--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have noticed that doing the sensible…" description: "\"“I have noticed that doing the sensible thing is only a good idea when the decision is quite small. For the life-changing things you must risk it. And ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/jeanette-winterson-166_common-sense_i-have-noticed-that-doing-the-sensible-t_2915381.jpg" --- # I have noticed that doing the sensible thing is only a… ![“I have noticed that doing the sensible thing is only a good idea when the decision is quite small. For the life-changing things you must risk it. And here is the shock- when you risk it, when you do the right thing, when you arrive at the borders of common sense and cross into unknown territory…” quote by Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/jeanette-winterson-166_common-sense_i-have-noticed-that-doing-the-sensible-t_2915381.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/jeanette-winterson-166_common-sense_i-have-noticed-that-doing-the-sensible-t_2915381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/jeanette-winterson-166_common-sense_i-have-noticed-that-doing-the-sensible-t_2915381.jpg) > ““I have noticed that doing the sensible thing is only a good idea when the decision is quite small. For the life-changing things you must risk it. And here is the shock- when you risk it, when you do the right thing, when you arrive at the borders of common sense and cross into unknown territory, leaving behind you all the familiar smells and lights; then you do not experience great joy and huge energy. You are unhappy. Things get worse. It is a time of mourning. Loss. Fear. We battle ourselves through with questions. And then we feel shot and wounded. And then all the cowards come out and say, 'See I told you so.' In fact, they have told you nothing.”” [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bold decisions are needed for life‑changing outcomes; staying safe yields stagnation and sorrow. **In simple terms:** Risk is essential for growth. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty for meaningful change. Themes risk growth uncertainty comfortzone existential psychology Mood reflective somber Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career pivots - creative projects - relationship choices - health crises Key Concepts cognitive dissonance fear of failure personal transformation Questions to Reflect On - What risks are you avoiding? - How can you balance caution with boldness? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to loss and regret if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Changing Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-things/) [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) ## Related quotes > [I have noticed that doing the sensible thing is only a good idea when the decision is quite small. For the life-changing things, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-have-noticed-that-doing-the-sensible-thing-is-only-a-good-idea-when/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I just knew I would be a writer. It just seemed the only sensible thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-gardam/i-just-knew-i-would-be-a-writer-it-just-seemed-the-only-sensible/) [Jane Gardam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-gardam/) > [“Sometimes you gotta let go. It's hard to walk away from something you love, really hard. But there are times when it's the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-banks/sometimes-you-gotta-let-go-it-s-hard-to-walk-away-from-something-you/) [Marlene Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-banks/) > [I think the sensible thing would be to focus on one thing and be the best you can be at it. There is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-brown/i-think-the-sensible-thing-would-be-to-focus-on-one-thing-and-be-the/) [Doc Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-brown/) > [I think calling for more women in every aspect of this industry is a sensible thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-taylor/i-think-calling-for-more-women-in-every-aspect-of-this-industry-is-a/) [Alan Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-taylor/) > [ “It certainly wasn't the sensible thing to do. \[Referring to her move to Italy.\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-criswell/it-certainly-wasn-t-the-sensible-thing-to-do-referring-to-her-move-to/) Jennifer Criswell > [“In these modern times, the only sensible thing to be is nonsensical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/in-these-modern-times-the-only-sensible-thing-to-be-is-nonsensical/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [The idea of giving your talent for free in order to save lives seemed like the most sensible thing anyone's ever suggested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/the-idea-of-giving-your-talent-for-free-in-order-to-save-lives-seemed/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [Some things go better than you expected, other things go worse, so I'm... I think the only sensible thing is just to wait and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/some-things-go-better-than-you-expected-other-things-go-worse-so-i-m/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“Ellen Louise, you've done the sensible thing all your life. Now's the time to follow your heart." "What if I do that and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-kernan/ellen-louise-you-ve-done-the-sensible-thing-all-your-life-now-s-the/) Jenna Kernan > [I think it's a sensible thing not to read your fan mail - not to take it too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-trower/i-think-it-s-a-sensible-thing-not-to-read-your-fan-mail-not-to-take/) [Robin Trower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-trower/) > [“Really, there was only one sensible thing to do. Stay the course. Pray it through, day by day, minute by minute. The Lord had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-hanna/really-there-was-only-one-sensible-thing-to-do-stay-the-course-pray/) [Janice Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-hanna/) > [If you refuse to change your job (if you don't like it), the only sensible thing you can do is practice loving it every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/if-you-refuse-to-change-your-job-if-you-don-t-like-it-the-only/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [I feel the one sensible thing you can do is try to live in a way that pleases you. If you don't hurt anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/i-feel-the-one-sensible-thing-you-can-do-is-try-to-live-in-a-way-that/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [“And here's the shock -- when you risk it, when you do the right thing, when you arrive at the borders of common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/and-here-s-the-shock-when-you-risk-it-when-you-do-the-right-thing/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## More by Jeanette Winterson > [“After nine nights must come ten and every desperate meeting only leaves you desperate for another. There is never enough to eat, never enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/after-nine-nights-must-come-ten-and-every-desperate-meeting-only/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I have found that I am not a space where people want to live, at least not without decorating first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-have-found-that-i-am-not-a-space-where-people-want-to-live-at-least/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Yes. Just pass me my leg will you? It's on top of the wardrobe where he threw it, and I think my right arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/yes-just-pass-me-my-leg-will-you-it-s-on-top-of-the-wardrobe-where-he/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Every second the Universe divides into possibilities and most of those possibilities never happen. 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What would it have meant if things had been bright, clear, good between us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/what-would-it-have-meant-to-be-happy-what-would-it-have-meant-if/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Mrs Ratlow was a widow, and she was head of English, but she still did all the cooking and cleaning for her two sons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/mrs-ratlow-was-a-widow-and-she-was-head-of-english-but-she-still-did/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“I shall have nowt to talk to now the baby is boiled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-shall-have-nowt-to-talk-to-now-the-baby-is-boiled/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“What art does is to coax us away from the mechanical and towards the miraculous. 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If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Below the 40th latitude there is no law; below the 50th no god; below the 60th no common sense and below the 70th no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley/below-the-40th-latitude-there-is-no-law-below-the-50th-no-god-below/) [Kim Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley/) > [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [How is it that labels like 'centrist' and 'moderate,' which common sense tells us should reflect the views of a majority of Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/how-is-it-that-labels-like-centrist-and-moderate-which-common-sense/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [“It was true that common sense wasn’t her forte. 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"Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. 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