Every street has two sides, the shady side and the sunny. When two men shake hands and part, mark which of the two takes the sunny side; he will be the younger man of the two.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
I like to be a free spirit. Some don’t like that, but that’s the way I am.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
A human being is a deciding being.
—Viktor Frankl (1905–97) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist
The first thing I do in the morning is to make my bed and while I am making up my bed I am making up my mind as to what kind of a day I am going to have.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
There are always two choices. Two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it’s easy.
—Unknown
We need to teach the next generation of children from day one that they are responsible for their lives. Mankind’s greatest gift, also its greatest curse, is that we have free choice. We can make our choices built from love or from fear.
—Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1926-2004) American Psychiatrist
You are the person who has to decide
Whether you’ll do it, or toss it aside.
You are the person who makes up your mind
Whether you’ll lead, or linger behind.
Whether you’ll try for the goal that’s far
Or just be contented to stay as you are.
Take it or leave it, here’s something to do,
Just think it all over – it’s all up to you.
—Edgar Guest (1881–1959) English-born American Poet, Radio Personality, TV Personality
When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that is in itself a choice.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Our generation, like the one before us, must choose. Without the threat of the Cold War, without the pain of economic ruin, without the fresh memory of World War II’s slaughter, it is tempting to pursue our private agendas—to simply sit back and let history unfold. We must resist the temptation.
—Bill Clinton (b.1946) American Head of State, Lawyer, Public Speaker
I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: Therefore choose life.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Nine out of ten people who change their minds are wrong the second time too.
—Unknown
One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And, the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
Nine-tenths of the people were created so you would want to be with the other tenth.
—Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (1717–97) English Art Historian, Man of Letters, Politician
You are led through your lifetime by the inner learning creature, the playful spiritual being that is your real self. Don’t turn away from possible futures before you’re certain you don’t have anything to learn from them. You’re always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past.
—Unknown
You’re either attaching to your thoughts or inquiring. There’s no other choice.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
There is no better measure of a person than what he does when he is absolutely free to choose.
—Wilma Askinas
My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
I have discovered that we may be in some degree whatever character we choose. Besides, practice forms a man to anything.
—James Boswell (1740–95) Scottish Biographer, Diarist
Choose always the way that seems best, however rough it may be, and custom will soon render it easy and agreeable.
—Pythagoras (570–495 BCE) Greek Philosopher
No one ever went broke by saying no too often.
—Harvey Mackay (b.1932) American Businessman, Columnist, Author
When a difficult situation comes into your life, it is possible to tune in to your mind and say, “Okay, choose”. Are you going to make yourself miserable or content? Are you going to visualize scarcity or abundance? Are you going to put yourself down for getting angry with your husband or are you simply going to notice what insecurity you were feeling at the time and discuss it with him? The choice is definitely yours. Pick the one that contributes most to your aliveness and growth.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
The path of least resistance and least trouble is a mental rut already made. It requires troublesome work to undertake the alternation of old beliefs. Self-conceit often regards it as a sign of weakness to admit that a belief to which we have once committed ourselves is wrong. We get so identified with an idea that it is literally a “pet” notion and we rise to its defense and stop our eyes and ears to anything different.
—John Dewey (1859–1952) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Educator
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
The perfect way is without difficulty, for it avoids picking and choosing. Only when you stop liking and disliking will all be clearly understood. Be not concerned with right or wrong, for the conflict between right and wrong is the sickness of the mind.
—Jianzhi Sengcan (d.606 CE) Chinese-Buddhist Monk
He’d have given me rolling lands,
Houses of marble, and billowing farms,
Pearls, to trickle between my hands,
Smoldering rubies, to circle my arms.
You- you’d only a lilting song,
Only a melody, happy and high,
You were sudden and swift and strong-
Never a thought for another had I.
He’d have given me laces rare,
Dresses that glimmered with frosty sheen,
Shining ribbons to wrap my hair,
Horses to draw me, as fine as a queen.
You- you’d only to whistle low,
Gayly I followed wherever you led.
I took you, and I let him go-
Somebody ought to examine my head!
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American Humorist, Journalist
We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost’s familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road—the one less traveled by—offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth.
—Rachel Carson (1907–64) American Naturalist, Science Writer
Life often presents us with a choice of evils rather than of good.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
As human beings, we are endowed with freedom of choice, and we cannot shuffle off our responsibility upon the shoulders of God or nature. We must shoulder it ourselves. It is up to us.
—Arnold J. Toynbee (1889–1975) British Historian
My own view of history is that human beings do have genuine freedom to make choices. Our destiny is not predetermined for us; we determine it for ourselves.
—Arnold J. Toynbee (1889–1975) British Historian
Obviously, the real issue has nothing to do with fear itself, but, rather, how we hold the fear. For some, the fear is totally irrelevant. For others, it creates a state of paralysis. The former hold their fear from a position of power (choice, energy, and action), and the latter hold it from a position of pain (helplessness, depression, and paralysis).
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Look at the word responsibility—“response-ability”—the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
He tells himself over and over again in any choice presented to him, ‘Prefer the hard.’ This holds good not only in great matters, but also in very small, in fighting by the frozen Danube and in starting the day early.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own.And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
—Theodor Seuss Geisel (‘Dr. Seuss’) (1904–91) American Children’s Books Writer, Writer, Cartoonist, Animator
Just saying yes because you can’t bear the short-term pain of saying no is not going to help you do the work.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
The measure of choosing well, is, whether a man likes and finds good in what he has chosen.
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834) British Essayist, Poet
Man is made or unmade by himself. By the right choice he ascends. As a being of power, intelligence, and love, and the lord of his own thoughts, he holds the key to every situation.
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Choose the life that is most useful, and habit will make it the most agreeable.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
I believe that uncertainty is really my spirit’s way of whispering, I’m in flux. I can’t decide for you. Something is off-balance here.”
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
Instead of looking at life as a narrowing funnel, we can see it ever widening to choose the things we want to do, to take the wisdom we’ve learned and create something.
—Liz Carpenter (1920–2010) American Journalist, Political Adviser
Of all earthly creatures, humans alone have the power to choose.
—Indian Proverb
We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
It is always your next move.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
I think there is a choice possible to us at any moment, as long as we live. But there is no sacrifice. There is a choice, and the rest falls away. Second choice does not exist. Beware of those who talk about sacrifice.
—Muriel Rukeyser (1913–80) American Poet, Writer
If we could raise one generation with unconditional love, there would be no Hitlers. We need to teach the next generation of children from Day One that they are responsible for their lives. Mankind’s greatest gift, also its greatest curse, is that we have free choice. We can make our choices built from love or from fear.
—Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1926-2004) American Psychiatrist
You cannot overestimate the unimportance of practically everything.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences.
—Zen Proverb Japanese School of Mahayana Buddhism
Who gets to decide what you want?
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
Life is a constant oscillation between the sharp horns of dilemmas.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic