--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is only in our decisions that we are…" description: "\"It is only in our decisions that we are important.\" — Jean-Paul Sartre" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/jean-paul-sartre-220_choice_it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are_2633325.png" --- # It is only in our decisions that we are important. ![“It is only in our decisions that we are important.” quote by Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/jean-paul-sartre-220_choice_it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are_2633325.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/jean-paul-sartre-220_choice_it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are_2633325.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/jean-paul-sartre-220_choice_it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are_2633325.png) > “It is only in our decisions that we are important.” [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our significance comes from the choices we make, not from external circumstances. **In simple terms:** We matter through our decisions. Key Takeaway Choose consciously. Themes existentialism responsibility agency Mood reflective serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal relationships - career choices - political activism - moral dilemmas Key Concepts free will authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What decision defines you? - How do you own your choices? A Different Perspective Choices can be constrained by social pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions/) [Decisions Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions-important-866832/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) ## Related quotes > [Making the right decisions is one of the most important issues in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/making-the-right-decisions-is-one-of-the-most-important-issues-in-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“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/) > [“We make our decisions, and then our decisions turn around and make us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-make-our-decisions-and-then-our-decisions-turn-around-and-make-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Decisions made in real time are never perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-strathairn/decisions-made-in-real-time-are-never-perfect/) [David Strathairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-strathairn/) > [Especially when you're a leader, you have to do the things that aren't the popular choice. But that's fine, you have to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-anthony-towns/especially-when-you-re-a-leader-you-have-to-do-the-things-that-aren-t/) [Karl-Anthony Towns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-anthony-towns/) > [“Consider every choice carefully, no matter how small, for it will affect the bigger decisions you make.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-george/consider-every-choice-carefully-no-matter-how-small-for-it-will/) [Jim George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-george/) > [“You see, the best thing about wrong decisions is that they don’t prevent you from making the right decisions later on. It’s harder, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siobhan-vivian/you-see-the-best-thing-about-wrong-decisions-is-that-they-don-t/) [Siobhan Vivian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siobhan-vivian/) > [“In whatever decisions you make in life, you have to run them through a series of logic tests to make sure that there aren’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-talmage-mathis/in-whatever-decisions-you-make-in-life-you-have-to-run-them-through-a/) [John-Talmage Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-talmage-mathis/) > [I don't regret any of my life decisions I've made because with every choice I've learned something new!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-regret-any-of-my-life-decisions-i-ve-made-because-with-every/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We, as individuals, are defined by the choices we make. 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I want to help young people make important decisions at the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-chuvalo/my-motivation-has-to-do-with-what-happened-to-my-family-i-want-to/) [George Chuvalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-chuvalo/) > [Think about it this way - if you have five senses, and they're all feeding into one place, kind of like a bottleneck, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apollo-robbins/think-about-it-this-way-if-you-have-five-senses-and-they-re-all/) [Apollo Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apollo-robbins/) > [“People say that it's the big decisions that are important... that these are the type of issues worthy of prolonged consideration. But no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-gittus/people-say-that-it-s-the-big-decisions-that-are-important-that-these/) [Julie Gittus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-gittus/) > [Deciding to be honest was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made, and also the most important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-murad/deciding-to-be-honest-was-one-of-the-hardest-decisions-i-have-ever/) [Nadia Murad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-murad/) ## More by Jean-Paul Sartre > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“All these creatures spend their time explaining, realizing happily that they agree with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/all-these-creatures-spend-their-time-explaining-realizing-happily/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“she has suddenly emptied herself of me, and all other consciousness in the world has also emptied itself of me. It seems funny. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/she-has-suddenly-emptied-herself-of-me-and-all-other-consciousness-in/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [ \[Stéphane Mallarmé\] theory of the hermetic is a mistake, but he can be only difficult to read when he has difficult things to say. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/st-phane-mallarm-theory-of-the-hermetic-is-a-mistake-but-he-can-be/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [I can always choose, but I ought to know that if I do not choose, I am still choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-can-always-choose-but-i-ought-to-know-that-if-i-do-not-choose-i-am/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [When the rich wage war, it's the poor who die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/when-the-rich-wage-war-it-s-the-poor-who-die/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“She smiled. First I lost the memory of her eyes, then the memory of her long body. I kept her smile as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/she-smiled-first-i-lost-the-memory-of-her-eyes-then-the-memory-of-her/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Life is a useless passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/life-is-a-useless-passion/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [The more one is absorbed in fighting evil, the less one is tempted to place the good in question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/the-more-one-is-absorbed-in-fighting-evil-the-less-one-is-tempted-to/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [This is what I thought: for the most banal even to become an adventure, you must (and this is enough) begin to recount it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/this-is-what-i-thought-for-the-most-banal-even-to-become-an-adventure/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“I am free: there is absolutely no more reason for living, all the ones I have tried have given way and I can’t imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-am-free-there-is-absolutely-no-more-reason-for-living-all-the-ones/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“If I am not mistaken, if all the signs which have been amassed are precursors of a new overthrow in my life, well then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/if-i-am-not-mistaken-if-all-the-signs-which-have-been-amassed-are/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“I want to leave, go to some place where I will be really in my own niche, where I will fit in. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-want-to-leave-go-to-some-place-where-i-will-be-really-in-my-own/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [...Uncalled-for aggression arouses the hatred of the civilian population...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/uncalled-for-aggression-arouses-the-hatred-of-the-civilian-population/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [The best work is not what is most difficult for you; it is what you do best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/the-best-work-is-not-what-is-most-difficult-for-you-it-is-what-you-do/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) [Explore all 728 Jean-Paul Sartre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) ## More Choice 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/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“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/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) [Randy C. Dockens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-c-dockens/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is only in our decisions that we are important.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean-Paul Sartre" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are-important/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are-important/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/jean-paul-sartre-220_choice_it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are_2633325.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/jean-paul-sartre-220_choice_it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are_2633325.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/jean-paul-sartre-220_choice_it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are_2633325.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is only in our decisions that we are important.” — Jean-Paul Sartre", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jean-Paul Sartre", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is only in our decisions...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are-important/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/it-is-only-in-our-decisions-that-we-are-important/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```