--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s tempting to straddle the fence and…" description: "\"“It’s tempting to straddle the fence and try to have it both ways. Yet in attempting to live in two choices at once, you will find that you truly inhab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/brett-mckay-43881_two-choices_it-s-tempting-to-straddle-the-fence-and_1699938.jpg" --- # It’s tempting to straddle the fence and try to have it… ![“It’s tempting to straddle the fence and try to have it both ways. Yet in attempting to live in two choices at once, you will find that you truly inhabit neither one.” quote by Brett McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/brett-mckay-43881_two-choices_it-s-tempting-to-straddle-the-fence-and_1699938.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/brett-mckay-43881_two-choices_it-s-tempting-to-straddle-the-fence-and_1699938.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/brett-mckay-43881_two-choices_it-s-tempting-to-straddle-the-fence-and_1699938.jpg) > ““It’s tempting to straddle the fence and try to have it both ways. Yet in attempting to live in two choices at once, you will find that you truly inhabit neither one.”” [Brett McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-mckay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trying to hold two opposing positions simultaneously leads to a lack of true commitment to either. **In simple terms:** You can’t truly belong to both sides. Key Takeaway Choose one path and commit fully. Themes decision making commitment identity conflict Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career choices - political stance - personal relationships - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts dualism cognitive dissonance authenticity Questions to Reflect On - Which choice are you avoiding? - How does indecision affect your sense of self? A Different Perspective Balancing both sides may seem safe but can cause indecision and loss of clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Choices Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-truly-1140901/) [Fence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fence/) [Fence Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fence-try-1140900/) [Tempting Straddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tempting-straddle-1140902/) [Two choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-choices/) ## Related quotes > [Whoever tries to climb over our fence, we will try to climb over his house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/whoever-tries-to-climb-over-our-fence-we-will-try-to-climb-over-his/) [Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/) > [It is our choices... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/it-is-our-choices-that-show-what-we-truly-are-far-more-than-our/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [You know give me choices that are truly different from one another, otherwise they don't regard them as meaningful choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/you-know-give-me-choices-that-are-truly-different-from-one-another/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [No matter what your choices are, you truly have no control about what people think of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/no-matter-what-your-choices-are-you-truly-have-no-control-about-what/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [“I can see that my choices were never truly mine alone--and that is how it should be, that to assert otherwise is to chase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-see-that-my-choices-were-never-truly-mine-alone-and-that-is-how/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Why was it that the only choices that truly mattered were the ones you felt least prepare to make?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-goudge/why-was-it-that-the-only-choices-that-truly-mattered-were-the-ones/) [Eileen Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-goudge/) > [Every morning u have two choices! Continue your sleep with dreaming or wake up and chase your dreams. Choice is yours!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-morning-u-have-two-choices-continue-your-sleep-with-dreaming-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You have two choices in life...Choice one is to be the same and be like everyone else...Choice two is to be yourself and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-two-choices-in-life-choice-one-is-to-be-the-same-and-be-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Hers was a tone and manner that assured the listener they had only two choices; obedience or death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-chase/hers-was-a-tone-and-manner-that-assured-the-listener-they-had-only/) [Loretta Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-chase/) > [When you wake up in the morning,you have two choices, to sleep and continue to dream or to wake up and chase them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha/when-you-wake-up-in-the-morning-you-have-two-choices-to-sleep-and/) [Aisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha/) > [When Americans are faced with the prospect that they can never earn their way to wealth, they have two choices: to rebel against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/when-americans-are-faced-with-the-prospect-that-they-can-never-earn/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [“This is a good plan for life in general. If you have two choices, choose the harder. If you're trying to decide whether to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/this-is-a-good-plan-for-life-in-general-if-you-have-two-choices/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [“Today was my forty-fifth birthday. Impending old age and a problem marriage were staring me in the face. Not a good place to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-cantwell/today-was-my-forty-fifth-birthday-impending-old-age-and-a-problem/) [Karen Cantwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-cantwell/) > [“There are two choices: to be human, made in the image of God, with Jesus; warp to be in human, consumed with greed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mckenna/there-are-two-choices-to-be-human-made-in-the-image-of-god-with-jesus/) [Megan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mckenna/) > [“Our past offers us two choices ... live IN it or live FROM it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-burgunder/our-past-offers-us-two-choices-live-in-it-or-live-from-it/) [Brittany Burgunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-burgunder/) ## More by Brett McKay > [“If you see birds flying high in the sky, it means clear weather. However, if you see a lot of birds roosting on power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-mckay/if-you-see-birds-flying-high-in-the-sky-it-means-clear-weather/) [Brett McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-mckay/) > [“What are palaces and equipages; what though a man could cover a continent with his title-deeds, or an ocean with his commerce; compared with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-mckay/what-are-palaces-and-equipages-what-though-a-man-could-cover-a/) [Brett McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-mckay/) > [“Work nonstop for forty-eight minutes. 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That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. 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. Dockens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-c-dockens/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It’s tempting to straddle the fence and try to have it both ways. 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