--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s a hard choice, but this is why I…" description: "\"“It’s a hard choice, but this is why I lead. No one else has the stomach to do the unpleasant things that sometimes need doing.”\" — Kendare Blake" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/kendare-blake-1667_athena_it-s-a-hard-choice-but-this-is-why-i-lea_2593887.jpg" --- # It’s a hard choice, but this is why I lead. No one else… ![“It’s a hard choice, but this is why I lead. No one else has the stomach to do the unpleasant things that sometimes need doing.” quote by Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/kendare-blake-1667_athena_it-s-a-hard-choice-but-this-is-why-i-lea_2593887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/kendare-blake-1667_athena_it-s-a-hard-choice-but-this-is-why-i-lea_2593887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/kendare-blake-1667_athena_it-s-a-hard-choice-but-this-is-why-i-lea_2593887.jpg) > ““It’s a hard choice, but this is why I lead. No one else has the stomach to do the unpleasant things that sometimes need doing.”” [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership requires confronting unpleasant tasks that others avoid, emphasizing moral courage over comfort. **In simple terms:** Leaders do the hard, unwanted work. Key Takeaway Embrace responsibility despite discomfort. Themes leadership ethics courage Mood serious determined Type leadership motivational When to use this quote - business management - political leadership - crisis response Key Concepts moral philosophy decision making Questions to Reflect On - What uncomfortable decisions have you avoided? - How do you assess the morality of tough choices? A Different Perspective Not all unpleasant tasks are justified; motives matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athena/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) ## Related quotes > [“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/) > [“The choice to lead is nurtured by the willingness to rise above challenges of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-choice-to-lead-is-nurtured-by-the-willingness-to-rise-above/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Don’t I have a choice in this?” But when she looks behind her, the answer is clear. There are two guards waiting to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/don-t-i-have-a-choice-in-this-but-when-she-looks-behind-her-the/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [When you are faced with an important decision, be sure that your choice will lead you nearer to Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-v-johnson/when-you-are-faced-with-an-important-decision-be-sure-that-your/) [Paul V. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-v-johnson/) > [As a leader, you get a pat on the back when you make a hard choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/as-a-leader-you-get-a-pat-on-the-back-when-you-make-a-hard-choice/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [Audiences cry in the theater when people make a hard choice-for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-c-davis/audiences-cry-in-the-theater-when-people-make-a-hard-choice-for-life/) Bill C Davis > [Sometimes you have to accept how things are. You can make it easy on yourself, or you can make it hard. The choice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-mallery/sometimes-you-have-to-accept-how-things-are-you-can-make-it-easy-on/) [Susan Mallery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-mallery/) > [I think this is a very hard choice, but the price - we think the price is worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-think-this-is-a-very-hard-choice-but-the-price-we-think-the-price/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [If you want to know how a person is, just put some kind of hard choice in front of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-want-to-know-how-a-person-is-just-put-some-kind-of-hard-choice/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“Hell, everyone's nice until some kind of hard choice is put in front of them. Coronado: Stories”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/hell-everyone-s-nice-until-some-kind-of-hard-choice-is-put-in-front/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [Whoever you name as captain, it's a hard choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/whoever-you-name-as-captain-it-s-a-hard-choice/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [“A hard choice. Water or books. Hmm. One could always have wine instead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-vreeland/a-hard-choice-water-or-books-hmm-one-could-always-have-wine-instead/) [Susan Vreeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-vreeland/) > [I have practically no private life. I'm already used to this and ready for it. Yes, sometimes it is hard, but it is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/i-have-practically-no-private-life-i-m-already-used-to-this-and-ready/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [“not everyone could walk into the dark and make the hard choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hart/not-everyone-could-walk-into-the-dark-and-make-the-hard-choice/) [John Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hart/) > [Age shakes Athena's tower, but spares gray Marathon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/age-shakes-athena-s-tower-but-spares-gray-marathon/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) ## More by Kendare Blake > [“Rolanth Temple is a weather queen's temple, open to the east and west, the roof supported by beams and thick marble columns. Air moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/rolanth-temple-is-a-weather-queen-s-temple-open-to-the-east-and-west/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“No estoy asustado. A pesar del dolor agudo y de saber que algo viene a por mí, no tengo miedo. Ella está conmigo. Ella…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/no-estoy-asustado-a-pesar-del-dolor-agudo-y-de-saber-que-algo-viene-a/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“Girls, on the other hand, have always come easy. I don't know why that is, exactly. Maybe it's the outsider vibe and a well-placed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/girls-on-the-other-hand-have-always-come-easy-i-don-t-know-why-that/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“We wear him like chains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/we-wear-him-like-chains/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“But everyone knows that the Breccia Domain is more than an empty hole in the earth. Who knows what happened to the queens who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/but-everyone-knows-that-the-breccia-domain-is-more-than-an-empty-hole/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“If your mom's a witch, what does that make you? Harry Potter?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/if-your-mom-s-a-witch-what-does-that-make-you-harry-potter/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“She glares at me resentfully, like I'm being unfair. But she's probably going to try to kill me, and kill me righteously , so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/she-glares-at-me-resentfully-like-i-m-being-unfair-but-she-s-probably/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“She jogs until she reaches Billy, and falls in step beside him. He glances at her, then back at the ground. “Is this how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/she-jogs-until-she-reaches-billy-and-falls-in-step-beside-him-he/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“You'd better come in handy. Something tells me we won't have time to be saving damsels in distress." Anna's brows knit. "Damsels? You get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/you-d-better-come-in-handy-something-tells-me-we-won-t-have-time-to/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“I even had this idea that the knife stopped working, that after a certain time it just stops working for you, when your number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/i-even-had-this-idea-that-the-knife-stopped-working-that-after-a/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“The state of shock is losing its charm. I want my brain back. Can’t it just shake itself off like a dog already and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/the-state-of-shock-is-losing-its-charm-i-want-my-brain-back-can-t-it/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“She draws her sister's blood with a pair of silver shears. What was meant to simply trim her hair has instead shorn off an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/she-draws-her-sister-s-blood-with-a-pair-of-silver-shears-what-was/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“But somewhere out there is the one that matters. Somewhere out there is the one that I came for, one who is strong enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/but-somewhere-out-there-is-the-one-that-matters-somewhere-out-there/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“The blood inside her hands hurt and felt slushy, like if you tore them open it'd look like a red ICEE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/the-blood-inside-her-hands-hurt-and-felt-slushy-like-if-you-tore-them/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [“Jules!” Arsinoe hisses. “Jules, are you down here?” “Arsinoe!” Jules and Camden scramble up to the bars as Arsinoe runs to them. They embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/jules-arsinoe-hisses-jules-are-you-down-here-arsinoe-jules-and-camden/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) [Explore all 199 Kendare Blake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) ## More Athena quotes > [Age shakes Athena's tower, but spares gray Marathon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/age-shakes-athena-s-tower-but-spares-gray-marathon/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [ If I do manage to come up with a scheme \[to naming\], however, I stick to it, which is why my cats are named… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-vernon/if-i-do-manage-to-come-up-with-a-scheme-to-naming-however-i-stick-to/) [Ursula Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-vernon/) > [“Remind me again-why do you hate me so much?" I don't hate you." Could've fooled me." She folded her cap of invisibility. "Look...we're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/remind-me-again-why-do-you-hate-me-so-much-i-don-t-hate-you-could-ve/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“This vessel requires sustenance." "You want... breakfast?" Lore guessed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/this-vessel-requires-sustenance-you-want-breakfast-lore-guessed/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) > [Nefertiti is like Athena born from the brow of Zeus, a head-heavy armored goddess. She is beautiful but desexed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/nefertiti-is-like-athena-born-from-the-brow-of-zeus-a-head-heavy/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [What if it lines up like it did in the Trojan War ... Athena versus Poseidon?" "I don't know. But I just know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/what-if-it-lines-up-like-it-did-in-the-trojan-war-athena-versus/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [ “It was told that during the wedding feast, Eris \[Discordia\], a daughter of Nyx, threw a golden apple into their midst, intended as a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-chong/it-was-told-that-during-the-wedding-feast-eris-discordia-a-daughter/) [Nicholas Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-chong/) > [What exactly did you find in Atlanta?” Frank unzipped his backpack and started bringing out souvenirs. “Some peach preserves. A couple of T-shirts. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/what-exactly-did-you-find-in-atlanta-frank-unzipped-his-backpack-and/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Aphros nodded, a glint of pride in his eyes. “We have trained all the famous mer-heroes! Name a famous mer-hero, and we have trained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/aphros-nodded-a-glint-of-pride-in-his-eyes-we-have-trained-all-the/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [But the owls themselves are not hard to find, silent and on the wing, with their ear tufts flat against their heads as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/but-the-owls-themselves-are-not-hard-to-find-silent-and-on-the-wing/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“There's always a way out for those clever enough to find it." -Athena”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/there-s-always-a-way-out-for-those-clever-enough-to-find-it-athena/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The most dangerous flaws are those which are good in moderation," she said. "Evil is easy to fight. Lack of wisdom… that is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/the-most-dangerous-flaws-are-those-which-are-good-in-moderation-she/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Right before the game, she strolled up to me. "Hey, Seaweed Brain." "Will you stop calling me that?" She knows I hate that name,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/right-before-the-game-she-strolled-up-to-me-hey-seaweed-brain-will/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Bind your fate to mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/bind-your-fate-to-mine/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) > [“Athena shifted under my gaze and cleared her throat. “She’s brave, your wife.” I didn’t so much as blink. “She’s stronger than she looks.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/athena-shifted-under-my-gaze-and-cleared-her-throat-she-s-brave-your/) [Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/) [Browse all 116 Athena quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athena/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It’s a hard choice, but this is why I lead. 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