--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is what we make of it. Everything is…" description: "\"“Life is what we make of it. Everything is not always as it seems. Sometimes we have to make decisions that are for the greater good.”\" — J.S. Cooper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ade/j-s-cooper-29025_decision-making_life-is-what-we-make-of-it-everything-is_237344.jpg" --- # Life is what we make of it. Everything is not always as it… ![“Life is what we make of it. Everything is not always as it seems. Sometimes we have to make decisions that are for the greater good.” quote by J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ade/j-s-cooper-29025_decision-making_life-is-what-we-make-of-it-everything-is_237344.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ade/j-s-cooper-29025_decision-making_life-is-what-we-make-of-it-everything-is_237344.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ade/j-s-cooper-29025_decision-making_life-is-what-we-make-of-it-everything-is_237344.jpg) > ““Life is what we make of it. Everything is not always as it seems. Sometimes we have to make decisions that are for the greater good.”” [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is shaped by our choices, but reality can be deceptive; sometimes we must prioritize the collective over personal desire. **In simple terms:** Our choices shape life, but reality can be deceptive; we may need to put the greater good first. Key Takeaway Consider the impact of your decisions on others. Themes choice ethics collective good perception decision‑making Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal dilemmas - team projects - community planning - ethical debates Key Concepts individualism utilitarianism subjectivity Questions to Reflect On - How do you know when to sacrifice personal gain for the group? - What signs indicate a decision truly serves the greater good? A Different Perspective Balancing personal desire with collective benefit can be painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Decisions Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions-greater-2387983/) [Greater good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater-good/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-make-251872/) [Make Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-decisions-237830/) ## Related quotes > [The percentage of mistakes in quick decisions is no greater than in long-drawn-out vacillation, and the effect of decisiveness itself 'makes things go' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-percentage-of-mistakes-in-quick-decisions-is-no-greater-than-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't let anyone control your life, make your own decisions and do what you want you only live once so enjoy it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/don-t-let-anyone-control-your-life-make-your-own-decisions-and-do/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [I like to make decisions based on things I'm interested in doing, not what seems like the next move in my quote-unquote career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-like-to-make-decisions-based-on-things-i-m-interested-in-doing-not/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [Don't make decisions when you are angry and don't make promises when you are happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-make-decisions-when-you-are-angry-and-don-t-make-promises-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“On all the important stuff, we are emotional creatures who make decisions first and rationalize them after the fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/on-all-the-important-stuff-we-are-emotional-creatures-who-make/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [I make almost all the decisions on set and have to deal with all the financial aspects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-make-almost-all-the-decisions-on-set-and-have-to-deal-with-all-the/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [“President Obama once said in an interview, “You’ll see I wear only gray or blue suits. I'm trying to pare down decisions. I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-meadows/president-obama-once-said-in-an-interview-you-ll-see-i-wear-only-gray/) [Martin Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-meadows/) > [You want to make your own decisions, but you ought to make those decisions with an eternal perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/you-want-to-make-your-own-decisions-but-you-ought-to-make-those/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [We rob ourselves when we make decisions in the moment with no thought of how those decisions will impact our futures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/we-rob-ourselves-when-we-make-decisions-in-the-moment-with-no-thought/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Don't labor forever over the question of how or if you can do it. Studies have shown that the most successful people make decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/don-t-labor-forever-over-the-question-of-how-or-if-you-can-do-it/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Make all your decisions based on how hilarious it would be if you did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/make-all-your-decisions-based-on-how-hilarious-it-would-be-if-you-did/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [We, as individuals, are defined by the choices we make. Some of our decisions can have very significant consequences and totally change the courses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/we-as-individuals-are-defined-by-the-choices-we-make-some-of-our/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [One of the big lessons from behavioral economics is that we make decisions as a function of the environment that we're in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/one-of-the-big-lessons-from-behavioral-economics-is-that-we-make/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“When we're young, it sometimes seems as if our world doesn't exist outside our city, our block, our house, our room. We make decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore-bestselling-author-of-the-other-wes-moore/when-we-re-young-it-sometimes-seems-as-if-our-world-doesn-t-exist/) [Wes Moore - Bestselling author of The Other Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore-bestselling-author-of-the-other-wes-moore/) > [“All you can do is make your decisions based on what you know now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda-lo/all-you-can-do-is-make-your-decisions-based-on-what-you-know-now/) [Malinda Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malinda-lo/) ## More by J.S. Cooper > [“I would rather have a month, or a week, or even a day with you than no time at all. There is something about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/i-would-rather-have-a-month-or-a-week-or-even-a-day-with-you-than-no/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“I’d do anything for you, Lucky. You are more important to me than I am to myself. Even if that means you being with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/i-d-do-anything-for-you-lucky-you-are-more-important-to-me-than-i-am/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“Rhett J. S. Cooper”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/rhett-j-s-cooper/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“I want people to see that this is a story about human beings and that our identities are made up of things that don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/i-want-people-to-see-that-this-is-a-story-about-human-beings-and-that/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“Love isnt always wonderful and flowery. It can be deep, dark and perseviring. Its about accepting the bad with the good. Its about everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/love-isnt-always-wonderful-and-flowery-it-can-be-deep-dark-and/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“Sometimes there are external factor that will do everything in their power to stop you from making something right”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/sometimes-there-are-external-factor-that-will-do-everything-in-their/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“Love isn’t always wonderful and flowery. It can be deep, dark, and persevering. It’s about accepting the bad with the good. It’s about everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/love-isn-t-always-wonderful-and-flowery-it-can-be-deep-dark-and/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“For love I’d walk to hell and back. I’d climb a mountain. I’d swim an ocean. I’d jump over valleys and swing through jungles.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/for-love-i-d-walk-to-hell-and-back-i-d-climb-a-mountain-i-d-swim-an/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“I guess you don’t have to be related by blood to love someone as a family member.” I stared at him, my eyes blazing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/i-guess-you-don-t-have-to-be-related-by-blood-to-love-someone-as-a/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“There were obstacles that were beyond your control. sometimes you had to know when to walk away”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/there-were-obstacles-that-were-beyond-your-control-sometimes-you-had/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“ran to the pool. I pulled off items of clothing as I ran—well mainly my top. I tried to pull the rest off, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/ran-to-the-pool-i-pulled-off-items-of-clothing-as-i-ran-well-mainly/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“Sometimes letting go and forgiving others and yourself is the only way to move forward in life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/sometimes-letting-go-and-forgiving-others-and-yourself-is-the-only/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“Honey, that wasn’t a kiss.” He chuckled and licked his lips. “And trust me, you’ll know when it’s sexual.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/honey-that-wasn-t-a-kiss-he-chuckled-and-licked-his-lips-and-trust-me/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“When we were on the plane, I told you that I never wanted to fall in love. I told you that I could never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/when-we-were-on-the-plane-i-told-you-that-i-never-wanted-to-fall-in/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) > [“There's always more to life to live and sometimes you just have to live it. you dont have to wake up and regretting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-cooper/there-s-always-more-to-life-to-live-and-sometimes-you-just-have-to/) [J.S. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) [Explore all 18 J.S. Cooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-cooper/) ## More Decision making 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/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [“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/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“Slow down your thinking so you can note the criteria you are using to make your decision. 2. Write the criteria down as a principle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/slow-down-your-thinking-so-you-can-note-the-criteria-you-are-using-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [My best business decision was to be independent as a musician and artist. My worst was compromising on certain aspects of a deal for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/my-best-business-decision-was-to-be-independent-as-a-musician-and/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [“Making a decision takes a moment, living a decision takes a life-time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherif-a-el-mawardy/making-a-decision-takes-a-moment-living-a-decision-takes-a-life-time/) [Sherif A. El-Mawardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherif-a-el-mawardy/) > [Cheshvan starts tonight," Rixon said, "What are you doing arsing around in a graveyard?" "Thinking." "Thinking?" "A process by which I use my brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/cheshvan-starts-tonight-rixon-said-what-are-you-doing-arsing-around/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [The right decision is the wrong decision if it's made too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-right-decision-is-the-wrong-decision-if-it-s-made-too-late/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [“The decisions we take reflects our belief and our charachter”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajnish-borah/the-decisions-we-take-reflects-our-belief-and-our-charachter/) [Rajnish Borah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajnish-borah/) > [I think most of us are raised with preconceived notions of the choices we're supposed to make. We waste so much time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-think-most-of-us-are-raised-with-preconceived-notions-of-the/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) [Browse all 4,912 Decision making quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Life is what we make of it. Everything is not always as it seems. Sometimes we have to make decisions that are for the greater good.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.S. 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