--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By the right choice and true application…" description: "\"“By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/james-allen-1607_character_by-the-right-choice-and-true-application_261805.png" --- # By the right choice and true application of thought, man… ![“By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast. Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master. Of” quote by James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/james-allen-1607_character_by-the-right-choice-and-true-application_261805.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/james-allen-1607_character_by-the-right-choice-and-true-application_261805.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/james-allen-1607_character_by-the-right-choice-and-true-application_261805.png) > ““By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast. Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master. Of”” [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thought determines moral direction; proper use elevates humanity, misuse degrades it, with character existing between these extremes. **In simple terms:** Thought shapes character and destiny. Key Takeaway Cultivate disciplined, positive thinking. Themes ethics mindset human potential Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal reflection - decision making - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy self‑control spiritual development Questions to Reflect On - What thoughts are limiting your growth? - How can you align thought with purposeful action? A Different Perspective Thought alone cannot change external circumstances without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Right choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-choice/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [“Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself. He also fashions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/man-is-made-or-unmade-by-himself-in-the-armory-of-thought-he-forges/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [Man is made or unmade by himself. By the right choice he ascends. As a being of power, intelligence, and love, and the lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/man-is-made-or-unmade-by-himself-by-the-right-choice-he-ascends-as-a/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [“Cause and effect is as absolute and undeviating in the hidden realm of thought as in the world of visible and material things. Mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/cause-and-effect-is-as-absolute-and-undeviating-in-the-hidden-realm/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [Nobody's perfect, so don't put a marking criteria on what you want in a companion and then expect them to not have faults or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carniel-dunlop/nobody-s-perfect-so-don-t-put-a-marking-criteria-on-what-you-want-in/) [Carniel Dunlop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carniel-dunlop/) > [“Oh, a dainty plant is the Ivy green, That creepeth o’er ruins old! 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I think there's always pressure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/the-only-pressure-is-the-pressure-i-put-on-myself-that-s-up-to-be-i/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) > [“As he tightened his embrace around her, he knew he'd made the right choice. He held the whole world in his arms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/as-he-tightened-his-embrace-around-her-he-knew-he-d-made-the-right/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [As difficult as these choices were, they were right choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-difficult-as-these-choices-were-they-were-right-choices/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the words of Andy Grove: “To understand a company’s strategy, look at what they actually do rather than what they say they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/in-the-words-of-andy-grove-to-understand-a-company-s-strategy-look-at/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [You are creator of your own destiny. 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I don't make any demands of them, and I don't try to shape them or their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/my-dogs-can-t-do-anything-and-what-a-relief-i-don-t-make-any-demands/) [Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/) > [“i learned love is about giving. everything. and letting it hurt. i learned vulnerability is always the right choice because it is easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/i-learned-love-is-about-giving-everything-and-letting-it-hurt-i/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) ## More by James Allen > [A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/a-person-is-limited-only-by-the-thoughts-that-he-chooses/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [“The soul attracts that which it secretly harbours; that which it loves, and also that which it fears;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/the-soul-attracts-that-which-it-secretly-harbours-that-which-it-loves/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [“All achievements, whether in the business, intellectual, or spiritual world, are the result of definitely directed thought, are governed by the same law and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/all-achievements-whether-in-the-business-intellectual-or-spiritual/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [“Cause and effect is as absolute and undeviating in the hidden realm of thought as in the world of visible and material things. Mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/cause-and-effect-is-as-absolute-and-undeviating-in-the-hidden-realm/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/men-do-not-attract-that-which-they-want-but-that-which-they-are/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much; he who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/he-who-would-accomplish-little-must-sacrifice-little-he-who-would/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of effort is the measure of the results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/in-all-human-affairs-there-are-efforts-and-there-are-results-and-the/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [The knowledge of the causal power of thought is the basis of all their (Hebrew) prophecies, as it is the basis of all real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/the-knowledge-of-the-causal-power-of-thought-is-the-basis-of-all/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [“mind is the master-weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/mind-is-the-master-weaver-both-of-the-inner-garment-of-character-and/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [“The thoughtless, the ignorant, and the indolent, seeing only the apparent effects of things and not the things themselves, talk of luck, of fortune,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/the-thoughtless-the-ignorant-and-the-indolent-seeing-only-the/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/a-man-sooner-or-later-discovers-that-he-is-the-master-gardener-of-his/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [Rely upon your own judgment; be true to your own conscience; follow the light that is within you; all outward lights are so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/rely-upon-your-own-judgment-be-true-to-your-own-conscience-follow-the/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [“Without self-discipline a man drifts lower and lower, approximating more and more nearly to the beast, until at last he grovels, a lost creature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/without-self-discipline-a-man-drifts-lower-and-lower-approximating/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [Spiritual meditation is the pathway to Divinity. 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