--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Freedom begins way back. It begins not…" description: "\"Freedom begins way back. It begins not with doing what you want but with doing what you ought - that is, with discipline.\" — Elisabeth Elliot" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_discipline_freedom-begins-way-back-it-begins-not-wi_3044893.png" --- # Freedom begins way back. It begins not with doing what you… ![“Freedom begins way back. It begins not with doing what you want but with doing what you ought - that is, with discipline.” quote by Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_discipline_freedom-begins-way-back-it-begins-not-wi_3044893.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_discipline_freedom-begins-way-back-it-begins-not-wi_3044893.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95e/elisabeth-elliot-1209_discipline_freedom-begins-way-back-it-begins-not-wi_3044893.png) > “Freedom begins way back. It begins not with doing what you want but with doing what you ought - that is, with discipline.” [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom requires discipline; doing what is right, not just what feels good. **In simple terms:** Freedom is disciplined duty. Key Takeaway Embrace discipline to achieve true liberty. Themes freedom discipline morality Mood determined serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal goal setting - ethical dilemmas - habit formation Key Concepts ethical responsibility self‑control virtue Questions to Reflect On - What obligations guide your sense of freedom? - How does discipline serve your long‑term happiness? A Different Perspective Discipline can feel restrictive or oppressive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begins Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begins-doing-4535024/) [Begins Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begins-way-1828803/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Doing what you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-what-you-want/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Begins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-begins-583406/) [Ought Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-discipline-241627/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) ## Related quotes > [“So, sure – maybe I don’t know how I’m going to change the world yet… but whatever it is, it begins with what we’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jos-older/so-sure-maybe-i-don-t-know-how-i-m-going-to-change-the-world-yet-but/) [Daniel José Older](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jos-older/) > [We find nothing easier than being wise, patient, superior. We drip with the oil of forbearance and sympathy, we are absurdly just, we forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/we-find-nothing-easier-than-being-wise-patient-superior-we-drip-with/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“One age ends, and another begins. It is the way of things. But, it doesn't happen all at once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-donais/one-age-ends-and-another-begins-it-is-the-way-of-things-but-it-doesn/) [Derek Donais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-donais/) > [The hero’s journey always begins with the call. One way or another, a guide must come to say, 'Look, you’re in Sleepy Land. Wake.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-hero-s-journey-always-begins-with-the-call-one-way-or-another-a/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Success is waking up every day and doing what you want to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/success-is-waking-up-every-day-and-doing-what-you-want-to-do/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) > [It would show hugely if I didn't want to be somewhere. Doing what you want to do can only generate good energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-burton/it-would-show-hugely-if-i-didn-t-want-to-be-somewhere-doing-what-you/) [Amanda Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-burton/) > [Begin doing what you want to do now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-beynon-lyons-ray/begin-doing-what-you-want-to-do-now/) [Marie Beynon Lyons Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-beynon-lyons-ray/) > [It's too easy to find people who've failed and are embittered. 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But freedom as we define it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-millman/we-want-our-children-to-become-who-they-are-and-a-developed-person-is/) [Gregory Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-millman/) > [The risk of working with people you don't respect; the risk of working for a company whose values are incosistent with your own; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-komisar/the-risk-of-working-with-people-you-don-t-respect-the-risk-of-working/) [Randy Komisar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-komisar/) > [If you want to become healthy, you have to surround yourself with a group of people that are getting healthy, and you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/if-you-want-to-become-healthy-you-have-to-surround-yourself-with-a/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [Freedom begins the moment you realize someone else has been writing your story and it's time you took the pen from his hand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/freedom-begins-the-moment-you-realize-someone-else-has-been-writing/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Freedom begins between the ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/freedom-begins-between-the-ears/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“The pathway to freedom begins when we face the problem without making excuses for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/the-pathway-to-freedom-begins-when-we-face-the-problem-without-making/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) ## More by Elisabeth Elliot > [All our problems are theological ones, William Temple said. All of them have to do with our relationship to God and his to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/all-our-problems-are-theological-ones-william-temple-said-all-of-them/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Discipline, for the Christian, begins with the body. We have only one. It is this body that is the primary material given to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/discipline-for-the-christian-begins-with-the-body-we-have-only-one-it/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [It seems disrespectful to me to see ladies in church in very short skirts or skimpy, sleeveless tops. I would imagine that it could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/it-seems-disrespectful-to-me-to-see-ladies-in-church-in-very-short/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [The deepest lessons come out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-deepest-lessons-come-out-of-the-deepest-waters-and-the-hottest/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Everything if given to God can become your gateway to joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/everything-if-given-to-god-can-become-your-gateway-to-joy/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Lead me, Lord, to the Rock that is higher than I. Let me hear your word, give me grace to obey, to build steadily,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/lead-me-lord-to-the-rock-that-is-higher-than-i-let-me-hear-your-word/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Experience had quickly taught her that she could not survive the storms without the anchor of the constraining love of Christ and what she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/experience-had-quickly-taught-her-that-she-could-not-survive-the/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [The pain of loneliness is one way in which he wants to get our attention. We may be earnestly desiring to be obedient and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-pain-of-loneliness-is-one-way-in-which-he-wants-to-get-our/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“If men and women were surer of their God there would be more genuine manliness, womanliness, and godliness in the world, and a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/if-men-and-women-were-surer-of-their-god-there-would-be-more-genuine/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [I believe with all my heart God's Story has a happy ending. . . But not yet, not necessarily yet. It takes faith to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/i-believe-with-all-my-heart-god-s-story-has-a-happy-ending-but-not/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/i-do-know-that-waiting-on-god-requires-the-willingness-to-bear/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“What do women want today? What do men want? I mean, deep down. What do they really want? If ‘times’ have changed, have human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/what-do-women-want-today-what-do-men-want-i-mean-deep-down-what-do/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [God will never disappoint us… If deep in our hearts we suspect that God does not love us and cannot manage our affairs as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/god-will-never-disappoint-us-if-deep-in-our-hearts-we-suspect-that/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Muddled thinking inevitably results in muddled living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/muddled-thinking-inevitably-results-in-muddled-living/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [The world cries for men who are strong--strong in conviction, strong to lead, to stand, to suffer. I pray that you will be that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/the-world-cries-for-men-who-are-strong-strong-in-conviction-strong-to/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) [Explore all 273 Elisabeth Elliot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) ## More Discipline quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) [W.J. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-j-turner/) > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Exercise teaches you the pleasure of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/exercise-teaches-you-the-pleasure-of-discipline/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The undisciplined child enters into discipline by working in the company of others; not being told he is naughty.” “Discipline is, therefore, primarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-undisciplined-child-enters-into-discipline-by-working-in-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Stay in your seat come times of trouble. Its only people who jump off the roller coaster who get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/stay-in-your-seat-come-times-of-trouble-its-only-people-who-jump-off/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) [Browse all 5,597 Discipline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Freedom begins way back. 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