--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's an illusion to think that a choice…" description: "\"“It's an illusion to think that a choice is open to us, unless we are open to that choice.”\" — John Spurling" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/john-spurling-96351_choice_it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice_1890509.jpg" --- # It's an illusion to think that a choice is open to us… ![“It's an illusion to think that a choice is open to us, unless we are open to that choice.” quote by John Spurling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/john-spurling-96351_choice_it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice_1890509.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/john-spurling-96351_choice_it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice_1890509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/john-spurling-96351_choice_it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice_1890509.jpg) > ““It's an illusion to think that a choice is open to us, unless we are open to that choice.”” [John Spurling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spurling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choices feel limited unless we are mentally prepared to consider them; openness is required to perceive options. **In simple terms:** We can only see choices when we’re ready to accept them. Key Takeaway Cultivate openness before deciding. Themes philosophy psychology decision-making Mood thoughtful analytical inquisitive Type Choice:1 Illusion:1 Think Choice:0 Illusion Think:0 Open Choice:1 When to use this quote - personal growth - decision analysis - mindset training Key Concepts choice perception mental openness illusion of freedom Questions to Reflect On - How does mental readiness affect decision quality? - Can true openness exist without bias? A Different Perspective If we are open, choices may still be constrained by external factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Illusion Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion-think-1444713/) [Open Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-choice-2318527/) [Think Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-choice-336573/) ## Related quotes > [Morality pertains only to the sphere of man's free will - only to those actions which are open to his choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/morality-pertains-only-to-the-sphere-of-man-s-free-will-only-to-those/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [She said, 'You can be broken, or broken open. That choice is yours.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-bauermeister/she-said-you-can-be-broken-or-broken-open-that-choice-is-yours/) [Erica Bauermeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-bauermeister/) > [I think, if I had my choice, I would spend all my time in the studio writing, and creating music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-condon/i-think-if-i-had-my-choice-i-would-spend-all-my-time-in-the-studio/) [Zach Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-condon/) > [It is pure illusion to think that an opinion which passes down from century to century, from generation to generation, may not be entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayle/it-is-pure-illusion-to-think-that-an-opinion-which-passes-down-from/) [Pierre Bayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayle/) > [When we cultivate mystical awareness or transcendent identity--which is a natural outgrowth of meditation and other practices--what happens is that we begin to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-redfield/when-we-cultivate-mystical-awareness-or-transcendent-identity-which-2/) [James Redfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-redfield/) > [It is pure illusion to think that an opinion that passes down from century to century, from generation to generation, may not be entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayle/it-is-pure-illusion-to-think-that-an-opinion-that-passes-down-from/) [Pierre Bayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayle/) > [Any fear is an illusion. You think something is standing in your way, but nothing is really there. What is there is an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/any-fear-is-an-illusion-you-think-something-is-standing-in-your-way/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [“This has the added negative effect of giving them the illusion of confidence. It is a hard lesson to accept, but the success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carroll/this-has-the-added-negative-effect-of-giving-them-the-illusion-of/) [Robert Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carroll/) > [It is an illusion to think that the matter cannot be resolved through words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/it-is-an-illusion-to-think-that-the-matter-cannot-be-resolved-through/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [It is an illusion to think that the matter can be resolved through words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/it-is-an-illusion-to-think-that-the-matter-can-be-resolved-through/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [I don't put a girl in a box and clap my hands three times, and she's gone. I get in the box, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-henning/i-don-t-put-a-girl-in-a-box-and-clap-my-hands-three-times-and-she-s/) [Doug Henning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-henning/) > [“Don’t become manipulated by the illusion of who you think you are, or who you think you should be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/don-t-become-manipulated-by-the-illusion-of-who-you-think-you-are-or/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [“As for clichés, they’re an illusion. When you think about it, anything could be considered a cliché. It’s when you really bring truth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-marinello-sweeney/as-for-clich-s-they-re-an-illusion-when-you-think-about-it-anything/) [Gina Marinello-Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-marinello-sweeney/) > [In my mind I think love is an illusion that we think exists but in reality its not really there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey/in-my-mind-i-think-love-is-an-illusion-that-we-think-exists-but-in/) [Kelsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey/) > [Once you're out there in front of people, I don't think there's any choice than to just give it your all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-marshall/once-you-re-out-there-in-front-of-people-i-don-t-think-there-s-any/) [Winston Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-marshall/) ## More by John Spurling > [“Shit-buckets are everywhere, but if you are afraid of being chained to them, then you are already chained to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spurling/shit-buckets-are-everywhere-but-if-you-are-afraid-of-being-chained-to/) [John Spurling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spurling/) [Explore all 2 John Spurling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spurling/) ## 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": "“It's an illusion to think that a choice is open to us, unless we are open to that choice.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Spurling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spurling/it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice-is-open-to-us-unless-we-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spurling/it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice-is-open-to-us-unless-we-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/john-spurling-96351_choice_it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice_1890509.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/john-spurling-96351_choice_it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice_1890509.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/john-spurling-96351_choice_it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice_1890509.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's an illusion to think that a choice is open to us, unless we are open to that choice.” — John Spurling", "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": "John Spurling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spurling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It's an illusion to think that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spurling/it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice-is-open-to-us-unless-we-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spurling/it-s-an-illusion-to-think-that-a-choice-is-open-to-us-unless-we-are/#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 } } ] } ```