Accidents Quote by James Hillman
“Your life is not predestined, as in Calvinist thought, where everything is written down in the book of life long before your birth and is inescapable. There are choices, accidents, hints and wrong paths, and the ego you, or whatever you call yourself, is a factor in all this. But there is still this other factor that keeps calling. At some moment, people turn, in despair or when they are unable to go any longer on a certain route, and this inner voice says, "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you to turn to me for a long time."”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Soul's Code by James Hillman, 1996
Life isn’t pre‑written; it’s shaped by choices, accidents, and an inner calling that invites us to turn toward deeper purpose.
In simple terms: Life is shaped by choices and an inner voice.
Key Takeaway
Listen to your inner calling.
Themes
choice
destiny
inner voice
purpose
psychology
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- career decisions
- personal crises
- creative blocks
- spiritual seeking
Key Concepts
Archetype
self‑actualization
free will
Questions to Reflect On
- What inner voice are you ignoring?
- How can you discern true calling from fear?
A Different Perspective
The inner voice may be ignored or misinterpreted, leading to stagnation.
![“The first way has been excellently presented by David Holt in his lecture on “Jung and Marx.” [1] There Holt shows that Jung imagined his work to be theoretically and historically substantiated by alchemy, and that Jung spent a” quote by James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/431/james-hillman-2336_alchemy_the-first-way-has-been-excellently-prese_153323.jpg)
