---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ultimate freedom we have as human…"
description: "\"The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds to dwell upon.\" — Dallas Willard"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/dallas-willard-819_allow_the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-be_1043400.png"
---

#  The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power…

![“The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds to dwell upon.” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/dallas-willard-819_allow_the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-be_1043400.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/dallas-willard-819_allow_the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-be_1043400.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/dallas-willard-819_allow_the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-be_1043400.png)

> “The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds to dwell upon.”

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

We control our mental focus, choosing what thoughts to entertain or reject.

**In simple terms:** Mind chooses what to think.

Key Takeaway

Choose thoughts wisely.

Themes

freedom mindfulness choice

Mood

reflective calm

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- stress management
- meditation
- goal setting
- personal development

Key Concepts

cognitive control psychological autonomy

Questions to Reflect On

- What thoughts are you allowing?
- How can you shift focus to empowering ideas?

A Different Perspective

Mind cannot be fully free if subconscious patterns dominate.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Allow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allow/) [Beings Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-power-1060893/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-human-544418/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Minds Dwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds-dwell-2452067/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Select](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/select/) [Ultimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate/) [Ultimate freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-freedom/)

## Related quotes

> [If our minds are stayed upon God, His peace will rule the affairs entertained by our minds. If, on the other hand, we allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-m-kroll/if-our-minds-are-stayed-upon-god-his-peace-will-rule-the-affairs/)

[Woodrow M. Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-m-kroll/)

> [Who are we to give other human beings so much power over our own peace of mind? Take back from others the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahiya-emerick/who-are-we-to-give-other-human-beings-so-much-power-over-our-own/)

[Yahiya Emerick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahiya-emerick/)

> [Each and every human being on Earth has both the responsibility and the privilege of viewing themselves as Divine beings with the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-twyman/each-and-every-human-being-on-earth-has-both-the-responsibility-and/)

[James F. Twyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-twyman/)

> [“We human beings now have the power to exterminate ourselves; this seems to be the entire sum of our achievement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/we-human-beings-now-have-the-power-to-exterminate-ourselves-this/)

[James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/)

> [“tyranny and oppression can never kill the spirit of freedom in human beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-viroubova/tyranny-and-oppression-can-never-kill-the-spirit-of-freedom-in-human/)

[Anna Viroubova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-viroubova/)

> [the independence of the artist is one of the great safeguards of the freedom of the human spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-v-wedgwood/the-independence-of-the-artist-is-one-of-the-great-safeguards-of-the/)

[C. V. Wedgwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-v-wedgwood/)

> [Freedom is a human concept. We have these very romanticized, sentimentalized notions of freedom. And for species - monkeys and other creatures - freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-french/freedom-is-a-human-concept-we-have-these-very-romanticized/)

[Thomas French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-french/)

> [Over the years, many Americans have made sacrifices in order to promote freedom and human rights around the globe: the heroic actions of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/over-the-years-many-americans-have-made-sacrifices-in-order-to/)

[George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/)

> [This institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/this-institution-will-be-based-on-the-illimitable-freedom-of-the/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [Fight for life itself and everlasting freedom of the human spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-morris/fight-for-life-itself-and-everlasting-freedom-of-the-human-spirit/)

[Janet Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-morris/)

> [Honestly, I cannot understand what people mean when they talk about the freedom of the human will. I have a feeling, for instance, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/honestly-i-cannot-understand-what-people-mean-when-they-talk-about/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [“True freedom has to do with the human spirit — it is the freedom to be who we really are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz/true-freedom-has-to-do-with-the-human-spirit-it-is-the-freedom-to-be/)

[Miguel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz/)

> [To have a personal life is the minimum freedom you have to give to a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/to-have-a-personal-life-is-the-minimum-freedom-you-have-to-give-to-a/)

[Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/)

> [“But freedom and human happiness has a direct relationship to the number of people who have power over their own world, their own lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/but-freedom-and-human-happiness-has-a-direct-relationship-to-the/)

[Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/)

> [“We must remember that the only true wealth we have is the freedom of another human, not their entrapment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lujan-matus/we-must-remember-that-the-only-true-wealth-we-have-is-the-freedom-of/)

[Lujan Matus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lujan-matus/)

## More by Dallas Willard

> [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [“Sabbath is a way of life (Heb 4:3; 9-11). It is simply "casting all your anxiety on Him," to find that in actual fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/sabbath-is-a-way-of-life-heb-4-3-9-11-it-is-simply-casting-all-your/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [Discipline, strictly speaking, is activity carried on to prepare us indirectly for some activity other than itself. We do not practice the piano to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipline-strictly-speaking-is-activity-carried-on-to-prepare-us/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [“The Spirit makes Christ present to us and draws us toward his likeness. It is as we thus behold the “glory of the Lord”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spirit-makes-christ-present-to-us-and-draws-us-toward-his/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God's great universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-are-unceasing-spiritual-beings-with-an-eternal-destiny-in-god-s/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [We know we can't be spiritually transformed by just focusing on the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-know-we-can-t-be-spiritually-transformed-by-just-focusing-on-the/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [My central claim is that we become like Christ by doing one thing-by following Him in the overall style of life He chose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/my-central-claim-is-that-we-become-like-christ-by-doing-one-thing-by/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [“The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons, with Himself included in that community as its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-god-in-history-is-the-creation-of-an-all-inclusive/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-greatest-issue-facing-the-world-today-with-all-its-heartbreaking/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [What we can do with these means (our own unassisted strength) is still very small compared to what we could do in acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-we-can-do-with-these-means-our-own-unassisted-strength-is-still/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

[Explore all 357 Dallas Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

## More Allow quotes

> [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/)

[Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/)

> [Please don't allow anyone to make you feel less than what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/please-don-t-allow-anyone-to-make-you-feel-less-than-what-you-are/)

[Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/)

> [Verbs allow you to communicate a story in a much more converged or involuntary way for a reader. The verbs allow you to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/verbs-allow-you-to-communicate-a-story-in-a-much-more-converged-or/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/)

[George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/)

> [Nothing has power over you unless you allow it. No matter what happens, you can choose what and how to think, act, and speak!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-has-power-over-you-unless-you-allow-it-no-matter-what-happens/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/)

[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

> [While we welcome people of all faiths in America we cannot be so naive as to expect all countries to do the same. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-huffington/while-we-welcome-people-of-all-faiths-in-america-we-cannot-be-so/)

[Michael Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-huffington/)

> [“Allow yourself some happiness, so that I can be a part of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-mahaffey/allow-yourself-some-happiness-so-that-i-can-be-a-part-of-it/)

[Montgomery Mahaffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-mahaffey/)

> [I've cosponsored legislation to establish a lend-lease program to simplify bureaucratic barriers and allow a speedier transfer of U.S. military equipment to Ukraine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/i-ve-cosponsored-legislation-to-establish-a-lend-lease-program-to/)

[Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/)

> [“Sometimes life doesn't allow us to be free to fly wherever we'd like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elana-johnson/sometimes-life-doesn-t-allow-us-to-be-free-to-fly-wherever-we-d-like/)

[Elana Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elana-johnson/)

> [I am that which I am, and I am willing to allow all others to be that which they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/i-am-that-which-i-am-and-i-am-willing-to-allow-all-others-to-be-that/)

[Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/)

> [By letting go, you allow everything to find it's rightful place. Once free, everything finds its way home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-brown/by-letting-go-you-allow-everything-to-find-it-s-rightful-place-once/)

[Leon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-brown/)

> [As long as a man's heart beats, as long as a man's flesh quivers, I do not allow that a being gifted with thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/as-long-as-a-man-s-heart-beats-as-long-as-a-man-s-flesh-quivers-i-do/)

[Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/)

> [Allow yourself to graduate, every five years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-guisewite/allow-yourself-to-graduate-every-five-years/)

[Cathy Guisewite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-guisewite/)

> [“A man will only do what you allow him to do,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kennedi-dior/a-man-will-only-do-what-you-allow-him-to-do/)

[Kennedi Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kennedi-dior/)

[Browse all 1,065 Allow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allow/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds to dwell upon.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dallas Willard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-beings-is-the-power-to-select/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Allow"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-beings-is-the-power-to-select/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/dallas-willard-819_allow_the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-be_1043400.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/dallas-willard-819_allow_the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-be_1043400.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/dallas-willard-819_allow_the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-be_1043400.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds…” — Dallas Willard",
                "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": "Dallas Willard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The ultimate freedom we have as...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-beings-is-the-power-to-select/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-ultimate-freedom-we-have-as-human-beings-is-the-power-to-select/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
