--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You just don't make decisions about what…" description: "\"You just don't make decisions about what you're going to be like when you are old. I know that I am making that decision right now. Every time we perce..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/john-powell-12850_age_you-just-don-t-make-decisions-about-what_430401.png" --- # You just don't make decisions about what you're going to… ![“You just don't make decisions about what you're going to be like when you are old. I know that I am making that decision right now. Every time we perceive ourselves, others, life, the world and God in a certain way, we are deepening the habits that will take over in old age. Every time I act on…” quote by John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/john-powell-12850_age_you-just-don-t-make-decisions-about-what_430401.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/john-powell-12850_age_you-just-don-t-make-decisions-about-what_430401.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/john-powell-12850_age_you-just-don-t-make-decisions-about-what_430401.png) > “You just don't make decisions about what you're going to be like when you are old. I know that I am making that decision right now. Every time we perceive ourselves, others, life, the world and God in a certain way, we are deepening the habits that will take over in old age. Every time I act on the insights that I am getting now I am deciding my future and choosing to be a kindly or cynical old man. Our yesterdays lie heavily upon our todays and our todays will lie heavily upon our tomorrows.” [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Decisions made now shape our future selves; early habits determine who we become in old age. **In simple terms:** Current choices shape future character. Key Takeaway Make mindful decisions today. Themes self‑growth future habit formation Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - parenting - career planning - health decisions - spiritual practice Key Concepts psychology philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - Which habit will you change now? - How does today’s mindset affect tomorrow? A Different Perspective Changing habits later is harder than starting early. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yesterday/) ## Related quotes > [When I'm in management meetings when we're deciding my future, those decisions are left up to me. 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(“Not that old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/when-groundbreaking-signals-along-our-life-path-challenge-us-let-us/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [The habits of a young man are, like his coat, removable; the habits of an old man are like the drapery of a statue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/the-habits-of-a-young-man-are-like-his-coat-removable-the-habits-of/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [A birthday is a good time to begin a new; throwing away the old habits, as you would old clothes, and never putting them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/a-birthday-is-a-good-time-to-begin-a-new-throwing-away-the-old-habits/) [Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/) > [How dare you? All of you! Standing around deciding my future. I am not a prize to be won! -Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/disney-princess/how-dare-you-all-of-you-standing-around-deciding-my-future-i-am-not-a/) Disney Princess > [So when you are faced with a decision on the euro, it is not surprising that many people are confused. They still try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romano-prodi/so-when-you-are-faced-with-a-decision-on-the-euro-it-is-not/) [Romano Prodi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romano-prodi/) > [What has changed is that my life then was less difficult and my future seemingly less gloomy, but as far as my inner self,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-has-changed-is-that-my-life-then-was-less-difficult-and-my/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [One of the biggest things I struggle with in life is not being present. I'm worried about my future or I'm dwelling on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-webber/one-of-the-biggest-things-i-struggle-with-in-life-is-not-being/) [Mark Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-webber/) > [The Romans have provided a lot of writers with a model for various interstellar empires, of course, and no wonder. The Roman Empire is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-leckie/the-romans-have-provided-a-lot-of-writers-with-a-model-for-various/) [Ann Leckie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-leckie/) > [It is my greatest misfortune to be too lazy, and by the few mortifications I have already set with on that account I predict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-allston/it-is-my-greatest-misfortune-to-be-too-lazy-and-by-the-few/) [Washington Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-allston/) > [The more prepared I am, the better my future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-herrera/the-more-prepared-i-am-the-better-my-future/) [Alfonso Herrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-herrera/) > [I want to be with you.” My words brought a hugegrin to his incredibly beautiful face. “You’re my present and my future,Sadie, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/i-want-to-be-with-you-my-words-brought-a-hugegrin-to-his-incredibly/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [Don't insult me today just because I'm poor, you don't know what my future holds!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kamkwamba/don-t-insult-me-today-just-because-i-m-poor-you-don-t-know-what-my/) [William Kamkwamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kamkwamba/) > [I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed... My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God's hands...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-madrid/i-am-part-of-the-fellowship-of-the-unashamed-my-past-is-redeemed-my/) [Patrick Madrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-madrid/) ## More by John Powell > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [“The trouble with ancient history is that, as far as I can tell, the vast majority of it took place a hell of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/the-trouble-with-ancient-history-is-that-as-far-as-i-can-tell-the/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [There are only two potential tragedies in life, and dying young isn't one of them. 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We must at all times give those we love the freedom to be themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/it-is-essential-that-our-love-be-liberating-not-possessive-we-must-at/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [You can't reinvent yourself for every movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/you-can-t-reinvent-yourself-for-every-movie/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [“But why should a flute make a sound which is smoother and less complex than that of a violin or oboe? To answer this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/but-why-should-a-flute-make-a-sound-which-is-smoother-and-less/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [Our lives are shaped by those who love us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/our-lives-are-shaped-by-those-who-love-us/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [Attitudes are capable of making the same experience either pleasant or painful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/attitudes-are-capable-of-making-the-same-experience-either-pleasant/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [The only love worthy of a name is unconditional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/the-only-love-worthy-of-a-name-is-unconditional/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [When we contact each other, we change each other. We are constantly making each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/when-we-contact-each-other-we-change-each-other-we-are-constantly/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) [Explore all 53 John Powell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? 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That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You just don't make decisions about what you're going to be like when you are old. I know that I am making that decision right now. Every time we perceive ourselves, others, life, the world and God in a certain way, we are deepening the habits that will take over in old age. Every time I act on the insights that I am getting now I am deciding my future and choosing to be a kindly or cynical old man. 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