Who said “The real sadness of fifty is not that you change so much but that you change so little.”?

Verified

Max Lerner. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceThe Unfinished Country (1959)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: The Unfinished Country (1959).

APA

Lerner, M. (n.d.). The real sadness of fifty is not that you change so much but that you change so little. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/5866-the-real-sadness-of-fifty-is-not-that/

MLA

Lerner, Max. “The real sadness of fifty is not that you change so much but that you change so little.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/5866-the-real-sadness-of-fifty-is-not-that/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Lerner, Max. “The real sadness of fifty is not that you change so much but that you change so little.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/5866-the-real-sadness-of-fifty-is-not-that/.