--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't change history. These things…" description: "\"You can't change history. These things happened the way they did. What you can change is how you look at it and how you understand that it takes the go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/margot-lee-shetterly-8665_change_you-can-t-change-history-these-things-ha_1829096.jpg" --- # You can't change history. These things happened the way… ![“You can't change history. These things happened the way they did. What you can change is how you look at it and how you understand that it takes the good moments and it takes the difficult moments to move forward.” quote by Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/margot-lee-shetterly-8665_change_you-can-t-change-history-these-things-ha_1829096.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/margot-lee-shetterly-8665_change_you-can-t-change-history-these-things-ha_1829096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/margot-lee-shetterly-8665_change_you-can-t-change-history-these-things-ha_1829096.jpg) > “You can't change history. These things happened the way they did. What you can change is how you look at it and how you understand that it takes the good moments and it takes the difficult moments to move forward.” [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our perception of past events shapes present growth; we can reframe memories to extract lessons and motivation. **In simple terms:** How we view history influences our future. Key Takeaway Reframe past events to guide forward motion. Themes perception growth resilience Mood reflective hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - therapy - coaching - education Key Concepts psychology historical interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How does reframing a painful memory affect your actions? - What aspects of the past can you reinterpret positively? A Different Perspective Changing perception may not alter facts, only emotional impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Difficult moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-moments/) [Good mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-mom/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Move forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/move-forward/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I went through a lot of good moments in Arsenal and a lot of difficult moments as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-adebayor/i-went-through-a-lot-of-good-moments-in-arsenal-and-a-lot-of/) [Emmanuel Adebayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-adebayor/) > [I'm quite shy and quite reserved. But when things start heating up, I don't hesitate to show my character, whether that's in good moments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-varane/i-m-quite-shy-and-quite-reserved-but-when-things-start-heating-up-i/) [Raphael Varane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-varane/) > [The expression if history in things is no other than that of past torment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-adorno/the-expression-if-history-in-things-is-no-other-than-that-of-past/) [Theodor Adorno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-adorno/) > [The stories of accomplishments, achievements, challenges, problems, issues, concerns pass down through history, and those are things you take with you in your personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-johnson-rice/the-stories-of-accomplishments-achievements-challenges-problems/) [Linda Johnson Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-johnson-rice/) > [“People have lost their history, the what and how and why of things. They know so little of the places where they live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/people-have-lost-their-history-the-what-and-how-and-why-of-things/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [We have a history when things are really horrible of wading in when no one else will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/we-have-a-history-when-things-are-really-horrible-of-wading-in-when/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [“Let that be a reminder to you that the past is one thing, but what we make of it, the conclusions we draw, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/let-that-be-a-reminder-to-you-that-the-past-is-one-thing-but-what-we/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [Out of Coltrane's whole history, there are things which I think are great from all the periods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-konitz/out-of-coltrane-s-whole-history-there-are-things-which-i-think-are/) [Lee Konitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-konitz/) > [Any given thing on the face of the earth could reveal the history of all things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/any-given-thing-on-the-face-of-the-earth-could-reveal-the-history-of/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If you think about how broadcast mini-series approach historical events, there is a hagiography. There has been a soft, very glossy idea about history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landgraf/if-you-think-about-how-broadcast-mini-series-approach-historical/) [John Landgraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landgraf/) > [The history of things that didn't happen has never been written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/the-history-of-things-that-didn-t-happen-has-never-been-written/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [I can remember my father gave me a huge history of football for my 12th birthday - I used to read that a lot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-can-remember-my-father-gave-me-a-huge-history-of-football-for-my/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“My history is the history of things imagined and not-happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-pink/my-history-is-the-history-of-things-imagined-and-not-happened/) [Sam Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-pink/) > [“He knew that any given thing on the face of the earth could reveal the history of all things. One could open a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/he-knew-that-any-given-thing-on-the-face-of-the-earth-could-reveal/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I'd done a lot of research in Hollywood and in academia. I love research and so I wanted to kind of ground the book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/i-d-done-a-lot-of-research-in-hollywood-and-in-academia-i-love/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) ## More by Margot Lee Shetterly > [“...internalized the Negro theorem of needing to be twice as good to get half as far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/internalized-the-negro-theorem-of-needing-to-be-twice-as-good-to-get/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“black people frequently disqualified themselves even without the WHITES ONLY sign in view”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/black-people-frequently-disqualified-themselves-even-without-the/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“At the beginning of a decade when everything was beginning to seem possible, nothing seemed impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/at-the-beginning-of-a-decade-when-everything-was-beginning-to-seem/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [Every time you go to an airport and get on a plane, you are basically taking advantage of the work that was done at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/every-time-you-go-to-an-airport-and-get-on-a-plane-you-are-basically/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“It was the engineer who determined what problems to investigate, designed the experiments, and defined the assignments for the mathematicians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/it-was-the-engineer-who-determined-what-problems-to-investigate/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“Like craftsmen in a medieval guild, NASA engineers hoped that one day their children would decide to take up the mantle of the profession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/like-craftsmen-in-a-medieval-guild-nasa-engineers-hoped-that-one-day/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [For too long, history has imposed a binary condition on its black citizens: either nameless or renowned, menial or exceptional, passive recipients of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/for-too-long-history-has-imposed-a-binary-condition-on-its-black/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“a lifetime of stories”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/a-lifetime-of-stories/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“Insatiably curious about the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/insatiably-curious-about-the-world/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [The success of 'Hidden Figures' proves that people are interested in, hungry for, stories about transcendent human experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/the-success-of-hidden-figures-proves-that-people-are-interested-in/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“Early in her career at Langley, Dorthy Lee was interviewed for the Daily Press, in all probability by Virginia Biggins, the female reporter assigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/early-in-her-career-at-langley-dorthy-lee-was-interviewed-for-the/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“Get the girl to check the numbers,' said the astronaut. If she says the numbers are good, he told them, I'm ready to go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/get-the-girl-to-check-the-numbers-said-the-astronaut-if-she-says-the/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [My dad worked with Mary Jackson very closely at one point. I knew Katherine Johnson as well. They were all part of this group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/my-dad-worked-with-mary-jackson-very-closely-at-one-point-i-knew/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“War, technology, and social progress; it seemed that the second two always came with the first. The NACA’s work—more intense and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/war-technology-and-social-progress-it-seemed-that-the-second-two/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [“The black female mathematicians who walked into Langley in 1943 would find themselves at the intersection of these great transformations, their sharp minds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/the-black-female-mathematicians-who-walked-into-langley-in-1943-would/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) [Explore all 79 Margot Lee Shetterly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) ## 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": "You can't change history. 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