--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People can't live with change if there's…" description: "\"“People can't live with change if there's not a changeless core inside them. The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, wha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/stephen-r-covey-1501_ability-to-change_people-can-t-live-with-change-if-there-s_2060455.jpg" --- # People can't live with change if there's not a changeless… ![“People can't live with change if there's not a changeless core inside them. The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about and what you value.” quote by Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/stephen-r-covey-1501_ability-to-change_people-can-t-live-with-change-if-there-s_2060455.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/stephen-r-covey-1501_ability-to-change_people-can-t-live-with-change-if-there-s_2060455.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/stephen-r-covey-1501_ability-to-change_people-can-t-live-with-change-if-there-s_2060455.jpg) > ““People can't live with change if there's not a changeless core inside them. The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about and what you value.”” [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True growth requires a stable inner identity; change is possible when core values and self‑concept remain constant. **In simple terms:** Stable self‑concept enables change. Key Takeaway Cultivate core values before seeking change. Themes personal growth identity change Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career transitions - personal development - leadership Key Concepts self‑concept values psychology Questions to Reflect On - What core values define you? - How can you stay adaptable while grounded? A Different Perspective Risk of rigidity if core self is misunderstood. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability to change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-to-change/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Changeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-changeless-1241699/) [Changeless Core](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changeless-core-1566055/) [Changeless Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changeless-sense-1241698/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Live Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-change-442051/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [People can't live with change if there's not a changeless core inside them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-can-t-live-with-change-if-there-s-not-a-changeless-core-inside/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about and what you value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-key-to-the-ability-to-change-is-a-changeless-sense-of-who-you-are/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [“It's a wonderful paradox: only when you have a changeless sense of who you are, can real changes take place. It is the ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/it-s-a-wonderful-paradox-only-when-you-have-a-changeless-sense-of-who/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [To change with change is the changeless state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/to-change-with-change-is-the-changeless-state/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [Only when you have a changeless sense of who you are, can real change take place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/only-when-you-have-a-changeless-sense-of-who-you-are-can-real-change/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [The principles you live by create the world you live in; if you change the principles you live by, you will change your world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaine-lee-pardoe/the-principles-you-live-by-create-the-world-you-live-in-if-you-change/) [Blaine Lee Pardoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaine-lee-pardoe/) > [“To live is to change, and if you have lived long, you have changed often.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/to-live-is-to-change-and-if-you-have-lived-long-you-have-changed-often/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [“You can't just wish change; you have to live the change in order for it to become a reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/you-can-t-just-wish-change-you-have-to-live-the-change-in-order-for/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“To live is to be marked. To live is to change, to acquire the words of a story, and that is the only celebration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/to-live-is-to-be-marked-to-live-is-to-change-to-acquire-the-words-of/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/to-live-is-to-change-and-to-be-perfect-is-to-have-changed-often/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [“Here below to live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/here-below-to-live-is-to-change-and-to-be-perfect-is-to-have-changed/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not about what you have tried and failed, But what is still possible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-xxii/consult-not-your-fears-but-your-hopes-and-dreams-think-not-about-what/) [Pope John XXII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-xxii/) > [You've been given the innate power to shape your life...but you cannot just speak change, you have to LIVE change. Intent paired with action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/you-ve-been-given-the-innate-power-to-shape-your-life-but-you-cannot/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“To live is to change, to acquire the words of a story, and that is the only celebration we mortals really know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/to-live-is-to-change-to-acquire-the-words-of-a-story-and-that-is-the/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“We ain't gotta live there to change things, baby. We just gotta give a damn...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/we-ain-t-gotta-live-there-to-change-things-baby-we-just-gotta-give-a/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## More by Stephen R. Covey > [“For those filled with regret, perhaps the most needful exercise of proactivity is to realize that past mistakes are also out there in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-those-filled-with-regret-perhaps-the-most-needful-exercise-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“What lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us and ahead of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/what-lies-behind-us-is-nothing-compared-to-what-lies-within-us-and/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Love is something you do: the sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/love-is-something-you-do-the-sacrifices-you-make-the-giving-of-self/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. They’re fundamental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/principles-are-guidelines-for-human-conduct-that-are-proven-to-have/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“So I recommend reading literature, such as the inspiring biography of Anwar Sadat, In Search of Identity, and seeing movies like Chariots of Fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/so-i-recommend-reading-literature-such-as-the-inspiring-biography-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“My experience has been that there are times to teach and times not to teach. When relationships are strained and the air charged with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/my-experience-has-been-that-there-are-times-to-teach-and-times-not-to/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Just as faith without works is dead, so also works without faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/just-as-faith-without-works-is-dead-so-also-works-without-faith/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“FRIEND/ENEMY CENTEREDNESS. Young people are particularly, though certainly not exclusively, susceptible to becoming friend-centered. Acceptance and belonging to a peer group can become almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/friend-enemy-centeredness-young-people-are-particularly-though/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“As a principle-centered person, you see things differently. And because you see things differently, you think differently, you act differently. Because you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/as-a-principle-centered-person-you-see-things-differently-and-because/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“We are free to choose our actions, based on our knowledge of correct principles, but we are not free to choose the consequences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/we-are-free-to-choose-our-actions-based-on-our-knowledge-of-correct/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-every-thousand-hacking-at-the-leaves-of-evil-there-is-one/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Breaking deeply imbedded habitual tendencies such as procrastination, impatience, criticalness, or selfishness that violate basic principles of human effectiveness involves more than a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/breaking-deeply-imbedded-habitual-tendencies-such-as-procrastination/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“man you might like to take her out. If you were”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/man-you-might-like-to-take-her-out-if-you-were/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Start with the end in mind. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/start-with-the-end-in-mind/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“the very problem created the opportunity to build a deep relationship that empowered us to work together as a strong complementary team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/the-very-problem-created-the-opportunity-to-build-a-deep-relationship/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) [Explore all 230 Stephen R. Covey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## More Ability to change quotes > [“Don't be afraid to go left when the world is going right. The French learned that the people have power to make change, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-r-lemieux/don-t-be-afraid-to-go-left-when-the-world-is-going-right-the-french/) [Martin R. Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-r-lemieux/) > [You have the capability to change your life all with a simple shift in perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/you-have-the-capability-to-change-your-life-all-with-a-simple-shift/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [“Success is the ability to change some one's perception of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeeshan-raza/success-is-the-ability-to-change-some-one-s-perception-of-life/) [Zeeshan Raza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeeshan-raza/) > [We may not have the ability to change all of the world's wrongs, but we can make a difference where we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-burroughs/we-may-not-have-the-ability-to-change-all-of-the-world-s-wrongs-but/) [Dillon Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-burroughs/) > [“Cinderella, until lately, has never been a passive dreamer waiting for rescue. The forerunners of the Ash-girl have all been hardy, active heroines who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/cinderella-until-lately-has-never-been-a-passive-dreamer-waiting-for/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [It always blows me away when I see people freak out because I've changed my mind on something. I'm not an elected official, folks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-quesada/it-always-blows-me-away-when-i-see-people-freak-out-because-i-ve/) [Joe Quesada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-quesada/) > [Victoria's Secret should highlight real women that actually purchase their clothing. I would love for them to start featuring more real bodies and diverse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/victoria-s-secret-should-highlight-real-women-that-actually-purchase/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [“In a world of change and decay not even the man of faith can be completely happy. Instinctively he seeks the unchanging and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer-3/in-a-world-of-change-and-decay-not-even-the-man-of-faith-can-be/) [A W Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer-3/) > [The concept of making a movie in which the director dictates is kind of exotic - and absolutely not truthful. Directing means allowing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luca-guadagnino/the-concept-of-making-a-movie-in-which-the-director-dictates-is-kind/) [Luca Guadagnino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luca-guadagnino/) > [Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/our-population-and-our-use-of-the-finite-resources-of-planet-earth/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Wake up everyday with confidence, knowing you have the ability to change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isiahnunn/wake-up-everyday-with-confidence-knowing-you-have-the-ability-to/) [IsiahNunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isiahnunn/) > [“That is what you love a friend for: the ability to change your angle of vision, bring back your best self when you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/that-is-what-you-love-a-friend-for-the-ability-to-change-your-angle/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [“God gives us the sun and also one moment in which we have the ability to change everything that makes us unhappy. Everyday, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/god-gives-us-the-sun-and-also-one-moment-in-which-we-have-the-ability/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Fortunately women have the miraculous ability to change the meaning of their actions after the event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/fortunately-women-have-the-miraculous-ability-to-change-the-meaning/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Adaptability to change is itself a hallmark of successful education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/adaptability-to-change-is-itself-a-hallmark-of-successful-education/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) [Browse all 167 Ability to change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-to-change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People can't live with change if there's not a changeless core inside them. 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