--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Choice, I've always believed, is all that…" description: "\"Choice, I've always believed, is all that separates us from animals.\" — Dennis Lehane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/dennis-lehane-1503_always-believe_choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that_1970822.jpg" --- # Choice, I've always believed, is all that separates us… ![“Choice, I've always believed, is all that separates us from animals.” quote by Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/dennis-lehane-1503_always-believe_choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that_1970822.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/dennis-lehane-1503_always-believe_choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that_1970822.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/dennis-lehane-1503_always-believe_choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that_1970822.jpg) > “Choice, I've always believed, is all that separates us from animals.” [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choice distinguishes humans from animals, highlighting moral agency. **In simple terms:** Human freedom through decision‑making. Key Takeaway Make conscious choices to define humanity. Themes ethics free will human nature Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - daily decisions - leadership - parenting Key Concepts moral responsibility philosophy of mind Questions to Reflect On - What choices define you? - How do you confront limited options? A Different Perspective Choices are constrained by circumstance and bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-believe/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Believed Separates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed-separates-3308719/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choice Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-ve-3308720/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Separates Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separates-animals-1402704/) [Ve Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-believed-268596/) ## Related quotes > [“Every choice you've ever made has led you to this very moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-farley/every-choice-you-ve-ever-made-has-led-you-to-this-very-moment/) [Angela Farley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-farley/) > [“Happiness is a choice, you've got to work towards it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/happiness-is-a-choice-you-ve-got-to-work-towards-it/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [I've always believed that humans are good at heart. But there's always the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carlson/i-ve-always-believed-that-humans-are-good-at-heart-but-there-s-always/) [Amy Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carlson/) > [I've always believed that as an actor anything you're asked to do is within you. You just have to try and find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/i-ve-always-believed-that-as-an-actor-anything-you-re-asked-to-do-is/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [I've always believed that you can funnel good things toward yourself by thinking positiviely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-ve-always-believed-that-you-can-funnel-good-things-toward-yourself/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [I've always believed in survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-leonard/i-ve-always-believed-in-survival/) [Hugh Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-leonard/) > [I've always believed in self, I've always believed that as long as I believe, nothing else matters. I just put that type of motivation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-hood/i-ve-always-believed-in-self-i-ve-always-believed-that-as-long-as-i/) [Ace Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-hood/) > [I've always believed that I could do whatever I set my mind to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-coachman/i-ve-always-believed-that-i-could-do-whatever-i-set-my-mind-to-do/) [Alice Coachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-coachman/) > [I've always believed in experiencing everything in life. When you walk out with blinders on, you cut yourself off from the angels and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-milano/i-ve-always-believed-in-experiencing-everything-in-life-when-you-walk/) [Alyssa Milano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-milano/) > [I've always believed in my talent. And I've always had more guts than talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-ve-always-believed-in-my-talent-and-i-ve-always-had-more-guts-than/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I've always believed that we were, each of us, put here for a reason, that there is a plan, somehow a divine plan for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-always-believed-that-we-were-each-of-us-put-here-for-a-reason/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I've always believed the New Left is rank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/i-ve-always-believed-the-new-left-is-rank/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [I've said this forever - I've always believed the Today show is more than the sum of its parts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-zucker/i-ve-said-this-forever-i-ve-always-believed-the-today-show-is-more/) [Jeff Zucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-zucker/) > [I've always believed in God. I'm just not so sure he believes in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wentz/i-ve-always-believed-in-god-i-m-just-not-so-sure-he-believes-in-me/) [Pete Wentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-wentz/) > [I've always believed in God. I remember once a guy asked me what it was like to be self-employed. I said, I'm not self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/i-ve-always-believed-in-god-i-remember-once-a-guy-asked-me-what-it/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) ## More by Dennis Lehane > [He wondered if this was what clinical depression felt like, a total numbness, a weary lack of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-wondered-if-this-was-what-clinical-depression-felt-like-a-total/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [I held her, he wanted to say, and if I knew for certain that all it would take to hold her again would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/i-held-her-he-wanted-to-say-and-if-i-knew-for-certain-that-all-it/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Everyone I know lies, breaks their word, and has perfectly legitimate excuses for why they do. Except you. Haven't you ever noticed that? Two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/everyone-i-know-lies-breaks-their-word-and-has-perfectly-legitimate/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“If a man was lucky, he was moving toward something his whole life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/if-a-man-was-lucky-he-was-moving-toward-something-his-whole-life/) [dennis lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“After my daughter was born, I'd considered buying a shotgun to ward off potention suitors fourteen or so years up the road. Now, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/after-my-daughter-was-born-i-d-considered-buying-a-shotgun-to-ward/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“I once again felt an odd flush of admiration for my partner's faith in a religion I had long ago abandoned. She doesn't advertise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/i-once-again-felt-an-odd-flush-of-admiration-for-my-partner-s-faith/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“And she was-definitely-a woman who did not shrink from gauntlets, but stepped up to them, and said, Okay, bring it. Bring your worst. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/and-she-was-definitely-a-woman-who-did-not-shrink-from-gauntlets-but/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Jimmy looked back over at his wife, and Celeste could feel the tenderest of aches in the look. She could feel another teardrop piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/jimmy-looked-back-over-at-his-wife-and-celeste-could-feel-the/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“She told him that he had the most beautiful voice she'd ever heard, that it sounded like whiskey and wood smoke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/she-told-him-that-he-had-the-most-beautiful-voice-she-d-ever-heard/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [My daughter squealed again and both Bubba and I winced. It’s not an attractive sound, that. It’s high-pitched and it enters your ear canals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/my-daughter-squealed-again-and-both-bubba-and-i-winced-it-s-not-an/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“It’s been a complicated decade for me.” She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/it-s-been-a-complicated-decade-for-me-she/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“The only people who ask questions like ‘Did he want to be something besides a bartender?’ are people who can become whatever they want.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/the-only-people-who-ask-questions-like-did-he-want-to-be-something/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Love, impossible, yet there was no mistaking it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/love-impossible-yet-there-was-no-mistaking-it/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“She blew a stream of smoke up at the empty clotheslines. 'These silly dreams you have when you're young. I mean, what, Katie and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/she-blew-a-stream-of-smoke-up-at-the-empty-clotheslines-these-silly/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“He looked back at the page, got one last glimpse before the match blew itself out. Going to find you today, Andrew. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-looked-back-at-the-page-got-one-last-glimpse-before-the-match-blew/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) [Explore all 231 Dennis Lehane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) ## More Always believe quotes > [I always believed that photography was subjective, interpretive and certainly did not represent the truth, but I did think that its status as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ritchin/i-always-believed-that-photography-was-subjective-interpretive-and/) [Fred Ritchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ritchin/) > [I've always believed that humans are good at heart. But there's always the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carlson/i-ve-always-believed-that-humans-are-good-at-heart-but-there-s-always/) [Amy Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carlson/) > [I've always believed that service to others is rent we pay for our time on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-curtis/i-ve-always-believed-that-service-to-others-is-rent-we-pay-for-our/) [Tony Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-curtis/) > [I've always believed that the desire must come from within, not as a result of being driven by coaches or parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-fraser/i-ve-always-believed-that-the-desire-must-come-from-within-not-as-a/) [Dawn Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-fraser/) > [I always believe in doing new things and using new materials that I have never used or that I didn't like for a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miuccia-prada/i-always-believe-in-doing-new-things-and-using-new-materials-that-i/) [Miuccia Prada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miuccia-prada/) > [The messaging campaign that stigmatized the term feminist definitely worked on me when I was a teenager. I always believed in equality, but there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-west/the-messaging-campaign-that-stigmatized-the-term-feminist-definitely/) [Lindy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-west/) > [I have always believed that anybody with a little guts and the desire to apply himself can make it, can make anything he wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/i-have-always-believed-that-anybody-with-a-little-guts-and-the-desire/) [Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) > [So like any football or basketball coach, you always always believe you're going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/so-like-any-football-or-basketball-coach-you-always-always-believe/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I've always believed that a good twist is one that, when it is presented to the audience, half of them say, 'I saw that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-ve-always-believed-that-a-good-twist-is-one-that-when-it-is/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [We hate guys who date more than one woman at a time. I've always believed that what's unacceptable in one sex should, by definition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/we-hate-guys-who-date-more-than-one-woman-at-a-time-i-ve-always/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [Just always believe in yourself. "Champions adjust." It's a line I learned from Billie Jean King, and sometimes your dream adjusts. Be willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/just-always-believe-in-yourself-champions-adjust-it-s-a-line-i/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [The hardest thing to get is true emotion. I always believe you need to earn that with the audience. You can't just tell them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/the-hardest-thing-to-get-is-true-emotion-i-always-believe-you-need-to/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [I have always believed that the ultimate purpose of economic policies and development policy is to meet the basic needs of our people. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manmohan-singh/i-have-always-believed-that-the-ultimate-purpose-of-economic-policies/) [Manmohan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manmohan-singh/) > [Whatever distrust we may have of the sincerity of those who converse with us, we always believe they will tell us more truth than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/whatever-distrust-we-may-have-of-the-sincerity-of-those-who-converse/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [One of my quests from the beginning has been to inform people, educate people, sort of train people, if you will, to spot liberalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/one-of-my-quests-from-the-beginning-has-been-to-inform-people-educate/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) [Browse all 397 Always believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Choice, I've always believed, is all that separates us from animals.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dennis Lehane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that-separates-us-from-animals/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that-separates-us-from-animals/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/dennis-lehane-1503_always-believe_choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that_1970822.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/dennis-lehane-1503_always-believe_choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that_1970822.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/dennis-lehane-1503_always-believe_choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that_1970822.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Choice, I've always believed, is all that separates us from animals.” — Dennis Lehane", "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": "Dennis Lehane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Choice, I've always believed, is all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that-separates-us-from-animals/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/choice-i-ve-always-believed-is-all-that-separates-us-from-animals/#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 } } ] } ```