--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great thing about life-the most…" description: "\"“The great thing about life-the most magnificent thing about being these sentient human beings-is that we have been given the power of choice.”\" — Brya..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/bryant-mcgill-108_choice_the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magn_2872252.jpg" --- # The great thing about life-the most magnificent thing… ![“The great thing about life-the most magnificent thing about being these sentient human beings-is that we have been given the power of choice.” quote by Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/bryant-mcgill-108_choice_the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magn_2872252.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/bryant-mcgill-108_choice_the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magn_2872252.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/bryant-mcgill-108_choice_the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magn_2872252.jpg) > ““The great thing about life-the most magnificent thing about being these sentient human beings-is that we have been given the power of choice.”” [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human beings possess the unique ability to choose, which defines our existence. **In simple terms:** Choice is a human gift. Key Takeaway Embrace responsibility of choice. Themes freedom choice human nature Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - moral dilemmas Key Concepts agency existentialism empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What choices shape your life? - How do you handle limited options? A Different Perspective Choice can be constrained by circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Human being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-being/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-experience/) [Power of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-of-choice/) ## Related quotes > [in this curious world there are certain beings to whom it is given to say of all things with naïve faith, not 'I shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-cecil-thurston/in-this-curious-world-there-are-certain-beings-to-whom-it-is-given-to/) [Katherine Cecil Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-cecil-thurston/) > [Parents are flawed human beings who are given a role that more approximates that of God than of mere mortals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/parents-are-flawed-human-beings-who-are-given-a-role-that-more/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To our human minds, computers behave less like rocks and trees than they do like humans, so we unconsciously treat them like people… In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/to-our-human-minds-computers-behave-less-like-rocks-and-trees-than/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [“Aren’t you sentient human beings? Or are you living like animals for the moment only? In that case by all means indulge in charity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/aren-t-you-sentient-human-beings-or-are-you-living-like-animals-for/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Part of being a sentient human is the ability to anticipate others' mental states - to say "Fred's going to hate this but Jane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/part-of-being-a-sentient-human-is-the-ability-to-anticipate-others/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“You will admit that if it was not life it was magnificent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-will-admit-that-if-it-was-not-life-it-was-magnificent/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“trust yourself ♥ create the life ♥ be magnificent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-crofts/trust-yourself-create-the-life-be-magnificent/) T.L Crofts > [“My dad’s life was magnificent, but only if I let myself see and remember more than his years of decline.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/my-dad-s-life-was-magnificent-but-only-if-i-let-myself-see-and/) [Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/) > [“If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then begin by realising that you are the author and everyday you have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-houlahan/if-you-want-your-life-to-be-a-magnificent-story-then-begin-by-2/) Mark Houlahan > [“All those people I didn't even know, I couldn't pick them out of a lineup if I had to, but they had worked their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-semple/all-those-people-i-didn-t-even-know-i-couldn-t-pick-them-out-of-a/) [Maria Semple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-semple/) > [Your life is magnificent not because someone says it is, but because you choose to see it as such](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/your-life-is-magnificent-not-because-someone-says-it-is-but-because/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [If you pay sufficient attention, everything in life is magnificent, everything is a doorway to the Divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/if-you-pay-sufficient-attention-everything-in-life-is-magnificent/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [Life can be magnificent and overwhelming -- that is the whole tragedy. Without beauty, love, or danger it would almost be easy to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/life-can-be-magnificent-and-overwhelming-that-is-the-whole-tragedy/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Every aspect of life is magnificent and wonderful. It's so important to keep fit and healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/every-aspect-of-life-is-magnificent-and-wonderful-it-s-so-important/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [You are never given a wish without being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/you-are-never-given-a-wish-without-being-given-the-power-to-make-it/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) ## More by Bryant McGill > [“Witnessing a selfless act brings tears to remind us how we should be treating others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/witnessing-a-selfless-act-brings-tears-to-remind-us-how-we-should-be/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The teacher can only provide the lessons, but the student ultimately decides what to learn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-teacher-can-only-provide-the-lessons-but-the-student-ultimately/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Start the daily practice of joyful living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/start-the-daily-practice-of-joyful-living/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“You have permission to walk away from anything that doesn't feel right. Trust your instincts and listen to your inner-voice — it's trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-have-permission-to-walk-away-from-anything-that-doesn-t-feel/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“You cannot change another person's mind or educate them; this they must do themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-cannot-change-another-person-s-mind-or-educate-them-this-they/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The public good must come before private interests.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-public-good-must-come-before-private-interests/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Countries, states, cities, corporations and laws are all words on paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/countries-states-cities-corporations-and-laws-are-all-words-on-paper/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“We must remember that nature is the supreme cradle of life, and must be protected and treated with the highest respect and care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/we-must-remember-that-nature-is-the-supreme-cradle-of-life-and-must/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The world is not fair, and often fools, cowards, liars and the selfish hide in high places. (p 57)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-world-is-not-fair-and-often-fools-cowards-liars-and-the-selfish/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Even discomfort or pain delivers awareness of life, and an opportunity for gratitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/even-discomfort-or-pain-delivers-awareness-of-life-and-an-opportunity/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The secret to unseating great power, is not to move the other direction, but to compete directly against their goals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-secret-to-unseating-great-power-is-not-to-move-the-other/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“In the moments of your deepest need, despair and desperation, what you need more than any other thing, is calm and faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/in-the-moments-of-your-deepest-need-despair-and-desperation-what-you/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“It is essential that you follow your own idea of passion, even if to others it looks like suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/it-is-essential-that-you-follow-your-own-idea-of-passion-even-if-to/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Joy is a practice, not an involuntary state.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/joy-is-a-practice-not-an-involuntary-state/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) [Explore all 1,286 Bryant McGill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. 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 > [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 > [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": "“The great thing about life-the most magnificent thing about being these sentient human beings-is that we have been given the power of choice.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bryant McGill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magnificent-thing-about-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magnificent-thing-about-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/bryant-mcgill-108_choice_the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magn_2872252.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/bryant-mcgill-108_choice_the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magn_2872252.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/bryant-mcgill-108_choice_the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magn_2872252.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The great thing about life-the most magnificent thing about being these sentient human beings-is that we…” — Bryant McGill", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bryant McGill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The great thing about life-the most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magnificent-thing-about-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-great-thing-about-life-the-most-magnificent-thing-about-being/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```