--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We cannot change what we are not aware…" description: "\"We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.\" — Sheryl Sandberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/sheryl-sandberg-439_aware_we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-o_2630341.png" --- # We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are… ![“We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.” quote by Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/sheryl-sandberg-439_aware_we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-o_2630341.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/sheryl-sandberg-439_aware_we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-o_2630341.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/sheryl-sandberg-439_aware_we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-o_2630341.png) > “We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.” [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Awareness of a problem is the first step toward changing it. **In simple terms:** Knowing a problem lets you change it. Key Takeaway Identify blind spots to enable transformation. Themes self‑awareness change growth Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - organizational culture - policy reform - mental health Key Concepts cognitive bias behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - What are you unaware of that limits you? - How will you act on new awareness? A Different Perspective Awareness without action yields no change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aware/) [Aware Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aware-help-2184713/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Aware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-aware-2184712/) [Engagement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engagement/) [Help Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-change/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [“Time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/time-will-change-it-i-m-well-aware-as-winter-changes-the-trees/) [Emily Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [“We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change. —SHERYL SANDBERG, American technology company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-harlan/we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-of-and-once-we-are-aware-we/) [Danielle Harlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-harlan/) > [“We cannot change what we are unaware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/we-cannot-change-what-we-are-unaware-of-and-once-we-are-aware-we/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I have always believed that I could help change the world, because I have been lucky to have adults around me who did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/i-have-always-believed-that-i-could-help-change-the-world-because-i/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [I hope that through my example, such as my role on 'The West Wing,' I can help change attitudes on deafness and prove we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/i-hope-that-through-my-example-such-as-my-role-on-the-west-wing-i-can/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [Ignorance is ugly and is the result of a lack of education. Help change that by spreading knowledge, positivity, & love for your fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-halvorsen/ignorance-is-ugly-and-is-the-result-of-a-lack-of-education-help/) [Eric Halvorsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-halvorsen/) > [Changing the world is like trying to straighten a dog's tail. However much you may try, you won't succeed. But although the tail won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/changing-the-world-is-like-trying-to-straighten-a-dog-s-tail-however/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [Hopefully, my story will help change people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-earhardt/hopefully-my-story-will-help-change-people-s-lives/) [Ainsley Earhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-earhardt/) > [I deplored a system that made it more profitable not to work than to work. I wanted to help change all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-brooke/i-deplored-a-system-that-made-it-more-profitable-not-to-work-than-to/) [Edward Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-brooke/) > [It's up to me to help change the world, I cannot look at everybody else, I can only do what I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-up-to-me-to-help-change-the-world-i-cannot-look-at-everybody/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [People need help to change the way they eat... this is what government is for in my opinion… We should make food an issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bittman/people-need-help-to-change-the-way-they-eat-this-is-what-government/) [Mark Bittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bittman/) > [Do your part to help out, HELP it grow. You can help the change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-your-part-to-help-out-help-it-grow-you-can-help-the-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whether your life is destined to be short or to be long, along the way on that journey, if you access that inner power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-willis/whether-your-life-is-destined-to-be-short-or-to-be-long-along-the-way/) [Brad Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-willis/) > [If you want to change the world, first try to improve and bring about change within yourself. That will help change your family. From…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-you-want-to-change-the-world-first-try-to-improve-and-bring-about/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The greatest gift you could ever give someone is your time. Your time for someone can help change their entire life, can wipe away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-gift-you-could-ever-give-someone-is-your-time-your-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Sheryl Sandberg > [“Still, my argument was that if she was going to work for the next 30 years, what difference does "going back" 4 years really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/still-my-argument-was-that-if-she-was-going-to-work-for-the-next-30/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“Reverend Veronica Goines sums this up as, “Peace is joy at rest, and joy is peace on its feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/reverend-veronica-goines-sums-this-up-as-peace-is-joy-at-rest-and-joy/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [ “\[Eric Schmidt\] explained that only one criterion that mattered when picking a job- fat growth. When companies grow quickly, there are more things to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/eric-schmidt-explained-that-only-one-criterion-that-mattered-when/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [When I went to college, as much as my parents emphasized academic achievement, they emphasized marriage even more. They told me that the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/when-i-went-to-college-as-much-as-my-parents-emphasized-academic/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Go to a playground: Little girls get called 'bossy' all the time, a word that's almost never used for boys. And that leads directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/go-to-a-playground-little-girls-get-called-bossy-all-the-time-a-word/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“One of my favorite quotes comes from author Alice Walker, who observed, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/one-of-my-favorite-quotes-comes-from-author-alice-walker-who-observed/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“When I wrote Lean In, some people argued that I did not spend enough time writing about the difficulties women face when they don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/when-i-wrote-lean-in-some-people-argued-that-i-did-not-spend-enough/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“Survivor guilt is a thief of joy—yet another secondary loss from death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/survivor-guilt-is-a-thief-of-joy-yet-another-secondary-loss-from-death/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I am a bigger-picture manager because I've lived through something that's a big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-am-a-bigger-picture-manager-because-i-ve-lived-through-something/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Presenting leadership as a list of carefully defined qualities (like strategic, analytical, and performance-ori ented) no longer holds. Instead, true leadership stems from individuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/presenting-leadership-as-a-list-of-carefully-defined-qualities-like/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [So there's no such thing as work-life balance. There's work, and there's life, and there's no balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/so-there-s-no-such-thing-as-work-life-balance-there-s-work-and-there/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Men can comfortably claim credit for what they do as long as they don't veer into arrogance. For women, taking credit comes at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/men-can-comfortably-claim-credit-for-what-they-do-as-long-as-they-don/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“As Helen Keller put it, “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/as-helen-keller-put-it-when-one-door-of-happiness-closes-another/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“Forty percent of employed mothers lack sick days and vacation leave, and about 50 percent of employed mothers are unable to take time off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/forty-percent-of-employed-mothers-lack-sick-days-and-vacation-leave/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) [Explore all 557 Sheryl Sandberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) ## More Aware quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Be aware and hold the government accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/be-aware-and-hold-the-government-accountable/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [I'm trying to be very aware of not repeating myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-waltz/i-m-trying-to-be-very-aware-of-not-repeating-myself/) [Christoph Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-waltz/) > [If I've had roadblocks along the way for being gay, I'm not aware of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-groff/if-i-ve-had-roadblocks-along-the-way-for-being-gay-i-m-not-aware-of/) [Jonathan Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-groff/) > [“Whenever you're around her she's calm. She's more aware. It's like you carry a frequency she can tune into.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-laurens/whenever-you-re-around-her-she-s-calm-she-s-more-aware-it-s-like-you/) [Jennifer Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-laurens/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [As all of us are only too aware, the loud and frantic voices of the outer world easily drown out the small, still loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/as-all-of-us-are-only-too-aware-the-loud-and-frantic-voices-of-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... We stay in our little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/i-d-just-like-to-see-athletes-awake-and-aware-there-s-so-much-going/) [Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [Once I get out onstage, it's the same sort of basic production that it is anywhere else. But I might be a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-snow/once-i-get-out-onstage-it-s-the-same-sort-of-basic-production-that-it/) [Phoebe Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-snow/) > [Museums, I think, are becoming more and more aware of how to turn themselves into a must-see spectacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-barton/museums-i-think-are-becoming-more-and-more-aware-of-how-to-turn/) [Jake Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-barton/) > [“The more you become aware of and respond to the needs of others, the richer your own life becomes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-marti/the-more-you-become-aware-of-and-respond-to-the-needs-of-others-the/) [Mollie Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-marti/) [Browse all 1,138 Aware quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aware/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sheryl Sandberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-of-and-once-we-are-aware-we-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aware" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-of-and-once-we-are-aware-we-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/sheryl-sandberg-439_aware_we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-o_2630341.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/sheryl-sandberg-439_aware_we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-o_2630341.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/sheryl-sandberg-439_aware_we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-o_2630341.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.” — Sheryl Sandberg", "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": "Sheryl Sandberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We cannot change what we are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-of-and-once-we-are-aware-we-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/we-cannot-change-what-we-are-not-aware-of-and-once-we-are-aware-we-2/#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 } } ] } ```