one thing worse than change and that's the status quo.” — John le Carre", "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": "John le Carre", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's one thing worse than change...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and-that-s-the-status-quo/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and-that-s-the-status-quo/#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 } } ] } ```