---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every decision is liberating, even if it…"
description: "\"Every decision is liberating, even if it leads to disaster.\" — Elias Canetti"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/elias-canetti-3574_decision_every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it_1445291.jpg"
---

#  Every decision is liberating, even if it leads to disaster.

![“Every decision is liberating, even if it leads to disaster.” quote by Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/elias-canetti-3574_decision_every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it_1445291.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/elias-canetti-3574_decision_every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it_1445291.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/elias-canetti-3574_decision_every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it_1445291.jpg)

> “Every decision is liberating, even if it leads to disaster.”

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

## About This Quote

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

Every choice frees you, even if it leads to failure, because it asserts autonomy.

**In simple terms:** Choices liberate, even disastrous ones.

Key Takeaway

Embrace decision‑making regardless of outcome.

Themes

freedom risk autonomy

Mood

thoughtful encouraging

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- Career moves
- relationships
- creative ventures
- personal experiments

Key Concepts

Existential philosophy psychology of choice

Questions to Reflect On

- What risky decision have you avoided?
- How does fear affect your choices?

A Different Perspective

Disastrous outcomes can cause regret and fear.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disaster/) [Hard decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-decision/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/)

## Related quotes

> [“Every decision is liberating, even if it leads to disaster. Otherwise, why do so many people walk upright and with open arms into their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it-leads-to-disaster-otherwise/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [Every decision is liberating, even if it leads to disaster. Otherwise, why do so many people walk upright and with open eyes into their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it-leads-to-disaster-otherwise-2/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [Whether or not you should stay should never be a hard decision. If you're even considering it, it's time to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whether-or-not-you-should-stay-should-never-be-a-hard-decision-if-you/)

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

> [When ever your in a hard situation and you don't know what to do. Making a hard decision or just depressed. Just know everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandag/when-ever-your-in-a-hard-situation-and-you-don-t-know-what-to-do/)

AmandaG

> [When you have to make a hard decision, flip a coin. Why? Because when that coin is in the air, you suddenly know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-have-to-make-a-hard-decision-flip-a-coin-why-because-when-2/)

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

> [“If you feel flustered when pressured to make a hard decision in a rush, the best answer is usually no.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faydra-d-fields/if-you-feel-flustered-when-pressured-to-make-a-hard-decision-in-a/)

[Faydra D. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faydra-d-fields/)

> [If you go back to any period in India's history, all the hard decisions this country had to take were taken when the Congress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-chidambaram/if-you-go-back-to-any-period-in-india-s-history-all-the-hard/)

[P. Chidambaram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-chidambaram/)

> [I had a year out playing local football before I went to Charlton at 12. West Ham was the club I supported so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonjo-shelvey/i-had-a-year-out-playing-local-football-before-i-went-to-charlton-at/)

[Jonjo Shelvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonjo-shelvey/)

> [Your emotions are making it difficult for you to accept hard decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/your-emotions-are-making-it-difficult-for-you-to-accept-hard-decisions/)

[John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/)

> [I had a great career in Australia, so it was a hard decision to move to America. But in 2010, I was asked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/i-had-a-great-career-in-australia-so-it-was-a-hard-decision-to-move/)

[Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/)

> [But deciding not to have children is a very, very hard decision for a woman to make: the atmosphere is worryingly inconducive to saying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/but-deciding-not-to-have-children-is-a-very-very-hard-decision-for-a/)

[Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/)

> [It was a very long and hard decision. My dad kept telling me, 'You can always go to college, but you can't always go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-biles/it-was-a-very-long-and-hard-decision-my-dad-kept-telling-me-you-can/)

[Simone Biles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-biles/)

> [Why would anyone make a hard decision again? What if we had immediate recall of every teacher, every preacher? What if kids could recall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/why-would-anyone-make-a-hard-decision-again-what-if-we-had-immediate/)

[Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/)

> [When you have to make a hard decision, flip a coin. Why? Because when the coin is in the air, you suddenly know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-have-to-make-a-hard-decision-flip-a-coin-why-because-when/)

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

> [Manchester United breathe football. When I have to make hard decisions, I always listen to little boy inside me and what he wants. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-van-persie/manchester-united-breathe-football-when-i-have-to-make-hard-decisions/)

[Robin van Persie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-van-persie/)

## More by Elias Canetti

> [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [The planet's survival has become so uncertain that any effort, any thought that presupposes an assured future amounts to a mad gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-planet-s-survival-has-become-so-uncertain-that-any-effort-any/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [ “The hand which scoops up the water is the first vessel. The fingers of both hands intertwined are the first basket. \[p. 217\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-hand-which-scoops-up-the-water-is-the-first-vessel-the-fingers-of/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [The planets survival has become so uncertain that any effort, any thought that presupposes an assured future amounts to a mad gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-planets-survival-has-become-so-uncertain-that-any-effort-any/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [“Najbolјa definicija zavičaja jeste biblioteka.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/najbol-a-definicija-zavi-aja-jeste-biblioteka/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [“Das Nicht-Wissen darf am Wissen nicht verarmen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/das-nicht-wissen-darf-am-wissen-nicht-verarmen/)

[elias canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [In five minutes the earth would be a desert, and you cling to books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/in-five-minutes-the-earth-would-be-a-desert-and-you-cling-to-books/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [The first effect of adjusting to other people is that one becomes boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-first-effect-of-adjusting-to-other-people-is-that-one-becomes/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [“Ionako ne postoji oskudica u osrednjim glavama.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/ionako-ne-postoji-oskudica-u-osrednjim-glavama/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [Success is the space one occupies in the newspaper. Success is one day's insolence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/success-is-the-space-one-occupies-in-the-newspaper-success-is-one-day/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [It is always the enemy who started it, even if he was not the first to speak out, he was certainly planning it; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/it-is-always-the-enemy-who-started-it-even-if-he-was-not-the-first-to/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [There emanates from superlatives a destructive force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/there-emanates-from-superlatives-a-destructive-force/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [The fear of burglars is not only the fear of being robbed, but also the fear of a sudden and unexpected clutch out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-fear-of-burglars-is-not-only-the-fear-of-being-robbed-but-also/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [Justice begins with the recognition of the necessity of sharing. The oldest law is that which regulates it, and this is still themost important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/justice-begins-with-the-recognition-of-the-necessity-of-sharing-the/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [I would like to become tolerant without overlooking anything, persecute no one even when all people persecute me; become better without noticing it; become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/i-would-like-to-become-tolerant-without-overlooking-anything/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

[Explore all 100 Elias Canetti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

## More Decision 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/)

> [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/)

[Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/)

> [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/)

[Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/)

> [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/)

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

> [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/)

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

> [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/)

[Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/)

> [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/)

[Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/)

> [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/)

[Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/)

> [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/)

[Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/)

> [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/)

[Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/)

> [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

> [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/)

[David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/)

[Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Every decision is liberating, even if it leads to disaster.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Elias Canetti"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it-leads-to-disaster/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Decision"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it-leads-to-disaster/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/elias-canetti-3574_decision_every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it_1445291.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/elias-canetti-3574_decision_every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it_1445291.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/elias-canetti-3574_decision_every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it_1445291.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Every decision is liberating, even if it leads to disaster.” — Elias Canetti",
                "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": "Elias Canetti",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Every decision is liberating, even if...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it-leads-to-disaster/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/every-decision-is-liberating-even-if-it-leads-to-disaster/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
