--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...we can choose to be truthful even when…" description: "\"“...we can choose to be truthful even when the choice means personal loss. We can choose to undertake a great action - unselfish, courageous, daringly ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/ilchi-lee-1445_change_we-can-choose-to-be-truthful-even-when-t_632299.png" --- # ...we can choose to be truthful even when the choice means… ![“...we can choose to be truthful even when the choice means personal loss. We can choose to undertake a great action - unselfish, courageous, daringly creative - that looks unreasonable and irrational to the eye of the Ego.” quote by Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/ilchi-lee-1445_change_we-can-choose-to-be-truthful-even-when-t_632299.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/ilchi-lee-1445_change_we-can-choose-to-be-truthful-even-when-t_632299.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46e/ilchi-lee-1445_change_we-can-choose-to-be-truthful-even-when-t_632299.png) > ““...we can choose to be truthful even when the choice means personal loss. We can choose to undertake a great action - unselfish, courageous, daringly creative - that looks unreasonable and irrational to the eye of the Ego.”” [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing truth and selfless, courageous action may be costly but aligns with deeper purpose. **In simple terms:** Choose truth and brave actions despite loss. Key Takeaway Act with integrity and courage. Themes integrity courage selflessness Mood serious thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - leadership - activism - creative projects Key Concepts ethical decision‑making personal sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - What truth are you avoiding? - How can you balance self‑interest with selflessness? A Different Perspective Such choices can lead to personal hardship or societal misunderstanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choice Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-means-621229/) [Choose Truthful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-truthful-5094039/) [New age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-age/) [Personal loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-loss/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truthful Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthful-choice-5094038/) [Unselfish Courageous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unselfish-courageous-5014234/) ## Related quotes > [We can be greater than those who are just great by being unselfish and courageous enough to try and be the biggest blessing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/we-can-be-greater-than-those-who-are-just-great-by-being-unselfish/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“Sometimes choice means change. 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Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [Choice means giving up something you want for something else you want more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/choice-means-giving-up-something-you-want-for-something-else-you-want/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Choice means saying no to one thing so you can say yes to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/choice-means-saying-no-to-one-thing-so-you-can-say-yes-to-another/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [“Whether we do it consciously or subconsciously, we tend to organize our lives to display our identity as accurately as possible. Our lifestyle choices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/whether-we-do-it-consciously-or-subconsciously-we-tend-to-organize/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [You have to continuously make choices throughout your life. 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We extend our deepest sympathies to the Casey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-arpey/this-airline-is-grateful-for-his-extensive-contributions-and-we-will/) [Gerard Arpey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-arpey/) > [“All of us, I suppose, like to believe that in a moral emergency we will behave like the heroes of our youth, bravely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/all-of-us-i-suppose-like-to-believe-that-in-a-moral-emergency-we-will/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [When life makes us face difficult situations-such as a personal loss-we have to understand that eternity is taking one more step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-life-makes-us-face-difficult-situations-such-as-a-personal-loss/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The religious is any activity pursued in behalf of an ideal end against obstacles and in spite of threats of personal loss because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-religious-is-any-activity-pursued-in-behalf-of-an-ideal-end/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“How do I validate him in the face of such profound personal loss and the outrageous denial by the medical community?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-dimmock/how-do-i-validate-him-in-the-face-of-such-profound-personal-loss-and/) [Mary Dimmock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-dimmock/) ## More by Ilchi Lee > [“Observing is not just seeing. It is watching with attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/observing-is-not-just-seeing-it-is-watching-with-attention/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Place your concentration in the center of your palm. Concentrate on making that part of your palm warmer than the rest of your hand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/place-your-concentration-in-the-center-of-your-palm-concentrate-on/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Awareness, when managed and directed, becomes attention. By turning into attention, awareness becomes localized, and attains a focal point. Because of this feature, attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/awareness-when-managed-and-directed-becomes-attention-by-turning-into/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Our true reality is not a limited phenomenon, existing only between birth and death. 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Depending on whether that information is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/the-value-of-a-human-being-depends-on-the-quality-of-information-held/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Whatever path brought you here There is a reason why you came, Through you may not know it now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/whatever-path-brought-you-here-there-is-a-reason-why-you-came-through/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Everyday, Jay would sit under a giant elm tree and imagine the adventures his life might bring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/everyday-jay-would-sit-under-a-giant-elm-tree-and-imagine-the/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“It is important to realize that you are fundamentally made up of Life Particles, as is everyone else. Please realize that you, like everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/it-is-important-to-realize-that-you-are-fundamentally-made-up-of-life/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“My beloved Jay, remember me. Call my name every day. If you think of me and are with me, The infinite power of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/my-beloved-jay-remember-me-call-my-name-every-day-if-you-think-of-me/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“Do you have a dream? If you do, what is it? Is your dream similar to mine? I hope that even more people dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/do-you-have-a-dream-if-you-do-what-is-it-is-your-dream-similar-to/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“It's only natural to experience times that are difficult and painful, no matter who you are. those are times when anyone would feel tempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/it-s-only-natural-to-experience-times-that-are-difficult-and-painful/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [Now is a time for change, a time to become the greatest version of yourself. And a time to to make your grandest vision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/now-is-a-time-for-change-a-time-to-become-the-greatest-version-of/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“How do we meditate? It is not thinking about the past or future. It starts with being present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/how-do-we-meditate-it-is-not-thinking-about-the-past-or-future-it/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) [Explore all 240 Ilchi Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...we can choose to be truthful even when the choice means personal loss. 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