--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only the human spirit can act with…" description: "\"Only the human spirit can act with volition and consciously change itself; it is the only thing in all creation that is not entirely at the mercy of fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/dean-koontz-118_compassion_only-the-human-spirit-can-act-with-volit_1812131.jpg" --- # Only the human spirit can act with volition and… ![“Only the human spirit can act with volition and consciously change itself; it is the only thing in all creation that is not entirely at the mercy of forces outside itself.” quote by Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/dean-koontz-118_compassion_only-the-human-spirit-can-act-with-volit_1812131.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/dean-koontz-118_compassion_only-the-human-spirit-can-act-with-volit_1812131.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/dean-koontz-118_compassion_only-the-human-spirit-can-act-with-volit_1812131.jpg) > “Only the human spirit can act with volition and consciously change itself; it is the only thing in all creation that is not entirely at the mercy of forces outside itself.” [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human consciousness can choose to change itself, unlike external forces that dominate everything else. **In simple terms:** People can willfully change themselves. Key Takeaway Exercise volition to shape your destiny. Themes free will self-determination human agency autonomy spirituality Mood reflective empowering thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - overcoming addiction - career change - spiritual practice Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What choices can you make today? - How does willpower affect your life? A Different Perspective External pressures often limit perceived freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Volition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-volition-2124176/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Consciously Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciously-change-1996923/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Creation Entirely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation-entirely-2124175/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Human spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-spirit/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Volition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/volition/) [Volition Consciously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/volition-consciously-2124174/) ## Related quotes > [“Only the human spirit can act with volition and consciously change itself; it is the only thing in all creation that is not entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/only-the-human-spirit-can-act-with-volition-and-consciously-change/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [The mind is a magnet and we attract that with which we identify the self. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-bardon/the-pure-mystic-wishes-to-approach-his-god-only-in-the-all-embracing/) [Franz Bardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-bardon/) > [The ruin of the human heart is self-interest, which the American merchant calls self-service. We have become a self-service populace, and all our specious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-dahlberg/the-ruin-of-the-human-heart-is-self-interest-which-the-american/) [Edward Dahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-dahlberg/) > [“‎''I froze. Like an idiot I froze. He was staring right at me. (...) He wore an innocent and mesmerizing smile directed right at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kirsten-maravel/i-froze-like-an-idiot-i-froze-he-was-staring-right-at-me-he-wore-an/) [Shawn Kirsten Maravel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kirsten-maravel/) > [Faculty Psychology is getting to be respectable again after centuries of hanging around with phrenologists and other dubious types. By faculty psychology I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-fodor/faculty-psychology-is-getting-to-be-respectable-again-after-centuries/) [Jerry Fodor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-fodor/) > [“...are you a person - with volition and maybe some stubborness and at least the capacity if not the actual determination to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-donaldson/are-you-a-person-with-volition-and-maybe-some-stubborness-and-at/) [Stephen R. Donaldson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-donaldson/) > [Love itself is not an act of will, but sometimes I need the force of my volition to break with my habitual responses and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/love-itself-is-not-an-act-of-will-but-sometimes-i-need-the-force-of/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [The man of wisdom is devoid of ego even though he may appear to use it. His vacant or fasting mind is neither doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-s-balsekar/the-man-of-wisdom-is-devoid-of-ego-even-though-he-may-appear-to-use/) [Ramesh S Balsekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-s-balsekar/) ## More by Dean Koontz > [“This kind of derangement is emblematic of humankind. Grave faults are said to be only eccentricities, and imperfections are routinely celebrated as mere differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/this-kind-of-derangement-is-emblematic-of-humankind-grave-faults-are/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“He often remembered his dad's admonition that envy was mental theft. If you coveted another man's possessions, Dad said, then you should be willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/he-often-remembered-his-dad-s-admonition-that-envy-was-mental-theft/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. 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They were the first therapists; they've been in practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/dogs-know-we-need-to-give-affection-as-much-as-they-need-to-receive/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) [Explore all 1,233 Dean Koontz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. 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