--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a time when we must firmly…" description: "\"There is a time when we must firmly choose the course we will follow, or the relentless drift of events will make the decision for us.\" — Herbert V. Pr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/herbert-v-prochnow-21145_choose_there-is-a-time-when-we-must-firmly-choo_1623240.png" --- # There is a time when we must firmly choose the course we… ![“There is a time when we must firmly choose the course we will follow, or the relentless drift of events will make the decision for us.” quote by Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/herbert-v-prochnow-21145_choose_there-is-a-time-when-we-must-firmly-choo_1623240.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/herbert-v-prochnow-21145_choose_there-is-a-time-when-we-must-firmly-choo_1623240.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/herbert-v-prochnow-21145_choose_there-is-a-time-when-we-must-firmly-choo_1623240.png) > “There is a time when we must firmly choose the course we will follow, or the relentless drift of events will make the decision for us.” [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Proactive choices prevent being swept by circumstances. **In simple terms:** Choose your path actively. Key Takeaway Make deliberate decisions. Themes agency choice destiny Mood motivational urgent Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal relationships - political strategy Key Concepts self‑determination decision theory Questions to Reflect On - What decision are you avoiding? - How can you act despite uncertainty? A Different Perspective Indecision can be paralyzing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) [Choose Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-course-301386/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Firmly Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firmly-choose-301384/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Make Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-decision/) [Relentless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relentless/) [Relentless Drift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relentless-drift-301385/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [There is a time when we must firmly choose the course which we will follow or the endless drift of events will make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-time-when-we-must-firmly-choose-the-course-which-we-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your life is your ship and you are the captain. Choose your course, take the wheel firmly and get on your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/your-life-is-your-ship-and-you-are-the-captain-choose-your-course/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [There comes a time in every person's life when he has to choose the course his life will take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-comes-a-time-in-every-person-s-life-when-he-has-to-choose-the/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [But the great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not. It is not wearied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/but-the-great-thing-to-remember-is-that-though-our-feelings-come-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [God's love is not wearied by our sins & is relentless in its determination that we be cured at whatever cost to us or Him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/god-s-love-is-not-wearied-by-our-sins-is-relentless-in-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [My strong game was ping pong. Relentless... steady.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marv-albert/my-strong-game-was-ping-pong-relentless-steady/) [Marv Albert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marv-albert/) > [Becoming successful is a relentless pursuit. It's good that it's that way: When it does come, you learn to know how to appreciate it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-valli/becoming-successful-is-a-relentless-pursuit-it-s-good-that-it-s-that/) [Frankie Valli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-valli/) > [“That’s when you realize the most of it—life, the relentless mechanism of existing—isn’t about you. It doesn’t include you at all. It will thrust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/that-s-when-you-realize-the-most-of-it-life-the-relentless-mechanism/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I think the relentless tide of celebrity stuff on the telly is getting pretty tedious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-tarrant/i-think-the-relentless-tide-of-celebrity-stuff-on-the-telly-is/) [Chris Tarrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-tarrant/) > [We bear the sole, relentless tenderness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/we-bear-the-sole-relentless-tenderness/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [For a time during the early settlement of this country peace and goodwill prevailed, only to be followed later by violent and relentless warfare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-a-miles/for-a-time-during-the-early-settlement-of-this-country-peace-and/) [Nelson A. Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-a-miles/) > [I believe that a healthy lifestyle isn't just a regular exercise routine or your eating habits, but a synergy of a healthy mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/i-believe-that-a-healthy-lifestyle-isn-t-just-a-regular-exercise/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [The relentless attempts to be thin take you further and further away from what could actually end your suffering: getting back in touch with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/the-relentless-attempts-to-be-thin-take-you-further-and-further-away/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I always counsel aspiring novelists that passion is the most important quality for a writer to possess - technique can be taught, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-always-counsel-aspiring-novelists-that-passion-is-the-most/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Herbert V. Prochnow > [A great many people mistake opinions for thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/a-great-many-people-mistake-opinions-for-thoughts/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [A banker is a person who is willing to make you a loan if you present sufficient evidence to show you don't need it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/a-banker-is-a-person-who-is-willing-to-make-you-a-loan-if-you-present/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [A well-balanced person is one who finds both sides of an issue laughable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/a-well-balanced-person-is-one-who-finds-both-sides-of-an-issue/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [If you are ignorant, you certainly can get into some interesting arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/if-you-are-ignorant-you-certainly-can-get-into-some-interesting/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [A diet is a plan, generally hopeless, for reducing your weight, which tests your will power but does little for your waistline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/a-diet-is-a-plan-generally-hopeless-for-reducing-your-weight-which/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [A great many people mistake opinions for thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/a-great-many-people-mistake-opinions-for-thought/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [There is nothing that makes a man more self-satisfied than a poor memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/there-is-nothing-that-makes-a-man-more-self-satisfied-than-a-poor/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [Inexperience is what makes a young man do what an older man says is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/inexperience-is-what-makes-a-young-man-do-what-an-older-man-says-is/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [A committee of three gets things done if two dont show up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/a-committee-of-three-gets-things-done-if-two-dont-show-up/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [You never have to know all the answers because you won't be asked all the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/you-never-have-to-know-all-the-answers-because-you-won-t-be-asked-all/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [It's strange how few of the world's great problems are solved by people who remember their algebra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/it-s-strange-how-few-of-the-world-s-great-problems-are-solved-by/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [Maybe more youngsters would stay home at nights if they were not afraid to stay alone at nights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/maybe-more-youngsters-would-stay-home-at-nights-if-they-were-not/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [A radical thinks two and two makes five. A liberal is more conservative. he knows two and two make four, but he's unhappy about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/a-radical-thinks-two-and-two-makes-five-a-liberal-is-more/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [If you would like to leave footprints in the sands of time, you had better wear work shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/if-you-would-like-to-leave-footprints-in-the-sands-of-time-you-had/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) > [A visitor from Mars could easily pick out the civilized nations. They have the best implements of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-v-prochnow/a-visitor-from-mars-could-easily-pick-out-the-civilized-nations-they/) [Herbert V. Prochnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) [Explore all 29 Herbert V. Prochnow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-v-prochnow/) ## 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": "There is a time when we must firmly choose the course we will follow, or the relentless drift of events will make the decision for us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herbert V. 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