--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you leave here today and commence…" description: "\"When you leave here today and commence the next stage of your life, you can follow someone else's script, try to make choices that will make other peop..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63e/kerry-washington-7918_accomplished_when-you-leave-here-today-and-commence-t_1003819.jpg" --- # When you leave here today and commence the next stage of… ![“When you leave here today and commence the next stage of your life, you can follow someone else's script, try to make choices that will make other people happy, avoid discomfort, do what is expected, and copy the status quo. Or you can look at all that you have accomplished today and use it as…” quote by Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63e/kerry-washington-7918_accomplished_when-you-leave-here-today-and-commence-t_1003819.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63e/kerry-washington-7918_accomplished_when-you-leave-here-today-and-commence-t_1003819.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63e/kerry-washington-7918_accomplished_when-you-leave-here-today-and-commence-t_1003819.jpg) > “When you leave here today and commence the next stage of your life, you can follow someone else's script, try to make choices that will make other people happy, avoid discomfort, do what is expected, and copy the status quo. Or you can look at all that you have accomplished today and use it as fuel to venture forth and write your own story. If you do, amazing things will take shape.” [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. You can either follow others’ expectations or use past achievements as motivation to forge your own path, leading to extraordinary outcomes **In simple terms:** Choose your own path using past successes as fuel Key Takeaway Take ownership of your story Themes self‑empowerment choice growth Mood motivational empowering Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career transitions - entrepreneurship - personal milestones - leadership development Key Concepts personal development goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What achievements can you leverage for future goals? - How will you define success on your own terms? A Different Perspective Fear of failure may deter bold choices ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplished/) [Amazing things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazing-things/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Choices Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-make/) [Copies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copies/) [Discomfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discomfort/) [Expected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expected/) [Follow Script](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-script-2135949/) [Fuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuel/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Leave Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave-today-619006/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Make Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-choices/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Scripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripts/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Venture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/venture/) [Write Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-story/) [Write your own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-your-own/) [Write Your Own Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-your-own-story/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [People have been telling me I'm a failure and that I'm doing it all wrong for 20 years now. Never trust anybody when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/people-have-been-telling-me-i-m-a-failure-and-that-i-m-doing-it-all/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [Respect is one of the greatest expressions of Love. If other people try to write your story, it means they don't respect you. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/respect-is-one-of-the-greatest-expressions-of-love-if-other-people/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [You have to write your own story, your own graph and rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chunky-pandey/you-have-to-write-your-own-story-your-own-graph-and-rhythm/) [Chunky Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chunky-pandey/) > [“Remember each new day you get to turn a page in your life and write your own story. So how do you choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-each-new-day-you-get-to-turn-a-page-in-your-life-and-write/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Write your own story, preferably in tattoos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-rachelle/write-your-own-story-preferably-in-tattoos/) [Lauren Rachelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-rachelle/) > [“Don’t tell me to write your story. Write your own story. If you won’t write it down, it probably isn’t worth writing down—or reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/don-t-tell-me-to-write-your-story-write-your-own-story-if-you-won-t/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“In life you must write your own story, or one will be written for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-garces/in-life-you-must-write-your-own-story-or-one-will-be-written-for-you/) [A.J. Garces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-garces/) > [“The problem is that you don't always get to write your own story. You get written into some stories, and if ask why, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-kiely/the-problem-is-that-you-don-t-always-get-to-write-your-own-story-you/) [Brendan Kiely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-kiely/) > [“Your life isn't some prerecorded movie where, no matter how many times you watch it, the ending remains the same. Your life is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/your-life-isn-t-some-prerecorded-movie-where-no-matter-how-many-times/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [If you allow others to dictate your life, you will never write your own story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-you-allow-others-to-dictate-your-life-you-will-never-write-your/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Write your own story... because you never want to end up just a footnote in somebody else's story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnreyes/write-your-own-story-because-you-never-want-to-end-up-just-a-footnote/) [JOHNREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnreyes/) > [Don't let other people define you. It's not their life; it's not their story. Live your own life, and write your own story. Define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-days/don-t-let-other-people-define-you-it-s-not-their-life-it-s-not-their/) [June Days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-days/) > [Have the courage to go beyond other people's rules and expectations. I pray that you will live and write your own story and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/have-the-courage-to-go-beyond-other-people-s-rules-and-expectations-i/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [“Remember, you can’t change anybody else. But you can write your own story differently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-marie-stewart/remember-you-can-t-change-anybody-else-but-you-can-write-your-own/) [Ann Marie Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-marie-stewart/) > [“I'd been forced into a movie, and there was nothing to do but follow the script.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/i-d-been-forced-into-a-movie-and-there-was-nothing-to-do-but-follow/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) ## More by Kerry Washington > [Making the unbelievable believable is different on a set with 'Fantastic Four,' where it's like, 'Wind machines! Because the airship is coming in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/making-the-unbelievable-believable-is-different-on-a-set-with/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I wouldn't just come home from school and watch TV everyday, they had me involved in lots of local theatre. I was a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-wouldn-t-just-come-home-from-school-and-watch-tv-everyday-they-had/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I'd figure out ways to use role-playing in the healing of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-d-figure-out-ways-to-use-role-playing-in-the-healing-of-people/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [People don't think about the fact that when Barack Obama's parents had him it was illegal for them to be married in several states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/your-life-is-your-story-and-the-adventure-ahead-of-you-is-the-journey/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I'll be honest with you. I'm a little bit of a loner. It's been a big part of my maturing process to learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-ll-be-honest-with-you-i-m-a-little-bit-of-a-loner-it-s-been-a-big/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I think everything in life happens for a reason. I always think there's room for me to improve as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-think-everything-in-life-happens-for-a-reason-i-always-think-there/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [My brain and my heart are really important to me. I don't know why I wouldn't seek help to have those things be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/my-brain-and-my-heart-are-really-important-to-me-i-don-t-know-why-i/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [Because having your story told as a woman, as a person of color, as a lesbian, as a trans person, or as any member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/because-having-your-story-told-as-a-woman-as-a-person-of-color-as-a/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [Black community, I think as a whole America is dealing with the issue of homophobia. We got to be really honest about whether we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/black-community-i-think-as-a-whole-america-is-dealing-with-the-issue/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I've always been a writer because I've always been a student. My mom's a retired professor, so I come from a very academic background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-ve-always-been-a-writer-because-i-ve-always-been-a-student-my-mom-s/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I always prided myself on the fact that I could live out of milk crates forever. It was kind of my way of detaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-always-prided-myself-on-the-fact-that-i-could-live-out-of-milk/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [When somebody shows up at your job and jeopardizes your job, yelling and screaming, that's financial abuse. It threatens your ability to take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/when-somebody-shows-up-at-your-job-and-jeopardizes-your-job-yelling/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I don't gravitate toward any one designer because I think of fashion as the costume of the everyday woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-don-t-gravitate-toward-any-one-designer-because-i-think-of-fashion/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I think that the best day will be when we no longer talk about being gay or straight - it's not a 'gay wedding,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-think-that-the-best-day-will-be-when-we-no-longer-talk-about-being/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) [Explore all 86 Kerry Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) ## More Accomplished quotes > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/even-the-most-sublimely-accomplished-non-stop-talker-can-t/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [ \[U\]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulamith-firestone/u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together-and-on-alliances-of-self/) [Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulamith-firestone/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [Like all writers, he measured the achievements of others by what they had accomplished, asking of them that they measure him by what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/like-all-writers-he-measured-the-achievements-of-others-by-what-they/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I'm proud of what I've accomplished and that is empowering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/violet-chachki/i-m-proud-of-what-i-ve-accomplished-and-that-is-empowering/) [Violet Chachki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/violet-chachki/) > [We do not know today whether we are busy or idle. In times when we thought ourselves indolent, we have afterwards discovered that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-do-not-know-today-whether-we-are-busy-or-idle-in-times-when-we/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I don't know Beyoncé, but I have the impression that she's sincere, that she really is a feminist and wanted to put the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-don-t-know-beyonc-but-i-have-the-impression-that-she-s-sincere-that/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [The gain in self-confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labour is immense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-gain-in-self-confidence-of-having-accomplished-a-tiresome-labour/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [With Epcot Center, the Disney corporation has accomplished something I didn't think possible in today's world. They have created a land of make-believe that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-accomplished-something-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listing the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act could harm bear conservation efforts by eliminating revenues from the carefully-regulated sport hunting of polar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-ridenour/listing-the-polar-bear-under-the-endangered-species-act-could-harm/) [Amy Ridenour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-ridenour/) > [“Great things can be accomplished, when it doesnt matter who gets the credit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/great-things-can-be-accomplished-when-it-doesnt-matter-who-gets-the/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [If I could inspire you for even a moment to be yourself and love yourself, and not let what anyone has to say hinder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-neal-hartry/if-i-could-inspire-you-for-even-a-moment-to-be-yourself-and-love/) [Joshua Neal Hartry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-neal-hartry/) [Browse all 1,379 Accomplished quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplished/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you leave here today and commence the next stage of your life, you can follow someone else's script, try to make choices that will make other people happy, avoid discomfort, do what is expected, and copy the status quo. 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