--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had two options One was to remain…" description: "\"I had two options One was to remain silent and wait to be killed and the second was to speak up and then be killed. I chose the second one. I decided t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/malala-yousafzai-808_decided_i-had-two-options-one-was-to-remain-sile_188057.jpg" --- # I had two options One was to remain silent and wait to be… ![“I had two options One was to remain silent and wait to be killed and the second was to speak up and then be killed. I chose the second one. I decided to speak up.” quote by Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/malala-yousafzai-808_decided_i-had-two-options-one-was-to-remain-sile_188057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/malala-yousafzai-808_decided_i-had-two-options-one-was-to-remain-sile_188057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/malala-yousafzai-808_decided_i-had-two-options-one-was-to-remain-sile_188057.jpg) > “I had two options One was to remain silent and wait to be killed and the second was to speak up and then be killed. I chose the second one. I decided to speak up.” [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing to speak out despite fatal risk underscores the power of moral courage over self‑preservation. **In simple terms:** Speaking out is riskier but shows bravery. Key Takeaway Courage over fear. Themes courage justice activism Mood determined defiant Type inspirational political When to use this quote - political oppression - human rights advocacy - personal decision - public speaking Key Concepts moral courage risk voice Questions to Reflect On - What cause would you risk your life for? - How does fear shape your choices? A Different Perspective Choosing silence also protects life but may enable injustice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Two options](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-options/) ## Related quotes > [I had 2 choices, be silent and get killed, or speak up and be killed, I chose the second option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-had-2-choices-be-silent-and-get-killed-or-speak-up-and-be-killed-i/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [Mr President, I have decided not to speak the entire speech which I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afonso-van-dunem/mr-president-i-have-decided-not-to-speak-the-entire-speech-which-i/) Afonso Van-Dunem > [“it was better to fight through the objective and die in the assault than lie around and wait to be killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-cameron/it-was-better-to-fight-through-the-objective-and-die-in-the-assault/) [Marc Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-cameron/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [“You have two options to choose from as an aspiring achiever; either you become excellent or you become excellent! Mediocrity is never an option!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-have-two-options-to-choose-from-as-an-aspiring-achiever-either/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A man wants to walk across the land, but the earth is covered with thorns. He has two options - one is to pave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-waitzkin/a-man-wants-to-walk-across-the-land-but-the-earth-is-covered-with/) [Joshua Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-waitzkin/) > [You're standing in the cage and you've got two options - you can quit or you can continue going, and I'm not a quitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-franklin/you-re-standing-in-the-cage-and-you-ve-got-two-options-you-can-quit/) [Rich Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-franklin/) > [If you cannot always elicit a straight answer from the unconscious brain, how can you access its knowledge? Sometimes the trick is merely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/if-you-cannot-always-elicit-a-straight-answer-from-the-unconscious/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [A monkey is a much better voter than a socialist. Statistically speaking, if we assume that there are two options to choose from: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-korwin-mikke/a-monkey-is-a-much-better-voter-than-a-socialist-statistically/) [Janusz Korwin-Mikke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-korwin-mikke/) > [You've got two options: Tap or SNAP !!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-bryan/you-ve-got-two-options-tap-or-snap/) [Daniel Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-bryan/) > [There are two options for any society: total prohibition as in a totalitarian state, or total license. Both avoid the ardours of decision. Both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/there-are-two-options-for-any-society-total-prohibition-as-in-a/) [P. 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James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up or fight like hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/we-have-two-options-medically-and-emotionally-give-up-or-fight-like/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Once you get to the plate, you have two options: You either quit, or you try to hit the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-uhlaender/once-you-get-to-the-plate-you-have-two-options-you-either-quit-or-you/) [Katie Uhlaender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-uhlaender/) > [There are only two options for a ship: Either to sail to the sea and fight with the waves or rot in a port!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/there-are-only-two-options-for-a-ship-either-to-sail-to-the-sea-and/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [There are two options: adapt or die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/there-are-two-options-adapt-or-die/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) ## More by Malala Yousafzai > [I don't want to be remembered as the girl who was shot. I want to be remembered as the girl who stood up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-don-t-want-to-be-remembered-as-the-girl-who-was-shot-i-want-to-be/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I think I have a right to live my life the way I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-think-i-have-a-right-to-live-my-life-the-way-i-like/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I want to have fun, but I don't quite know how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-want-to-have-fun-but-i-don-t-quite-know-how/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [In some parts of the world, students are going to school every day. It's their normal life. But in other part of the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/in-some-parts-of-the-world-students-are-going-to-school-every-day-it/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [If one man can destroy everything, why can't one girl change it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/if-one-man-can-destroy-everything-why-can-t-one-girl-change-it/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [“We all played cricket on the street or rooftops together, but I knew as we got older the girls would be expected to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/we-all-played-cricket-on-the-street-or-rooftops-together-but-i-knew/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [When I was young I used to listen to other people and to try and understand what they thought and where they were coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/when-i-was-young-i-used-to-listen-to-other-people-and-to-try-and/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [Once I had asked God for one or two extra inches in height, but instead, he made me as tall as the sky, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/once-i-had-asked-god-for-one-or-two-extra-inches-in-height-but/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [We human beings don't realize how great God is. 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