--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You get to define the terms of your life." description: "\"You get to define the terms of your life.\" — Cheryl Strayed" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/cheryl-strayed-605_define_you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life_1940471.png" --- # You get to define the terms of your life. ![“You get to define the terms of your life.” quote by Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/cheryl-strayed-605_define_you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life_1940471.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/cheryl-strayed-605_define_you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life_1940471.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/cheryl-strayed-605_define_you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life_1940471.png) > “You get to define the terms of your life.” [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. You control how you define your personal values and boundaries, shaping your life's direction. **In simple terms:** You set your own life rules. Key Takeaway Define your own terms. Themes self‑determination personal agency identity Mood reflective empowering Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - relationship choices - health decisions - financial goals Key Concepts existentialism autonomy Questions to Reflect On - What terms are you currently defining? - How do you handle external pressure? A Different Perspective Your definitions may conflict with societal expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Define](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define/) [Define Terms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-terms-884821/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Terms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terms/) [Terms Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terms-life-3088704/) ## Related quotes > [If you wish to converse with me, define your terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/if-you-wish-to-converse-with-me-define-your-terms/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“And personalities define themselves in terms of other personalities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/and-personalities-define-themselves-in-terms-of-other-personalities/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Certainly in terms of my life - anybody's life - you go through death, childbirth and marriage, glory and defeat, and so on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/certainly-in-terms-of-my-life-anybody-s-life-you-go-through-death/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [“You are not truly yourself until you no longer define yourself in others’ terms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-davis/you-are-not-truly-yourself-until-you-no-longer-define-yourself-in/) [Shawn Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-davis/) > [Good and bad, I define these terms, quite clear, no doubt, somehow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/good-and-bad-i-define-these-terms-quite-clear-no-doubt-somehow/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Terms don't define our lives; our lives define our terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-harris/terms-don-t-define-our-lives-our-lives-define-our-terms/) [Joshua Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-harris/) > [The first need of a free people is to define their own terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/the-first-need-of-a-free-people-is-to-define-their-own-terms/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [Existence is beyond the power of words to define: Terms may be used But are none of them absolute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witter-bynner/existence-is-beyond-the-power-of-words-to-define-terms-may-be-used-2/) [Witter Bynner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witter-bynner/) > [It is not productive to see things in simple black and white, and talk in either anti-nuclear or pro-nuclear terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihiko-noda/it-is-not-productive-to-see-things-in-simple-black-and-white-and-talk/) [Yoshihiko Noda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihiko-noda/) > [Ay, ay, the best terms will grow obsolete: damns have had their day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/ay-ay-the-best-terms-will-grow-obsolete-damns-have-had-their-day/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [Here is something no real celebrity will ever tell you: film acting is not very fun. 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Whatever happens to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/the-most-terrible-and-beautiful-and-interesting-things-happen-in-life/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [Of course you want someone special to love you. A majority of the people who write to me inquire about how they can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/of-course-you-want-someone-special-to-love-you-a-majority-of-the/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [It's still true that literary works by women, gays, and writers of color are often framed as specific, rather than universal, small rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/it-s-still-true-that-literary-works-by-women-gays-and-writers-of/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [My whole life sort of ended when my mom died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/my-whole-life-sort-of-ended-when-my-mom-died/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“And you have to do it no matter what is true. No matter what is hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/and-you-have-to-do-it-no-matter-what-is-true-no-matter-what-is-hard/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“Don’t listen to those people who suggest you should be “over” your daughter’s death by now. The people who squawk the loudest about such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/don-t-listen-to-those-people-who-suggest-you-should-be-over-your/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“. . . there was the actual doing it, quickly followed by the grim realization of what it meant to do it, followed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/there-was-the-actual-doing-it-quickly-followed-by-the-grim/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“The sky didn't wonder where it was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/the-sky-didn-t-wonder-where-it-was/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [He was the most ordinary man in all the world, and yet in her memory he'd become luminous, like the prince in a fairy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/he-was-the-most-ordinary-man-in-all-the-world-and-yet-in-her-memory/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [Love is our essential nutrient. Without it, life has little meaning. It's the best thing we have to give and the most valuable thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/love-is-our-essential-nutrient-without-it-life-has-little-meaning-it/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“I never believed the boys were angry. I believed they were hurt and anger was the safest manifestation of their sorrow. It was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/i-never-believed-the-boys-were-angry-i-believed-they-were-hurt-and/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“It’s wrong that this is required of you. It’s wrong that your son died. It will always be wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/it-s-wrong-that-this-is-required-of-you-it-s-wrong-that-your-son-died/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“Your ultimatum is simple. It’s fair. And it’s stating your own intentions, not what you hope theirs will be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/your-ultimatum-is-simple-it-s-fair-and-it-s-stating-your-own/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“We aren't poor," my mother said, again and again. "Because we're rich in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/we-aren-t-poor-my-mother-said-again-and-again-because-we-re-rich-in/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) [Explore all 450 Cheryl Strayed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) ## More Define quotes > [Don't define the game by the list of the features. Define it by the experience you want to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/don-t-define-the-game-by-the-list-of-the-features-define-it-by-the/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [I don't want my title to define my character. I don't think, as a president, I will change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weah/i-don-t-want-my-title-to-define-my-character-i-don-t-think-as-a/) [George Weah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weah/) > [Well, I don't know how they define that. But they have this Texas blues thing blown kinda out of proportion. I am a Long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hunter/well-i-don-t-know-how-they-define-that-but-they-have-this-texas-blues/) [John Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hunter/) > [I find it hard to define myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-find-it-hard-to-define-myself/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [If I had to define my philosophy, it would be about exploration, a journey, a story-telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-chalayan/if-i-had-to-define-my-philosophy-it-would-be-about-exploration-a/) [Hussein Chalayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-chalayan/) > [I think the word 'soul' - it depends on what you define by 'soul.' If you're defining it as a mystical aura that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-think-the-word-soul-it-depends-on-what-you-define-by-soul-if-you-re/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [To define the era we live in is very difficult. How do we define it? We define it by music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/to-define-the-era-we-live-in-is-very-difficult-how-do-we-define-it-we/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [I think in some ways we have allowed other people to set the agenda. Other people to define who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scott/i-think-in-some-ways-we-have-allowed-other-people-to-set-the-agenda/) [Lee Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scott/) > [Your words, your schedule, your choices, your obedience, the way you savor your victories and the way you swallow your defeats all help to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kimmel/your-words-your-schedule-your-choices-your-obedience-the-way-you/) [Tim Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kimmel/) > [Define yourself. Never give anyone any chance to define you by their definitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/define-yourself-never-give-anyone-any-chance-to-define-you-by-their/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“Dont ask what the meaning of life is. You define it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishah-madadiy/dont-ask-what-the-meaning-of-life-is-you-define-it/) [Aishah Madadiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishah-madadiy/) > [If u can define what is love..then you are not in Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/if-u-can-define-what-is-love-then-you-are-not-in-love/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myself/) > [I always say that you define what success is to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/i-always-say-that-you-define-what-success-is-to-yourself/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [“Write in hashtags!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/write-in-hashtags/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [It's important to not have my sexuality define me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-deville/it-s-important-to-not-have-my-sexuality-define-me/) [Sonya Deville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-deville/) [Browse all 588 Define quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You get to define the terms of your life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cheryl Strayed" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Define" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/cheryl-strayed-605_define_you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life_1940471.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/cheryl-strayed-605_define_you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life_1940471.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/cheryl-strayed-605_define_you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life_1940471.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You get to define the terms of your life.” — Cheryl Strayed", "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": "Cheryl Strayed", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You get to define the terms...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/you-get-to-define-the-terms-of-your-life/#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 } } ] } ```