--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think I'm capable of making…" description: "\"I don't think I'm capable of making radical changes, but over a period of four or five years you can perceive very big changes, and they seem rather sm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/philip-glass-14533_big-changes_i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radi_673591.jpg" --- # I don't think I'm capable of making radical changes, but… ![“I don't think I'm capable of making radical changes, but over a period of four or five years you can perceive very big changes, and they seem rather small at the time.” quote by Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/philip-glass-14533_big-changes_i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radi_673591.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/philip-glass-14533_big-changes_i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radi_673591.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/philip-glass-14533_big-changes_i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radi_673591.jpg) > “I don't think I'm capable of making radical changes, but over a period of four or five years you can perceive very big changes, and they seem rather small at the time.” [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suggests that radical change feels incremental over time, and large shifts appear modest when recalled later. **In simple terms:** Big changes seem small after years. Key Takeaway Embrace patience for lasting transformation. Themes change time perception Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career development - personal growth - social movements - technology adoption Key Concepts incremental progress long‑term vision psychology Questions to Reflect On - What small steps can you start today? - How do you stay motivated during slow progress? A Different Perspective May underplay the effort required for change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-changes/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Radical change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical-change/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Beware of the tyranny of making small changes to small things. Rather, make big changes to big things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-enrico/beware-of-the-tyranny-of-making-small-changes-to-small-things-rather/) [Roger Enrico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-enrico/) > [Radical changes of identity, happening suddenly and in very brief intervals of time, have proved more deadly and destructive of human values than wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/radical-changes-of-identity-happening-suddenly-and-in-very-brief/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [. . . it is worth discussing radical changes, not in the expectation that they will be adopted promptly but for two other reasons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/it-is-worth-discussing-radical-changes-not-in-the-expectation-that/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [There is far more danger of harm than there is hope of good in any radical changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/there-is-far-more-danger-of-harm-than-there-is-hope-of-good-in-any/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [ We are working in other areas \[like ALROSA\] as well, so there are no radical changes to our position. It is not the case… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-are-working-in-other-areas-like-alrosa-as-well-so-there-are-no/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [You can't make radical changes in the pattern of your life until you see yourself exactly as you are now. As soon as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henepola-gunaratana/you-can-t-make-radical-changes-in-the-pattern-of-your-life-until-you/) [Henepola Gunaratana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henepola-gunaratana/) > [The big change, the really radical change in communication, was in the late 19th century. The shift from sailing ships to telegraph is astronomical.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-big-change-the-really-radical-change-in-communication-was-in-the-2/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The big change, the really radical change in communication, was in the late 19th century. The shift from sailing ships to telegraph is astronomical.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-big-change-the-really-radical-change-in-communication-was-in-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [When an individual changes in even a small way he immediately changes the world around him. And that concentric circle moves out and changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shadyac/when-an-individual-changes-in-even-a-small-way-he-immediately-changes/) [Tom Shadyac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shadyac/) > [Break any problem into, or make any changes in, small increments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-grant/break-any-problem-into-or-make-any-changes-in-small-increments/) [Anne Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-grant/) > [“When rate of problems is greater than rate of solutions, only radical changes can make the difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukant-ratnakar/when-rate-of-problems-is-greater-than-rate-of-solutions-only-radical/) [Sukant Ratnakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukant-ratnakar/) > [“the most fundamental and radical of these changes is learning how to love and accept your precious body right now. It is, after all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-northrup/the-most-fundamental-and-radical-of-these-changes-is-learning-how-to/) [Christiane Northrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-northrup/) > [People don't realize that being eco-friendly doesn't require radical changes. It's not an all-or-nothing thing. Really, it's about very simple, little changes you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/su-chin-pak/people-don-t-realize-that-being-eco-friendly-doesn-t-require-radical/) [Su-chin Pak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/su-chin-pak/) > [If you start thinking of stress as not a bad thing but inevitable, resulting in change that itself leads to transformation that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/if-you-start-thinking-of-stress-as-not-a-bad-thing-but-inevitable/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [“Our most radical changes in perspective often happen at the tail end of our worst moments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/our-most-radical-changes-in-perspective-often-happen-at-the-tail-end/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) ## More by Philip Glass > [I, as a young guy getting out of music school, I didn't like the prospect of spending my life writing music for about 200 people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-as-a-young-guy-getting-out-of-music-school-i-didn-t-like-the/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [My biggest problem about writing is whenever I write piano pieces, because I then have to learn to play them, which is sometimes not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/my-biggest-problem-about-writing-is-whenever-i-write-piano-pieces/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [In order to arrive at a personal style, you have to have a technique to begin with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/in-order-to-arrive-at-a-personal-style-you-have-to-have-a-technique/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [I think it's a great handicap to be discovered at an early age. I didn't have that burden of early success. I had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-think-it-s-a-great-handicap-to-be-discovered-at-an-early-age-i-didn/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [I don't know what I'm doing and it's the not knowing that makes it interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-and-it-s-the-not-knowing-that-makes-it/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [It takes about a year to write an opera for me, but not a really a year of writing. I'm touring at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/it-takes-about-a-year-to-write-an-opera-for-me-but-not-a-really-a/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [You practice and you get better. It's very simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/you-practice-and-you-get-better-it-s-very-simple/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [ The generation of composers that are just preceded me, people like \[Karlheinz\] Stockhausen, \[Pierre\] Boulez, and, well, \[John\] Cage for that matter,\[Morton\] Feldman ...… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/the-generation-of-composers-that-are-just-preceded-me-people-like/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [The hardest thing about traveling is that mostly you get to a point - and it always happens on every tour - where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/the-hardest-thing-about-traveling-is-that-mostly-you-get-to-a-point/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [I travel the world, and I'm happy to say that America is still the great melting pot - maybe a chunky stew rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-travel-the-world-and-i-m-happy-to-say-that-america-is-still-the/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [Traditions are imploding and exploding everywhere - everything is coming together, for better or worse, and we can no longer pretend we're all living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/traditions-are-imploding-and-exploding-everywhere-everything-is/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [The work I've done is the work I know, and the work I do is the work I don't know. I don't know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/the-work-i-ve-done-is-the-work-i-know-and-the-work-i-do-is-the-work-i/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [I'd say it's just part of the world that we live in; it's part of the music world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-d-say-it-s-just-part-of-the-world-that-we-live-in-it-s-part-of-the/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [There's almost no content in terms of language at all. I don't like using language to convey meaning. I'd rather use images and music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/there-s-almost-no-content-in-terms-of-language-at-all-i-don-t-like/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) > [I'm interested in what happens to music when other people use it. Whereas there are composers who don't like anyone to touch their music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-m-interested-in-what-happens-to-music-when-other-people-use-it/) [Philip Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) [Explore all 46 Philip Glass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/) ## More Big changes quotes > [As we get more transparent with data sets about infrastructure and systems management, I have a feeling we'll see big changes in how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-koblin/as-we-get-more-transparent-with-data-sets-about-infrastructure-and/) [Aaron Koblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-koblin/) > [I feel everything more deeply. Every action I take, I think of her first. That's a big change for me. That - and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-dewan/i-feel-everything-more-deeply-every-action-i-take-i-think-of-her/) [Jenna Dewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-dewan/) > [The Iraqi troops and the Iraqi fighters are in control of all the places, as we have witnessed, no big change in that. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-iraqi-troops-and-the-iraqi-fighters-are-in-control-of-all-the/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Big changes like creating nutritious school food and adjusting the eating habits of children takes an organized effort from an entire community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-rosenthal/big-changes-like-creating-nutritious-school-food-and-adjusting-the/) [Joshua Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-rosenthal/) > [With 'Crucible,' any big changes I wanted to make I only had to run by Lucasfilm, not other authors whose stories I might affect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-denning/with-crucible-any-big-changes-i-wanted-to-make-i-only-had-to-run-by/) [Troy Denning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-denning/) > [“continues: For Kit, the Depression has brought big changes: a houseful of boarders, tons of chores, and no birthday party. But when Kit’s taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-tripp/continues-for-kit-the-depression-has-brought-big-changes-a-houseful/) Valerie Tripp > [It was definitely a big change in my life going from the college scene to really kind of being on my own. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-horton/it-was-definitely-a-big-change-in-my-life-going-from-the-college/) [Jonathan Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-horton/) > [One of the big changes in the Congress since I first came to Washington is that all of these folks go home every weekend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/one-of-the-big-changes-in-the-congress-since-i-first-came-to/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [I never really have any major resolutions. I do try to be a good person, to be a good mom, to be a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-klum/i-never-really-have-any-major-resolutions-i-do-try-to-be-a-good/) [Heidi Klum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-klum/) > [“Many of the big changes of the next 25 years will come from unknowns working in their bedrooms and garages...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-leadbeater/many-of-the-big-changes-of-the-next-25-years-will-come-from-unknowns/) [Charles Leadbeater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-leadbeater/) > [In terms of getting people to experiment more and take more risk, there are at least three things that immediately come to my mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-kotter/in-terms-of-getting-people-to-experiment-more-and-take-more-risk/) [John P. Kotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-kotter/) > [“Ask yourself: what was the most influential discovery, invention or creation of the twentieth century? That’s a difficult question, because it is hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/ask-yourself-what-was-the-most-influential-discovery-invention-or/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [There are moments in your life when the big pieces slide and shift. Sometimes the big changes dong happen gradually but all at once.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/there-are-moments-in-your-life-when-the-big-pieces-slide-and-shift/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [I was very, very thrown by the fact that I had to make some big changes in my life in order to be myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-was-very-very-thrown-by-the-fact-that-i-had-to-make-some-big/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [There are good people, who are in politics - in both parties - who hold this at arm's length, because if they acknowledge it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-good-people-who-are-in-politics-in-both-parties-who-hold/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) [Browse all 106 Big changes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-changes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think I'm capable of making radical changes, but over a period of four or five years you can perceive very big changes, and they seem rather small at the time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Glass" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radical-changes-but-over-a-period/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big changes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radical-changes-but-over-a-period/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/philip-glass-14533_big-changes_i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radi_673591.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/philip-glass-14533_big-changes_i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radi_673591.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/philip-glass-14533_big-changes_i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radi_673591.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think I'm capable of making radical changes, but over a period of four or five years you can…” — Philip Glass", "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": "Philip Glass", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-glass/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think I'm capable of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radical-changes-but-over-a-period/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-glass/i-don-t-think-i-m-capable-of-making-radical-changes-but-over-a-period/#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 } } ] } ```