--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There it was, the choice I’d confronted…" description: "\"“There it was, the choice I’d confronted so often in life: the path of least resistance, or the walk over hot coals.”\" — Greg Iles" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/greg-iles-4609_choice_there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-s_930618.png" --- # There it was, the choice I’d confronted so often in life… ![“There it was, the choice I’d confronted so often in life: the path of least resistance, or the walk over hot coals.” quote by Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/greg-iles-4609_choice_there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-s_930618.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/greg-iles-4609_choice_there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-s_930618.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/greg-iles-4609_choice_there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-s_930618.png) > ““There it was, the choice I’d confronted so often in life: the path of least resistance, or the walk over hot coals.”” [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing comfort over difficulty leads to stagnation; confronting challenges builds character. **In simple terms:** Easy choices stall growth; hard choices forge strength. Key Takeaway Embrace discomfort to grow. Themes growth choice comfort zone Mood reflective determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - health habits - creative projects Key Concepts psychology resilience decision making Questions to Reflect On - What would you gain by taking the harder route? - How does avoiding discomfort affect your life? A Different Perspective Choosing the easy path may provide short‑term relief but limits long‑term development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choice Confronted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-confronted-1513486/) [Confronted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confronted/) [Confronted Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confronted-life-895317/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Path of least resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path-of-least-resistance/) [Resistance Walk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance-walk-386568/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) ## Related quotes > [“path of least resistance, or the walk over hot coals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/path-of-least-resistance-or-the-walk-over-hot-coals/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [Once you have been confronted with a life-and-death situation, trivia no longer matters. Your perspective grows and you live at a deeper level. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/happy-rockefeller/once-you-have-been-confronted-with-a-life-and-death-situation-trivia/) [Happy Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/happy-rockefeller/) > [“Looking into his eyes, you seemed to see there the yet lingering images of those thousand-fold perils he had calmly confronted through life. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/looking-into-his-eyes-you-seemed-to-see-there-the-yet-lingering/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Looking into his eyes, you seemed to see there the yet lingering images of those thousand-fold perils he had calmly confronted through life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/looking-into-his-eyes-you-seemed-to-see-there-the-yet-lingering-2/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Faith is the path of least resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/faith-is-the-path-of-least-resistance/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The Path Of Least Resistance Is Littered With The Corpses Of The Bored To Death”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/the-path-of-least-resistance-is-littered-with-the-corpses-of-the/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [We only think when we are confronted with a problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/we-only-think-when-we-are-confronted-with-a-problem/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“in town. She confronted him and he protested too much for her comfort. Mum had very good intuition, and her suspicions were soon confirmed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-rockefeller/in-town-she-confronted-him-and-he-protested-too-much-for-her-comfort/) [Eileen Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-rockefeller/) > [“So Finley did what so many rich girls did when confronted with a situation they did not want to face. She rolled her eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kady-cross/so-finley-did-what-so-many-rich-girls-did-when-confronted-with-a/) [Kady Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kady-cross/) > [The virus that causes AIDS is the trickiest pathogen scientists have ever confronted. It mutates furiously, it has decoys to evade the immune system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-berkley/the-virus-that-causes-aids-is-the-trickiest-pathogen-scientists-have/) [Seth Berkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-berkley/) > [I've taken control on a very personal level to reach out to a lot of the people who have hurt me or crossed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raye/i-ve-taken-control-on-a-very-personal-level-to-reach-out-to-a-lot-of/) [Raye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raye/) > [“One day she marched around the side of the house and confronted me. "I've seen you out there every day for the past week,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/one-day-she-marched-around-the-side-of-the-house-and-confronted-me-i/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Like so many champions of justice, she possessed empathy in the abstract, but sometimes fell short when confronted with the flesh-and-blood reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-valeur/like-so-many-champions-of-justice-she-possessed-empathy-in-the/) [Erik Valeur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-valeur/) > [“We only think when confronted with a problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/we-only-think-when-confronted-with-a-problem/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [I discovered that I was 'different' in the third grade. As the new kid at school, I was trying hard to find my footing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-harlow/i-discovered-that-i-was-different-in-the-third-grade-as-the-new-kid/) [Winnie Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-harlow/) ## More by Greg Iles > [“path of least resistance, or the walk over hot coals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/path-of-least-resistance-or-the-walk-over-hot-coals/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [Like my best friend, I asked for drums for Christmas, and got them. But when he moved on to guitar, I realized two things:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/like-my-best-friend-i-asked-for-drums-for-christmas-and-got-them-but/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [“We do not just belong to this universe, we are it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/we-do-not-just-belong-to-this-universe-we-are-it/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [“The mills of the gods grind slowly…but they grind to dust. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/the-mills-of-the-gods-grind-slowly-but-they-grind-to-dust/) [greg iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [...the larger world lay not across oceans but within the human mind and heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/the-larger-world-lay-not-across-oceans-but-within-the-human-mind-and/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [Experiences are like hoarded gold. Whenever I dole out a piece of my private suffering, that is when I get letters from all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/experiences-are-like-hoarded-gold-whenever-i-dole-out-a-piece-of-my/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [“Because death is the end, and if a man doesn’t speak before it silences him, then the things he holds closest die with him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/because-death-is-the-end-and-if-a-man-doesn-t-speak-before-it/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [I deal with the human psychology and evil. They are my twin issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/i-deal-with-the-human-psychology-and-evil-they-are-my-twin-issues/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [“When we reach the intersection with Homochitto Street, I turn right, into town, and soon we’re passing Dunleith, the antebellum mansion that I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/when-we-reach-the-intersection-with-homochitto-street-i-turn-right/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [The South is the home of 'an eye for an eye.' 'Turning the other cheek'? The South can't see that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/the-south-is-the-home-of-an-eye-for-an-eye-turning-the-other-cheek/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [Some things we must pass over in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/some-things-we-must-pass-over-in-silence/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [“Let me tell you a secret, Caitlin. We’re still in the cave. It’s just bigger, and we wear nicer clothes. We make alliances and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/let-me-tell-you-a-secret-caitlin-we-re-still-in-the-cave-it-s-just/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [I'll read anything that's good. I have no artificial barriers based on genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/i-ll-read-anything-that-s-good-i-have-no-artificial-barriers-based-on/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [My father has always been the heart of my Penn Cage novels,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/my-father-has-always-been-the-heart-of-my-penn-cage-novels/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [I've learned as much about writing from songwriters as I have from other writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/i-ve-learned-as-much-about-writing-from-songwriters-as-i-have-from/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) [Explore all 106 Greg Iles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) ## 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": "“There it was, the choice I’d confronted so often in life: the path of least resistance, or the walk over hot coals.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greg Iles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-so-often-in-life-the-path-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-so-often-in-life-the-path-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/greg-iles-4609_choice_there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-s_930618.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/greg-iles-4609_choice_there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-s_930618.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/greg-iles-4609_choice_there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-s_930618.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There it was, the choice I’d confronted so often in life: the path of least resistance, or the walk over hot…” — Greg Iles", "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": "Greg Iles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There it was, the choice I’d...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-so-often-in-life-the-path-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/there-it-was-the-choice-i-d-confronted-so-often-in-life-the-path-of/#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 } } ] } ```