--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You make what seems a simple choice…" description: "\"You make what seems a simple choice: choose a man or a job or a neighborhood- and what you have chosen is not a man or a job or a neighborhood, but a l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/jessamyn-west-12938_choice_you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choo_700533.png" --- # You make what seems a simple choice: choose a man or a job… ![“You make what seems a simple choice: choose a man or a job or a neighborhood- and what you have chosen is not a man or a job or a neighborhood, but a life.” quote by Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/jessamyn-west-12938_choice_you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choo_700533.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/jessamyn-west-12938_choice_you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choo_700533.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/jessamyn-west-12938_choice_you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choo_700533.png) > “You make what seems a simple choice: choose a man or a job or a neighborhood- and what you have chosen is not a man or a job or a neighborhood, but a life.” [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a job, partner, or neighborhood is actually choosing an entire life path. **In simple terms:** Choices shape your whole life. Key Takeaway Consider the broader impact of decisions. Themes identity choice life design Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - moving cities - career change - relationship decisions Key Concepts existentialism decision theory Questions to Reflect On - What does this choice say about your values? - How might you reframe a “simple” decision? A Different Perspective Every choice carries unforeseen consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Neighborhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhood/) [True life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-life/) ## Related quotes > [And it was suddenly very simple: There was no choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/and-it-was-suddenly-very-simple-there-was-no-choice/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [“Life is as simple as a choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacresha-hayes/life-is-as-simple-as-a-choice/) Lacresha Hayes > [Live and everyone would die. Die and everyone would live. It seemed like such a simple choice. But nothing is ever as simple as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brewer/live-and-everyone-would-die-die-and-everyone-would-live-it-seemed/) [Heather Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brewer/) > [All it takes is a simple choice, a simple decision: no matter what happens, I will create no more pain for myself. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/all-it-takes-is-a-simple-choice-a-simple-decision-no-matter-what/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [We face a simple choice. Either we go back to the days when everything was disposable and landfill dumps consumed our countryside at an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/we-face-a-simple-choice-either-we-go-back-to-the-days-when-everything/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [There isn't a single one of us who hasn't harvested either the positive or negative effects of a simple choice of behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccabe/there-isn-t-a-single-one-of-us-who-hasn-t-harvested-either-the/) Paul McCabe > [“We can choose to be offended. We can choose not to be offended. It really is that simple. Not necessarily easy. Simple. And always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/we-can-choose-to-be-offended-we-can-choose-not-to-be-offended-it/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [If I had to choose one man to play for my life, it would be Nadal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-courier/if-i-had-to-choose-one-man-to-play-for-my-life-it-would-be-nadal/) [Jim Courier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-courier/) > [“It’s human nature for us to love each other. However, a man can love you and still treat you like dirt. The way my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-scrieva/it-s-human-nature-for-us-to-love-each-other-however-a-man-can-love/) [Nadia Scrieva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-scrieva/) > [I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enormous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-with-a-deeper-instinct-choose-a-man-who-compels-my-strength-who/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [I pay all my own bills... I want to choose the man. I do not permit men to choose me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zsa-zsa-gabor/i-pay-all-my-own-bills-i-want-to-choose-the-man-i-do-not-permit-men/) [Zsa Zsa Gabor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zsa-zsa-gabor/) > [Modest women choose a man by the mind, not the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/modest-women-choose-a-man-by-the-mind-not-the-eye/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Democracy is a process by which people are free to choose the man who will get the blame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/democracy-is-a-process-by-which-people-are-free-to-choose-the-man-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Grace does not choose a man and leave him as he is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/grace-does-not-choose-a-man-and-leave-him-as-he-is/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [When God gets ready to shake America, He may not take the Ph.D. and the D.D. God may choose a country boy ... God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/when-god-gets-ready-to-shake-america-he-may-not-take-the-ph-d-and-the/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) ## More by Jessamyn West > [There is no royal path to good writing; and such paths as exist do not lead through neat critical gardens, various as they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/there-is-no-royal-path-to-good-writing-and-such-paths-as-exist-do-not/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [Being consistent meant not departing from convictions already formulated; being a leader meant making other persons accept these convictions. It was a narrow track,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/being-consistent-meant-not-departing-from-convictions-already/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [In their sympathies, children feel nearer animals than adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/in-their-sympathies-children-feel-nearer-animals-than-adults/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [To meet at all, one must open ones eyes to another; and there is no true conversation no matter how many words are spoken,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/to-meet-at-all-one-must-open-ones-eyes-to-another-and-there-is-no/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [In their sympathies, children feel nearer animals than adults. They frolic with animals, caress them, share with them feelings neither has words for. Have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/in-their-sympathies-children-feel-nearer-animals-than-adults-they/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [The past is really almost as much a work of the imagination as the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/the-past-is-really-almost-as-much-a-work-of-the-imagination-as-the/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [People who keep journals have life twice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/people-who-keep-journals-have-life-twice/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [Writing is so difficult that I feel that writers, having had their hell on earth, will escape all punishment hereafter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/writing-is-so-difficult-that-i-feel-that-writers-having-had-their/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [We can love an honest rogue, but what is more offensive than a false saint?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/we-can-love-an-honest-rogue-but-what-is-more-offensive-than-a-false/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [I seem to be the only person in the world who doesn't mind being pitied. If you love me, pity me. The human state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/i-seem-to-be-the-only-person-in-the-world-who-doesn-t-mind-being/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [I am always jumping into the sausage grinder and deciding, even before I’m half ground, that I don’t want to be a sausage after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/i-am-always-jumping-into-the-sausage-grinder-and-deciding-even-before/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [“Nothing ruins a face so fast as double-dealing. Your face telling one story to the world. Your heart yanking your face to pieces, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/nothing-ruins-a-face-so-fast-as-double-dealing-your-face-telling-one/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [I've done more harm by the falseness of trying to please than by the honesty of trying to hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/i-ve-done-more-harm-by-the-falseness-of-trying-to-please-than-by-the/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/a-broken-bone-can-heal-but-the-wound-a-word-opens-can-fester-forever/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [Justice is a terrible but necessary thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/justice-is-a-terrible-but-necessary-thing/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) [Explore all 52 Jessamyn West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) ## 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 > [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 > [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": "You make what seems a simple choice: choose a man or a job or a neighborhood- and what you have chosen is not a man or a job or a neighborhood, but a life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jessamyn West" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choose-a-man-or-a-job-or-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choose-a-man-or-a-job-or-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/jessamyn-west-12938_choice_you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choo_700533.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/jessamyn-west-12938_choice_you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choo_700533.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/jessamyn-west-12938_choice_you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choo_700533.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You make what seems a simple choice: choose a man or a job or a neighborhood- and what you have chosen is…” — Jessamyn West", "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": "Jessamyn West", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You make what seems a simple...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choose-a-man-or-a-job-or-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choose-a-man-or-a-job-or-a/#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 } } ] } ```