--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We always have choices in life. It is…" description: "\"“We always have choices in life. It is simply a question of deciding whether we can live with the consequences of our choices.”\" — John Dolan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/john-dolan-22068_choice_we-always-have-choices-in-life-it-is-sim_2924145.jpg" --- # We always have choices in life. It is simply a question of… ![“We always have choices in life. It is simply a question of deciding whether we can live with the consequences of our choices.” quote by John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/john-dolan-22068_choice_we-always-have-choices-in-life-it-is-sim_2924145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/john-dolan-22068_choice_we-always-have-choices-in-life-it-is-sim_2924145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/john-dolan-22068_choice_we-always-have-choices-in-life-it-is-sim_2924145.jpg) > ““We always have choices in life. It is simply a question of deciding whether we can live with the consequences of our choices.”” [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life presents choices; each decision carries consequences that must be accepted, shaping our responsibility for outcomes. **In simple terms:** Choices have consequences we must live with. Key Takeaway Accept responsibility for the outcomes of your decisions. Themes choice responsibility consequences Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - financial planning Key Concepts Free will ethical decision‑making personal accountability Questions to Reflect On - Do you evaluate potential outcomes before deciding? - How do you cope with unintended consequences? A Different Perspective Some choices are constrained by external factors, limiting true freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Choices In Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-in-life/) [Choices Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-life/) [Consequences Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequences-choices-594571/) [Deciding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deciding/) [Deciding Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deciding-live-810101/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [Getting up in the morning is a choice. Deciding to live is a choice. And the more you practice making conscious choices, the easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/getting-up-in-the-morning-is-a-choice-deciding-to-live-is-a-choice/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [“You have two choices in life...Choice one is to be the same and be like everyone else...Choice two is to be yourself and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-two-choices-in-life-choice-one-is-to-be-the-same-and-be-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are all the same. We just make different choices in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/we-are-all-the-same-we-just-make-different-choices-in-life/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [You have two choices in life: you can stay single and be miserable, or get married and wish you were dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/you-have-two-choices-in-life-you-can-stay-single-and-be-miserable-or/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Some things in life are just out of your control. So you're left with three choices in life; give up, give in, or give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uknown/some-things-in-life-are-just-out-of-your-control-so-you-re-left-with/) [Uknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uknown/) > [Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance, and none can say while some fields will blossom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-nerburn/remember-to-be-gentle-with-yourself-and-others-we-are-all-children-of-2/) [Kent Nerburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-nerburn/) > [We have two choices in life: One is to fulfill ourselves. The other is to take the time and energy that we would utilize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-have-two-choices-in-life-one-is-to-fulfill-ourselves-the-other-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“we all face choices in life. Some are small,insignificant choices like what to wear to the prom or what to say to your crush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dusti-bowling/we-all-face-choices-in-life-some-are-small-insignificant-choices-like/) [Dusti Bowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dusti-bowling/) > [There are three choices in life and sport - either you do it, you don't do it or you think about it. Most humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kessel/there-are-three-choices-in-life-and-sport-either-you-do-it-you-don-t/) [John Kessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kessel/) > [Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I realized that there are two choices in life: one can be part of the solution or one can complain about the things they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/i-realized-that-there-are-two-choices-in-life-one-can-be-part-of-the/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [For my senior prom, my father finally said I could go - as long as I was home by 9pm! That was around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/for-my-senior-prom-my-father-finally-said-i-could-go-as-long-as-i-was/) [Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/) > [It's humiliating, being told you're not responsible enough to make your own choices in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marti-noxon/it-s-humiliating-being-told-you-re-not-responsible-enough-to-make/) [Marti Noxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marti-noxon/) > [“You get only two or three important choices in life. What job you do, whom you marry. Those are big decisions. If you’re right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bauman/you-get-only-two-or-three-important-choices-in-life-what-job-you-do/) [Jeff Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bauman/) > [Yes, I could have made some different choices in life but I didn what I did, both good and bad and I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yes-i-could-have-made-some-different-choices-in-life-but-i-didn-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Dolan > [“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it; or because it is in your traditions; or because many speak about it;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/do-not-believe-in-anything-simply-because-you-have-heard-it-or/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“Some people are straightforward. What you see is indeed what you get. Their words have no subtext and their hearts are open. Such individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/some-people-are-straightforward-what-you-see-is-indeed-what-you-get/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“Some of the streets are, however, genuinely narrow. These same streets may not be filled with machine-gun fire and the dramatic screech of violins,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/some-of-the-streets-are-however-genuinely-narrow-these-same-streets/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“Time can move quickly when it loses its memory, or when there are no new memories to create. Reality’s vulture flies down and picks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/time-can-move-quickly-when-it-loses-its-memory-or-when-there-are-no/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“Sometimes I come across as superficial. Of this I am aware. 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Some burn with anger, some with lust, some with a desire for vengeance, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/everyone-burns-as-the-buddha-says-in-their-own-way-some-burn-with/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“I would be a fully-paid-up member of the 'I Hate Paperwork Club' if I could summon the enthusiasm to fill in the application form.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/i-would-be-a-fully-paid-up-member-of-the-i-hate-paperwork-club-if-i/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“Our children form a large part of our Immortality Project. This is one of the reasons a child’s death cuts so deep; some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/our-children-form-a-large-part-of-our-immortality-project-this-is-one/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“Flowers, silence, departure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/flowers-silence-departure/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“Karma means ‘action’. Like many, you misunderstand its nature. Past misdeeds can be corrected before your karma ripens: it is not some pre-determined fate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/karma-means-action-like-many-you-misunderstand-its-nature-past/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“The American educational psychologist Patricia Alexander has expressed the view that fear paralyses and curiosity empowers. Accordingly, she reasons, we should always be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/the-american-educational-psychologist-patricia-alexander-has/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“I wonder briefly whether a schizophrenic Buddhist would be At Two with the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/i-wonder-briefly-whether-a-schizophrenic-buddhist-would-be-at-two/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) > [“Time. So much of our human experience is bound up in time, I muse. It reflects in our everyday colloquialisms, and drives so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolan/time-so-much-of-our-human-experience-is-bound-up-in-time-i-muse-it/) [John Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) [Explore all 28 John Dolan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolan/) ## 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": "“We always have choices in life. 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