--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A person cannot coast along in old…" description: "\"A person cannot coast along in old destructive habits year after year and accept whatever comes along. A person must stand up on her own two legs and w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/garrison-keillor-1037_accepting_a-person-cannot-coast-along-in-old-destr_1533667.jpg" --- # A person cannot coast along in old destructive habits year… ![“A person cannot coast along in old destructive habits year after year and accept whatever comes along. A person must stand up on her own two legs and walk. Get off the bus and go get on another. Climb out of the ditch and cross the road. Find the road that s where you want to go. ... The only…” quote by Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/garrison-keillor-1037_accepting_a-person-cannot-coast-along-in-old-destr_1533667.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/garrison-keillor-1037_accepting_a-person-cannot-coast-along-in-old-destr_1533667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/garrison-keillor-1037_accepting_a-person-cannot-coast-along-in-old-destr_1533667.jpg) > “A person cannot coast along in old destructive habits year after year and accept whatever comes along. A person must stand up on her own two legs and walk. Get off the bus and go get on another. Climb out of the ditch and cross the road. Find the road that s where you want to go. ... The only sermon that counts is the one that is formed by our actions. She would quit drinking and thereby show Kyle life is what you make it. A person can grab hold of her life and change things for the better. This happens all the time. We are not chips of wood drifting down the stream of time. We have oars.” [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal agency requires active effort to break destructive habits and shape one's destiny. **In simple terms:** Take charge of your life. Key Takeaway Actively change your habits. Themes self‑growth agency habit change Mood determined hopeful Type motivational self‑help When to use this quote - addiction recovery - career transition - personal development Key Concepts psychology behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - What habit will you change now? - How will you support yourself during transition? A Different Perspective Change is difficult and may face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Bus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bus/) [Change things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-things/) [Chips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chips/) [Climbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbs/) [Coast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coast/) [Crosses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crosses/) [Drifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drifting/) [Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Drinking Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking-kyle-5696584/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Hold Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-life-240265/) [Kyle Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kyle-life-319873/) [Legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legs/) [Life and change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-and-change/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Oar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oar/) [Our actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-actions/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Quit drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quit-drinking/) [Quitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quitting/) [Sermon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sermon/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Streams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streams/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Sermon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-sermon-1001291/) [Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woods/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [“You want a sermon? Jesus died and resurrected and then run off to Heaven to leave us sinners here. Amen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-snoek-brown/you-want-a-sermon-jesus-died-and-resurrected-and-then-run-off-to/) [Samuel Snoek-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-snoek-brown/) > [“As we say our final goodbyes here today, let us carry forward the lessons of Kyle's life and continue to weave the fabric of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lo-monaco/as-we-say-our-final-goodbyes-here-today-let-us-carry-forward-the/) [Lo Monaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lo-monaco/) > [Being Christian is not just obeying orders but means being in Christ, thinking like him, acting like him, loving like him; it means letting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/being-christian-is-not-just-obeying-orders-but-means-being-in-christ/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I have no imagination; I just steal from life and change the color. Then it's a comic book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/i-have-no-imagination-i-just-steal-from-life-and-change-the-color/) [Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/) > [True love can alter human lives and change human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/true-love-can-alter-human-lives-and-change-human-nature/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [Some people come into your life and change it forever. That's the beauty of finding your soulmate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-come-into-your-life-and-change-it-forever-that-s-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people seem to understand this - that life and change take time - but I am not one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/some-people-seem-to-understand-this-that-life-and-change-take-time/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [I don't think writers change the past any more than other people do, except in so far as we may mine our lives and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/i-don-t-think-writers-change-the-past-any-more-than-other-people-do/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [“9. Life and Change. Transformation and change are the essential features of life; life is not transformation nor change itself,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/9-life-and-change-transformation-and-change-are-the-essential/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [If someone special walks into your life and change things for the better, don't ever let them walk aways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayte/if-someone-special-walks-into-your-life-and-change-things-for-the/) [Mayte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayte/) > [“Sometimes people come into your life and change everything. You become someone you would never have been without them. They crack you open, split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romily-bernard/sometimes-people-come-into-your-life-and-change-everything-you-become/) [Romily Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romily-bernard/) > [You don't know when someone can come into your life and change it forever! God has divine set ups for you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dearlisa/you-don-t-know-when-someone-can-come-into-your-life-and-change-it/) [Dearlisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dearlisa/) > [To some extent, Seattle remains a frontier metropolis, a place where people can experiment with their lives, and change and grow and make things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/to-some-extent-seattle-remains-a-frontier-metropolis-a-place-where/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Nobody knows when one person come in your life and change you forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starboy95/nobody-knows-when-one-person-come-in-your-life-and-change-you-forever/) [Starboy95](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starboy95/) > [The misery that smothers you is temporary...Get your mind right, prioritize your life, and change the way you look at things. Your biggest obstacle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-misery-that-smothers-you-is-temporary-get-your-mind-right/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Garrison Keillor > [God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-writes-a-lot-of-comedy-the-trouble-is-he-s-stuck-with-so-many-bad/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [God plays a lot of jokes on us to get our attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-plays-a-lot-of-jokes-on-us-to-get-our-attention/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Ha! Easy for nuns to talk about giving up things. That's what they do for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/ha-easy-for-nuns-to-talk-about-giving-up-things-that-s-what-they-do/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fail-drunks-don-t-read-books/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Before the world was made, when it was only darkness and mist and waters, God was well aware of Lake Wobegon, my family, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/before-the-world-was-made-when-it-was-only-darkness-and-mist-and/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [On investments, 1998: Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/on-investments-1998-where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The rich can afford to be progressive. Poor people have reason to be afraid of the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-rich-can-afford-to-be-progressive-poor-people-have-reason-to-be/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [English is the perfect language for preachers because it allows you to talk until you think of what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/english-is-the-perfect-language-for-preachers-because-it-allows-you/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“If you can't read a simple goddam sign and follow one simple goddam instruction then get your fat butt the hell out of here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/if-you-can-t-read-a-simple-goddam-sign-and-follow-one-simple-goddam/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The Gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-gospel-is-meant-to-comfort-the-afflicted-and-afflict-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I don't want them to be told to remember me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-don-t-want-them-to-be-told-to-remember-me/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Childhood is the small town everyone came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/childhood-is-the-small-town-everyone-came-from/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I have taken so many wrong turns and been so careless with precious things and managed to lose, or break, or leave out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-have-taken-so-many-wrong-turns-and-been-so-careless-with-precious/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see, say, thirty cans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is-what-s-here-on-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) [Explore all 304 Garrison Keillor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A person cannot coast along in old destructive habits year after year and accept whatever comes along. A person must stand up on her own two legs and walk. Get off the bus and go get on another. Climb out of the ditch and cross the road. Find the road that s where you want to go. ... The only sermon that counts is the one that is formed by our actions. She would quit drinking and thereby show Kyle life is what you make it. A person can grab hold of her life and change things for the better. This happens all the time. We are not chips of wood drifting down the stream of time. 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