Top 15 Quotes & Sayings by Kurt Lewin

A successful individual typically sets his next goal somewhat but not too much above his last achievement. In this way he steadily raises his level of aspiration.

If you want to truly understand something, try to change it.

The American culture ideal of the "self-made-man," of everyone "standing on his own feet" seemed as tragic a picture as the initiative-destroying dependence on a benevolent despot. He felt and perceived clearly that we all need continuous help from each other, and that this type of interdependence is the greatest challenge to maturity of individual and group functioning.

Every psychological event depends upon the state of the person and at the same time on the environment, although their relative importance is different in different cases

Experience alone does not create knowledge.

There is nothing so practical as a good theory.

The history of acceptance of new theories frequently shows the following steps: At first the new idea is treated as pure nonsense, not worth looking at. Then comes a time when a multitude of contradictory objections are raised, such as: the new theory is too fancy, or merely a new terminology; it is not fruitful, or simply wrong. Finally a state is reached when everyone seems to claim that he had always followed this theory. This usually marks the last state before general acceptance.

If you want to learn about an organization, try to change it.

Fortunately I experienced Max Wertheimer's teaching in Berlin and collaborated for over a decade with Wolfgang Köhler. I need not emphasize my debts to these outstanding personalities. The fundamental ideas of Gestalt theory are the foundation of all our investigations in the field of the will, of affection, and of the personality.

Learning is more effective when it is an active rather than a passive process.

If you want truly to understand something, try to change it.

Social action, just like physical action, is steered by perception.

A successful individual typically sets his next goal somewhat, but not too much, above his last achievement.

When we are young we are like a flowing river - and then we freeze.

No research without action, no action without research.