Living in New England, we’re grateful to see the seasons change year after year, and the trees, as they transform accordingly. Time and time again, we’ve marveled over the orange and yellow glow on the ground from fall foliage. We’ve watched as branches break free of all their leaves to make room for the weight of winter. And like clockwork, we’ve seen the sprouting of spring, alongside the breath-taking bloom of summer. Similar to the trees found in the Nutmeg State, we, too, can adapt and adjust accordingly. Below are 20 quotes to motivate modification, especially in moments like these.

Adaptability Advice

20 inspirational quotes from the past that help us in the present and to prepare for the future

• “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” ―Charles Darwin

• “Adaptability is not imitation. It means the power of resistance and assimilation.” ―Mahatma Gandhi

• “The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” ―Kakuzo Okakura

• “The most successful people are those who accept and adapt to constant change. This adaptability requires a degree of flexibility and humility most people can’t manage.” ―Paul Lutus

• “Action and adaptability create opportunity.” ―Garrison Wynn

• “Adaptability is the simple secret of survival.” ―Jessica Hagedorn

• “All failure is the failure to adapt; all success is successful adaptation.” ―Max McKeown

• “Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent.” ―Nolan Ryan

• “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.” ―George Bernard Shaw

• “A man is worked upon by what he works on. He may carve out his circumstances, but his circumstances will carve him out as well.” ―Frederick Douglass

• “There can be no life without change, and to be afraid of what is different or unfamiliar is to be afraid of life.” ―Theodore Roosevelt

• “Human nature is water, not stone.” ―Marty Rubin

• “An adaptive mind has better learning capability.” ―Pearl Zhu

• “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” ―Vivien Greene

• “Adaptability cushions the impact of change or disappointment.” ―Marvin J. Ashton

• “We must cut our coat according to our cloth, and adapt ourselves to changing circumstances.” ―William Ralph Inge

• “The strongest will is the will that knows how to bend.” —Alice Duer Miller

• “Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” —JFK

• “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” —Buckminster Fuller

• “Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant.” —Anthony D’Angelo

Are you interested in learning the specific qualities that advance adaptable people? Check out Adaptability: An Age-old Approach to the Current Crisis.