--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never had to choose a subject - my…" description: "\"I never had to choose a subject - my subject rather chose me.\" — Ernest Hemingway" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subje_1862009.jpg" --- # I never had to choose a subject - my subject rather chose… ![“I never had to choose a subject - my subject rather chose me.” quote by Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subje_1862009.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subje_1862009.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subje_1862009.jpg) > “I never had to choose a subject - my subject rather chose me.” [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suggests that one's passion or vocation finds you rather than you seeking it. **In simple terms:** Passion finds you. Key Takeaway Listen for what draws you naturally. Themes calling passion career identity Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - choosing a career - artistic pursuits - life purpose - career change Key Concepts existentialism authenticity Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel your work chooses you? - How can you recognize this calling? A Different Perspective May overlook practical considerations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) [Choose Subject](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-subject-689378/) [Chose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chose/) [Subject Chose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subject-chose-2512692/) [Subject Subject](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subject-subject-1416331/) ## Related quotes > [“I never had to choose my subject- my subject rather chose me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-never-had-to-choose-my-subject-my-subject-rather-chose-me/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [My mother thought my inclinations would do well in Law, but I was too shy and deliberative - slowfooted - for that, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kleinig/my-mother-thought-my-inclinations-would-do-well-in-law-but-i-was-too/) [John Kleinig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kleinig/) > [...I would never choose a subject for what it means to me. I choose a subject and then what I feel about it, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-would-never-choose-a-subject-for-what-it-means-to-me-i-choose-a/) [Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/) > [ Ye who write, choose a subject suited to your abilities. \[Lat., Sumite materiam vestris, qui scribitis, aequam Viribus.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/ye-who-write-choose-a-subject-suited-to-your-abilities-lat-sumite/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Choose a subject equal to your abilities; think carefully what your shoulders may refuse, and what they are capable of bearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/choose-a-subject-equal-to-your-abilities-think-carefully-what-your/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [The idea that any photography can't be personal is madness! I see something; it goes through my eye, brain, heart, guts; I choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-capa/the-idea-that-any-photography-can-t-be-personal-is-madness-i-see/) [Cornell Capa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-capa/) > [I think the important decision for a photographer is to choose a subject that intensely interests him or her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/i-think-the-important-decision-for-a-photographer-is-to-choose-a/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [For me, photography is as much about the way I respond to the subject as it is about the subject itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-soth/for-me-photography-is-as-much-about-the-way-i-respond-to-the-subject/) [Alec Soth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-soth/) > [Everything is a subject. Every subject has a rhythm. To feel it is the raison d'�tre. The photograph is a fixed moment of such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-kertesz/everything-is-a-subject-every-subject-has-a-rhythm-to-feel-it-is-the-2/) [Andre Kertesz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-kertesz/) > [Worthy or not, my life is my subject, and my subject is my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/worthy-or-not-my-life-is-my-subject-and-my-subject-is-my-life/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-had-to-subject-the-subject-to-a-series-of-tests/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [No matter what the subject, the subject is always love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bengis/no-matter-what-the-subject-the-subject-is-always-love/) [Ingrid Bengis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bengis/) > [Everything is a subject. Every subject has a rhythm. To feel it is the raison detre. The photograph is a fixed moment of such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-kertesz/everything-is-a-subject-every-subject-has-a-rhythm-to-feel-it-is-the/) [Andre Kertesz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-kertesz/) > [In a certain sense a writer is 'selected' by his subject - his subject being the consciousness of his own era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/in-a-certain-sense-a-writer-is-selected-by-his-subject-his-subject/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [Everything is a subject; the subject is yourself. It is within yourself that you must look and not around you... The greatest happiness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-delacroix/everything-is-a-subject-the-subject-is-yourself-it-is-within-yourself/) [Eugene Delacroix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-delacroix/) ## More by Ernest Hemingway > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“There was no wind, and, outside now of the warm air of the cave, heavy with smoke of both tobacco and charcoal, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-was-no-wind-and-outside-now-of-the-warm-air-of-the-cave-heavy/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“It was not brilliant bull-fighting. It was only perfect bull-fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/it-was-not-brilliant-bull-fighting-it-was-only-perfect-bull-fighting/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Creation's probably overrated. After all, God made the world in only six days and rested on the seventh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/creation-s-probably-overrated-after-all-god-made-the-world-in-only/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Viva my husband who was Mayor of this town”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/viva-my-husband-who-was-mayor-of-this-town/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“The earth gets tired of being exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-earth-gets-tired-of-being-exploited/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/what-is-moral-is-what-you-feel-good-after-and-what-is-immoral-is-what/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“We drove out along the coast road. There was the green of the headlands, the white, red-roofed villas, patches of forest, and the ocean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/we-drove-out-along-the-coast-road-there-was-the-green-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [As a Nobel Prize winner I cannot but regret that the award was never given to Mark Twain, nor to Henry James, speaking only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/as-a-nobel-prize-winner-i-cannot-but-regret-that-the-award-was-never/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Oh, darling, I've been so miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/oh-darling-i-ve-been-so-miserable/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I read my own books sometimes to cheer me when it is hard to write, and then I remember that it was always difficult,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-read-my-own-books-sometimes-to-cheer-me-when-it-is-hard-to-write/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“You find everything on earth at Harry's." "Yes, my Colonel. Except, possibly, happiness." "I'll damn well find happiness, too," the Colonel assured him. "Happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-find-everything-on-earth-at-harry-s-yes-my-colonel-except/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“No. It's bad for me. Cole Porter wrote the words and the music. This knowledge that you're going mad for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/no-it-s-bad-for-me-cole-porter-wrote-the-words-and-the-music-this/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/everything-kills-everything-else-in-some-way-fishing-kills-me-exactly/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) [Explore all 1,464 Ernest Hemingway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## More Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/) [Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) [RoderickTheFirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roderickthefirst/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) [Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never had to choose a subject - my subject rather chose me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest Hemingway" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subject-rather-chose-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choose" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subject-rather-chose-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subje_1862009.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subje_1862009.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/ernest-hemingway-83_quote_i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subje_1862009.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never had to choose a subject - my subject rather chose me.” — Ernest Hemingway", "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": "Ernest Hemingway", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never had to choose a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subject-rather-chose-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-never-had-to-choose-a-subject-my-subject-rather-chose-me/#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 } } ] } ```