--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dysfunctional Belief: To be happy, I have…" description: "\"“Dysfunctional Belief: To be happy, I have to make the right choice. Reframe: There is no right choice—only good choosing.”\" — Bill Burnett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d64/bill-burnett-15078_choice_dysfunctional-belief-to-be-happy-i-have_194072.jpg" --- # Dysfunctional Belief: To be happy, I have to make the… ![“Dysfunctional Belief: To be happy, I have to make the right choice. Reframe: There is no right choice—only good choosing.” quote by Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d64/bill-burnett-15078_choice_dysfunctional-belief-to-be-happy-i-have_194072.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d64/bill-burnett-15078_choice_dysfunctional-belief-to-be-happy-i-have_194072.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d64/bill-burnett-15078_choice_dysfunctional-belief-to-be-happy-i-have_194072.jpg) > ““Dysfunctional Belief: To be happy, I have to make the right choice. Reframe: There is no right choice—only good choosing.”” [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness isn’t achieved by finding a perfect decision; it comes from embracing choices and acting well. **In simple terms:** No perfect choice, just good choosing. Key Takeaway Focus on making thoughtful choices. Themes happiness decision-making mindset Mood reflective optimistic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - relationships - personal growth - daily decisions Key Concepts existentialism choice theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe decisions to reduce anxiety? - What does “good choosing” look like for you? A Different Perspective Good choices still require effort and may have uncertain outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choice Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-good-522909/) [Choice Reframe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-reframe-2043354/) [Dysfunctional Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dysfunctional-belief-659293/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Reframe Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reframe-right-2043355/) [Right choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-choice/) ## Related quotes > [“answer. Donald’s dysfunctional belief was related to Janine’s, but he’d held on to it for much longer—a life of responsible and successful work should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/answer-donald-s-dysfunctional-belief-was-related-to-janine-s-but-he-d/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“Dysfunctional Belief: I should already know where I’m going. Reframe: You can’t know where you are going until you know where you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/dysfunctional-belief-i-should-already-know-where-i-m-going-reframe/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“Dysfunctional Belief: Networking is just hustling people—it’s slimy. Reframe: Networking is just asking for directions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/dysfunctional-belief-networking-is-just-hustling-people-it-s-slimy/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“Dysfunctional Belief: You should focus on your need to find a job. Reframe: You should focus on the hiring manager’s need to find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/dysfunctional-belief-you-should-focus-on-your-need-to-find-a-job/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“Dysfunctional Belief: I am looking for a job. Reframe: I am pursuing a number of offers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/dysfunctional-belief-i-am-looking-for-a-job-reframe-i-am-pursuing-a/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“Dysfunctional Belief: Happiness is having it all. Reframe: Happiness is letting go of what you don’t need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/dysfunctional-belief-happiness-is-having-it-all-reframe-happiness-is/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [It is our choice of good or evil that determines our character, not our opinion about good or evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/it-is-our-choice-of-good-or-evil-that-determines-our-character-not/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“It is downright incredible that an extremely significant proportion of people make the wrong choice. 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Ultimately, I reflected on Geothe's invocation to 'make a commitment and the forces of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/though-either-choice-was-good-one-was-truer-to-myself-ultimately-i/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [Life's tricky for women because they have to make more choices than men. And yes, choice is good, but boy, you better be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-buckingham/life-s-tricky-for-women-because-they-have-to-make-more-choices-than/) [Marcus Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-buckingham/) > [God is good if you are blessed with foresight. To reflect within a moment and see the positivity through the negativity in your choice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-wayans/god-is-good-if-you-are-blessed-with-foresight-to-reflect-within-a/) [Marlon Wayans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-wayans/) ## More by Bill Burnett > [“answer. Donald’s dysfunctional belief was related to Janine’s, but he’d held on to it for much longer—a life of responsible and successful work should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/answer-donald-s-dysfunctional-belief-was-related-to-janine-s-but-he-d/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“When you finally get down to making a choice from your narrowed-down list of alternatives, and you’ve cognitively evaluated the issues, and emotionally and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/when-you-finally-get-down-to-making-a-choice-from-your-narrowed-down/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“We mostly use cognitive knowing—all that good, objective, organized, informational kind of knowing—the sort of knowing that gets you A’s in school. 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Reframe: I am pursuing a number of offers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/dysfunctional-belief-i-am-looking-for-a-job-reframe-i-am-pursuing-a/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“It's worth emphasizing that failures and hardships are a part of every life, even the well-designed ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/it-s-worth-emphasizing-that-failures-and-hardships-are-a-part-of/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“In fact, in the United States, only 27 percent of college grads end up in a career related to their majors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/in-fact-in-the-united-states-only-27-percent-of-college-grads-end-up/) [Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/) > [“Most people fail not for lack of talent but for lack of imagination. 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Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) [Randy C. 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