---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One cannot choose how one's life begins…"
description: "\"One cannot choose how one's life begins but one can choose to face the end with courage\" — Jet Li"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/jet-li-9777_choose_one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins_2600458.png"
---

#  One cannot choose how one's life begins but one can choose…

![“One cannot choose how one's life begins but one can choose to face the end with courage” quote by Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/jet-li-9777_choose_one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins_2600458.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/jet-li-9777_choose_one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins_2600458.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/jet-li-9777_choose_one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins_2600458.png)

> “One cannot choose how one's life begins but one can choose to face the end with courage”

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Life's start is beyond our control; courage defines how we meet its inevitable end.

**In simple terms:** Choose courageous ending.

Key Takeaway

Face end with courage.

Themes

courage life death

Mood

determined reflective

Type

personal motivational

When to use this quote

- aging
- terminal illness
- legacy planning

Key Concepts

philosophy martial arts

Questions to Reflect On

- What gives you courage?
- How do you prepare for life's end?

A Different Perspective

Courage may be insufficient.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Begins Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begins-choose-1940063/) [Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) [Choose Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-face-619464/) [Choose life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-life/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [End Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-courage-1940062/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Begins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-begins/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/)

## Related quotes

> [One cannot chose how one's life begins... But one can chose to face the end with courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-cannot-chose-how-one-s-life-begins-but-one-can-chose-to-face-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I don't know. Only God knows where the story ends for me, but I know where the story begins. It's up to us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-don-t-know-only-god-knows-where-the-story-ends-for-me-but-i-know/)

[Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/)

> [Death comes to us all; we can only choose how to face it when it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/death-comes-to-us-all-we-can-only-choose-how-to-face-it-when-it-comes/)

[Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/)

> [Courage, the highest gift, that scorns to bend To mean devices for a sordid end. Courage--an independent spark from Heaven's bright throne, By which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-farquhar/courage-the-highest-gift-that-scorns-to-bend-to-mean-devices-for-a/)

[George Farquhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-farquhar/)

> [So to feel brave, act as if we were brave, use all our will to that end...and a courage-fit will very likely replace the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/so-to-feel-brave-act-as-if-we-were-brave-use-all-our-will-to-that-end/)

[William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/)

> [Suffering is a great favor. Remember that everything soon comes to an end . . . and take courage. Think of how our gain is eternal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/suffering-is-a-great-favor-remember-that-everything-soon-comes-to-an/)

[Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/)

> [“You cannot choose your face but you can choose your dress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-cannot-choose-your-face-but-you-can-choose-your-dress/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [At a certain age, you have to choose between your face and your ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-deneuve/at-a-certain-age-you-have-to-choose-between-your-face-and-your-ass/)

[Catherine Deneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-deneuve/)

> [Your shadows will always fall behind you if you choose to face the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/your-shadows-will-always-fall-behind-you-if-you-choose-to-face-the-sun/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [It is not where you start out in life that counts the most, it is how you choose to face it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/it-is-not-where-you-start-out-in-life-that-counts-the-most-it-is-how/)

[Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/)

> [One cannot choose what he writes - one can only choose to face it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-pirandello/one-cannot-choose-what-he-writes-one-can-only-choose-to-face-it/)

[Luigi Pirandello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-pirandello/)

> [You can never choose what you get in life, but you can choose how it affects you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/you-can-never-choose-what-you-get-in-life-but-you-can-choose-how-it/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [“If I should choose between the life I lived or a life without the sorrows I felt, I would spend everyday the same. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-elliott/if-i-should-choose-between-the-life-i-lived-or-a-life-without-the/)

[Courtney Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-elliott/)

> [Whether you face reality head on and make a life change, or deny your responsibility, you've made a choice. The way I see it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-phillips/whether-you-face-reality-head-on-and-make-a-life-change-or-deny-your/)

[Shawn Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-phillips/)

> [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/)

## More by Jet Li

> [Everywhere I go, I still have time to meditate. People think meditating is sitting there, nobody bothering you, but you can even talk and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/everywhere-i-go-i-still-have-time-to-meditate-people-think-meditating/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [My wife is the boss at home, and my daughters are the bosses. I am just the worker. We are a very warm family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/my-wife-is-the-boss-at-home-and-my-daughters-are-the-bosses-i-am-just/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [Everything too fast is not good but everything too slow is also not good. You need balance. That's why I like martial arts: it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/everything-too-fast-is-not-good-but-everything-too-slow-is-also-not/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [This film 'Hero' talks about the peace of Chinese people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/this-film-hero-talks-about-the-peace-of-chinese-people/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [Tibetan Buddhism, has inspired me and accelerated my understanding of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/tibetan-buddhism-has-inspired-me-and-accelerated-my-understanding-of/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [Zhang Yimou is an artist. Sometimes we did only two or three shots a day because we were waiting for the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/zhang-yimou-is-an-artist-sometimes-we-did-only-two-or-three-shots-a/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [I think 'Hero' is not a real martial arts movie; it is not about violence, or formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/i-think-hero-is-not-a-real-martial-arts-movie-it-is-not-about/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [I remember when I was 11, I did some Kung-fu demonstrations in Hong Kong in 1974.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/i-remember-when-i-was-11-i-did-some-kung-fu-demonstrations-in-hong/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [While films are a very visual and emotional artistic medium, video games take it one step further into the realm of a unique personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/while-films-are-a-very-visual-and-emotional-artistic-medium-video/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [I've been learning martial arts since I was 8 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/i-ve-been-learning-martial-arts-since-i-was-8-years-old/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [I need to talk about Chinese culture. We have deep, strong philosophy and culture. I want to share some information, tell the worldwide audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/i-need-to-talk-about-chinese-culture-we-have-deep-strong-philosophy/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [I stepped into the martial arts movie market when I was only 16. I think I have proved my ability in this field and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/i-stepped-into-the-martial-arts-movie-market-when-i-was-only-16-i/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [Jackie Chan is a very good comedy/martial arts star. He does one kind of martial arts that Jet Li doesn't know how to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/jackie-chan-is-a-very-good-comedy-martial-arts-star-he-does-one-kind/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [In my mind, martial arts movies are martial arts movies and action is action. It's quite different, because martial arts doesn't just have physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/in-my-mind-martial-arts-movies-are-martial-arts-movies-and-action-is/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

> [I want to thank my mum, my daddy, my coach, my teacher, everybody in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/i-want-to-thank-my-mum-my-daddy-my-coach-my-teacher-everybody-in-my/)

[Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

[Explore all 69 Jet Li quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/)

## More Choose quotes

> [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [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/)

> [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/)

[Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/)

> [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/)

[Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/)

> [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/)

[Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/)

> [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/)

[Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/)

> [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/)

[Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/)

> [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/)

[Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/)

> [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/)

[Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/)

> [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/)

[Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/)

> [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/)

[RoderickTheFirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roderickthefirst/)

> [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/)

[Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/)

> [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

[Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "One cannot choose how one's life begins but one can choose to face the end with courage",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jet Li"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins-but-one-can-choose-to-face/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Choose"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins-but-one-can-choose-to-face/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/jet-li-9777_choose_one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins_2600458.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/jet-li-9777_choose_one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins_2600458.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f01/jet-li-9777_choose_one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins_2600458.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“One cannot choose how one's life begins but one can choose to face the end with courage” — Jet Li",
                "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": "Jet Li",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "One cannot choose how one's life...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins-but-one-can-choose-to-face/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/one-cannot-choose-how-one-s-life-begins-but-one-can-choose-to-face/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
