--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the long run, we shape our lives, and…" description: "\"In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own respon..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/eleanor-roosevelt-381_choice_in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-w_2230942.jpg" --- # In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape… ![“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” quote by Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/eleanor-roosevelt-381_choice_in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-w_2230942.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/eleanor-roosevelt-381_choice_in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-w_2230942.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/eleanor-roosevelt-381_choice_in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-w_2230942.jpg) > “In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We continuously influence our destiny and are shaped by our actions, with personal responsibility persisting throughout life. **In simple terms:** We shape our lives and are shaped by them, always responsible. Key Takeaway Own your choices and keep evolving. Themes responsibility self‑determination growth Mood reflective determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - relationship decisions - health habits - financial choices Key Concepts agency existentialism personal development Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance shaping life with external forces? - What responsibilities do you feel most accountable for? A Different Perspective Life’s unpredictability can limit control over outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Choices Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-make/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lives Shape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-shape-3107125/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-run/) [Personal responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-responsibility/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Self determination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-determination/) [Shape Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shape-lives-691159/) [Ultimately Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimately-responsibility-1474991/) ## Related quotes > [The choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/the-choices-we-make-are-ultimately-our-responsibility/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inglath-cooper/in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-we-shape-ourselves-the-process/) [Inglath Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inglath-cooper/) > [“circumstances determine our lives, but we shape our lives by what we make of our circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-john-wheeler-bennet/circumstances-determine-our-lives-but-we-shape-our-lives-by-what-we/) [Sir John Wheeler-Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-john-wheeler-bennet/) > [One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes... and the choices we make are ultimately our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-s-philosophy-is-not-best-expressed-in-words-it-is-expressed-in-2/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [It's not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/it-s-not-the-events-of-our-lives-that-shape-us-but-our-beliefs-as-to/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“People wasted so much time seeking out the love of their lives in the shape of a partner, when the truth was that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-mcpartlin/people-wasted-so-much-time-seeking-out-the-love-of-their-lives-in-the/) [Anna McPartlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-mcpartlin/) > [“You are the bearer of a body more fragile than any other in this country. What I want you to know is that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/you-are-the-bearer-of-a-body-more-fragile-than-any-other-in-this/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [“Further, the order noted, "It is apparent to the Court that Wife must ultimately take some responsibility for contributing to her own support …”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-stumbo/further-the-order-noted-it-is-apparent-to-the-court-that-wife-must/) [Bella Stumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-stumbo/) > [“While we can offer our guidance and a shoulder to cry on, our responsibility does not lie in fixing others and their problems. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aletheia-luna/while-we-can-offer-our-guidance-and-a-shoulder-to-cry-on-our/) [Aletheia Luna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aletheia-luna/) > [“... no one can ever save someone else, you know? We can only save ourselves. You know that, don't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-jones/no-one-can-ever-save-someone-else-you-know-we-can-only-save-ourselves/) [Carrie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-jones/) > [There is no means by which anyone can evade his personal responsibility. Whoever neglects to examine to the best of his abilities all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/there-is-no-means-by-which-anyone-can-evade-his-personal/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-s-philosophy-is-not-best-expressed-in-words-it-is-expressed-in/) [eleanor roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“The only way to own your health is to take the personal responsibility for making things work out the way you want them to—and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-seifert/the-only-way-to-own-your-health-is-to-take-the-personal/) [Melinda Seifert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-seifert/) > [A democratic form of government, a democratic way of life, presupposes free public education over a long period; it presupposes also an education for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/a-democratic-form-of-government-a-democratic-way-of-life-presupposes/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“None of us is so mature that we cannot be influenced. The question is: Who or what do we want to shape our lives?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-spangler/none-of-us-is-so-mature-that-we-cannot-be-influenced-the-question-is/) [Ann Spangler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-spangler/) ## More by Eleanor Roosevelt > [My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/my-experience-has-been-that-work-is-almost-the-best-way-to-pull/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [experience should teach us that it is always the unexpected that does occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/experience-should-teach-us-that-it-is-always-the-unexpected-that-does/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [To be mature you have to realize what you value most... Not to arrive at a clear understanding of one's own values is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/to-be-mature-you-have-to-realize-what-you-value-most-not-to-arrive-at/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [I'm enormously interested in freedom and retaining the right to have whatever economy we want and to shape it as we want and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-m-enormously-interested-in-freedom-and-retaining-the-right-to-have/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [The destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/the-destiny-of-human-rights-is-in-the-hands-of-all-our-citizens-in/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [You can never really live anyone else's life, not even your child's. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/you-can-never-really-live-anyone-else-s-life-not-even-your-child-s/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“One of the things I believe most intensely is that every child’s why should be answered with care—and with respect. If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-things-i-believe-most-intensely-is-that-every-child-s-why/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [What we must learn to do is to create unbreakable bonds between the sciences and the humanities. We cannot procrastinate. The world of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/what-we-must-learn-to-do-is-to-create-unbreakable-bonds-between-the/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/never-allow-a-person-to-tell-you-no-who-doesn-t-have-the-power-to-say/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-stand-today-at-the-threshold-of-a-great-event-both-in-the-life-of/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [All of us ... should remember that no amount of flag-waving, pledging allegiance, or fervent singing of the national anthem is evidence that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/all-of-us-should-remember-that-no-amount-of-flag-waving-pledging/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Some friends leave footprints in your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/some-friends-leave-footprints-in-your-heart/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [If we want a free and peaceful world, if we want to make the deserts bloom and man grow to greater dignity as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/if-we-want-a-free-and-peaceful-world-if-we-want-to-make-the-deserts/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) [Explore all 612 Eleanor Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eleanor Roosevelt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-we-shape-ourselves-the-process-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-we-shape-ourselves-the-process-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/eleanor-roosevelt-381_choice_in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-w_2230942.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/eleanor-roosevelt-381_choice_in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-w_2230942.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/eleanor-roosevelt-381_choice_in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-w_2230942.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the…” — Eleanor Roosevelt", "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": "Eleanor Roosevelt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the long run, we shape...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-we-shape-ourselves-the-process-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/in-the-long-run-we-shape-our-lives-and-we-shape-ourselves-the-process-2/#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 } } ] } ```