--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes you don’t choose greatness, it…" description: "\"“Sometimes you don’t choose greatness, it chooses you. And when it does, it requires a certain level of understandin', courage and a degree of blind ho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/jay-grewal-46861_black-history_sometimes-you-don-t-choose-greatness-it_1252535.jpg" --- # Sometimes you don’t choose greatness, it chooses you. And… ![“Sometimes you don’t choose greatness, it chooses you. And when it does, it requires a certain level of understandin', courage and a degree of blind hope.” quote by Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/jay-grewal-46861_black-history_sometimes-you-don-t-choose-greatness-it_1252535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/jay-grewal-46861_black-history_sometimes-you-don-t-choose-greatness-it_1252535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/jay-grewal-46861_black-history_sometimes-you-don-t-choose-greatness-it_1252535.jpg) > ““Sometimes you don’t choose greatness, it chooses you. And when it does, it requires a certain level of understandin', courage and a degree of blind hope.”” [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness often arrives uninvited; when it does, it demands understanding, courage, and hopeful faith. **In simple terms:** Greatness chooses you, you must respond. Key Takeaway Embrace opportunities with bravery and optimism. Themes greatness choice understanding courage hope Mood inspirational determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career breakthroughs - creative projects - life turning points Key Concepts destiny personal development Questions to Reflect On - What does “understanding” mean in this context? - How can you prepare for unexpected greatness? A Different Perspective Blind hope can lead to reckless decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-history/) [Blind Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind-hope-2496810/) [Choose Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-greatness-1439131/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Greatness Chooses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness-chooses-3952344/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Understandin Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understandin-courage-3952345/) ## Related quotes > [When in doubt, choose greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/when-in-doubt-choose-greatness/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [“If there is no blind hope, there is also no disappointment. If one knows that everything is impermanent, one does not grasp, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse/if-there-is-no-blind-hope-there-is-also-no-disappointment-if-one/) [Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse/) > [ Blind hope. Blind hope is all we have. There's a Greek tragedy called Prometheus Bound; Prometheus is the \[titan\] that gave humans fire. He's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torquil-campbell/blind-hope-blind-hope-is-all-we-have-there-s-a-greek-tragedy-called/) [Torquil Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torquil-campbell/) > [“That was when I realized we weren’t born to be slaves. It was ignorant for any man to think he could be the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/that-was-when-i-realized-we-weren-t-born-to-be-slaves-it-was-ignorant/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“$1,200, That was the price of a man in those days. Now you can call him black, or you can call him a slave,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/1-200-that-was-the-price-of-a-man-in-those-days-now-you-can-call-him/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“But when they brought Sabira out, the crowd parted almost magically. A sea of hands rose faster than a swell and a bidding war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/but-when-they-brought-sabira-out-the-crowd-parted-almost-magically-a/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“If you stay on this path as long as I have, you’ll soon learn that the road to providence leads right through perdition. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/if-you-stay-on-this-path-as-long-as-i-have-you-ll-soon-learn-that-the/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“He broke me down past the flesh, past the muscle, past the bone, down to my soul and in a loud provocation, he asked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/he-broke-me-down-past-the-flesh-past-the-muscle-past-the-bone-down-to/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“How a member of the church—one who had read the Good Lord’s bible—could sit so calmly and watch a man be led to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/how-a-member-of-the-church-one-who-had-read-the-good-lord-s-bible/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“I couldn’t figure out if it was fate or faith that had brought me there. How funny those two words sounded when paired together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/i-couldn-t-figure-out-if-it-was-fate-or-faith-that-had-brought-me/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“The war that killed my grandfather and great-uncles and thousands of other blacks is only a footnote in our history books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-garc-a/the-war-that-killed-my-grandfather-and-great-uncles-and-thousands-of/) [Cristina García](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-garc-a/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [My horizon on humanity is enlarged by reading the writers of poems, seeing a painting, listening to some music, some opera, which has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/my-horizon-on-humanity-is-enlarged-by-reading-the-writers-of-poems/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [“Any ministry to black people which is not designed to effect their empowerment is designed to perpetuate their enslavement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-ministry-to-black-people-which-is-not-designed-to-effect-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Later that year, the Voting Rights Act opened the door for thousands to register for the first time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junius-williams/later-that-year-the-voting-rights-act-opened-the-door-for-thousands/) [Junius Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junius-williams/) ## More by Jay Grewal > [“That was when I realized we weren’t born to be slaves. It was ignorant for any man to think he could be the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/that-was-when-i-realized-we-weren-t-born-to-be-slaves-it-was-ignorant/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“How a member of the church—one who had read the Good Lord’s bible—could sit so calmly and watch a man be led to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/how-a-member-of-the-church-one-who-had-read-the-good-lord-s-bible/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“He broke me down past the flesh, past the muscle, past the bone, down to my soul and in a loud provocation, he asked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/he-broke-me-down-past-the-flesh-past-the-muscle-past-the-bone-down-to/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“If you stay on this path as long as I have, you’ll soon learn that the road to providence leads right through perdition. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/if-you-stay-on-this-path-as-long-as-i-have-you-ll-soon-learn-that-the/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“But when they brought Sabira out, the crowd parted almost magically. A sea of hands rose faster than a swell and a bidding war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/but-when-they-brought-sabira-out-the-crowd-parted-almost-magically-a/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“$1,200, That was the price of a man in those days. Now you can call him black, or you can call him a slave,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/1-200-that-was-the-price-of-a-man-in-those-days-now-you-can-call-him/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [“I couldn’t figure out if it was fate or faith that had brought me there. How funny those two words sounded when paired together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/i-couldn-t-figure-out-if-it-was-fate-or-faith-that-had-brought-me/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) [Explore all 8 Jay Grewal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) ## More Black history quotes > [“Later that year, the Voting Rights Act opened the door for thousands to register for the first time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junius-williams/later-that-year-the-voting-rights-act-opened-the-door-for-thousands/) [Junius Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junius-williams/) > [“Any ministry to black people which is not designed to effect their empowerment is designed to perpetuate their enslavement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-ministry-to-black-people-which-is-not-designed-to-effect-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My horizon on humanity is enlarged by reading the writers of poems, seeing a painting, listening to some music, some opera, which has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/my-horizon-on-humanity-is-enlarged-by-reading-the-writers-of-poems/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [“The war that killed my grandfather and great-uncles and thousands of other blacks is only a footnote in our history books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-garc-a/the-war-that-killed-my-grandfather-and-great-uncles-and-thousands-of/) [Cristina García](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-garc-a/) > [When you have a large amount of the workforce being laid off, some of them have no other choice but to go out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/when-you-have-a-large-amount-of-the-workforce-being-laid-off-some-of/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) > [I didn't learn black history in school. I had to go find Malcolm X books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/i-didn-t-learn-black-history-in-school-i-had-to-go-find-malcolm-x/) [Rza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I do consider myself part of black history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-do-consider-myself-part-of-black-history/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [ \[W\]e are the heirs of a past of rope, fire, and murder. I for one am not ashamed of this past. My shame is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/w-e-are-the-heirs-of-a-past-of-rope-fire-and-murder-i-for-one-am-not/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Happy Black History Month everyone. I challenge you blacks to change how other races view us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happy-black-history-month-everyone-i-challenge-you-blacks-to-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“That was when I realized we weren’t born to be slaves. It was ignorant for any man to think he could be the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/that-was-when-i-realized-we-weren-t-born-to-be-slaves-it-was-ignorant/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [For children, diversity needs to be real and not merely relegated to learning the names of the usual suspects during Black History Month or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/for-children-diversity-needs-to-be-real-and-not-merely-relegated-to/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [Unconditional love will have the final word in reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/unconditional-love-will-have-the-final-word-in-reality/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I was often filled with excitement to be given a platform to showcase Black history to others. I never questioned why Black history wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-love/i-was-often-filled-with-excitement-to-be-given-a-platform-to-showcase/) [Judi Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-love/) [Browse all 299 Black history quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes you don’t choose greatness, it chooses you. 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