--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Research] suggests that what we think of…" description: "\"[Research] suggests that what we think of as free will is largely an illusion: much of the time, we are simply operating on automatic pilot, and the wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/malcolm-gladwell-348_free-will_research-suggests-that-what-we-think-of_133351.png" --- # \[Research\] suggests that what we think of as free will is… ![“[Research] suggests that what we think of as free will is largely an illusion: much of the time, we are simply operating on automatic pilot, and the way we think and act – and how well we think and act on the spur of the moment – are a lot more susceptible to outside influences than we realize.” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/malcolm-gladwell-348_free-will_research-suggests-that-what-we-think-of_133351.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/malcolm-gladwell-348_free-will_research-suggests-that-what-we-think-of_133351.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/malcolm-gladwell-348_free-will_research-suggests-that-what-we-think-of_133351.png) > “\[Research\] suggests that what we think of as free will is largely an illusion: much of the time, we are simply operating on automatic pilot, and the way we think and act – and how well we think and act on the spur of the moment – are a lot more susceptible to outside influences than we realize.” [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Free will is mostly an illusion; much of our behavior is automatic and heavily influenced by external factors. **In simple terms:** We often act on autopilot, not true free will. Key Takeaway Recognize external influences on decisions. Themes psychology philosophy behavior determinism autonomy Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - daily choices - marketing - education Key Concepts cognitive bias social influence habit formation Questions to Reflect On - How can we increase self-awareness? - What limits can we set on external influences? A Different Perspective Ignoring agency can lead to fatalism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Free will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-will/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Outside influences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outside-influences/) [Pilots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilots/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Spur of the moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spur-of-the-moment/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“He already knew that life was largely illusion, that though wonderful things could happen, nevertheless as many disappointments came in compensation: and he knew,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sansom/he-already-knew-that-life-was-largely-illusion-that-though-wonderful/) [William Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sansom/) > [“Safety is largely an illusion, and panic knows this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-zoey-chin/safety-is-largely-an-illusion-and-panic-knows-this/) Rita Zoey Chin > [Dont Act , Then Think , Unless You Wanna Regret .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-act-then-think-unless-you-wanna-regret/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's still people who think me being married to a sista is an act. What, you think I'd make that up for a persona?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-owen/there-s-still-people-who-think-me-being-married-to-a-sista-is-an-act/) [Gary Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-owen/) > [Chemistry is really about two people who like to act together, I think. It's like tennis in the most cliched way. It's like if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/chemistry-is-really-about-two-people-who-like-to-act-together-i-think/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) > [We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/we-must-help-the-child-to-act-for-himself-will-for-himself-think-for/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [With the Great Detective, to think was to act, and to act was to think. Frequently he could do both together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/with-the-great-detective-to-think-was-to-act-and-to-act-was-to-think/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [The most courageous act is still to think about yourself , aloud .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-courageous-act-is-still-to-think-about-yourself-aloud/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Think before you act; think twice before you speak..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/think-before-you-act-think-twice-before-you-speak/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think before you speak, and you think before you act and you think about me and the love we share everything will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-think-before-you-speak-and-you-think-before-you-act-and-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do not care what they think. They can hate, judge, talk behind my back, try to step up they game. Although, one thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-not-care-what-they-think-they-can-hate-judge-talk-behind-my-back/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Deep down weve all constructed an idea of who we should be: how we should look, act, think, feel and be regarded by others.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/deep-down-weve-all-constructed-an-idea-of-who-we-should-be-how-we/) Senoraroy > [The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-chanel/the-most-courageous-act-is-still-to-think-for-yourself-aloud/) [Coco Chanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-chanel/) > [AI will allow the soldier to act and think much more quickly. Whoever gets to AI first, I believe, will have dominance for many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-esper/ai-will-allow-the-soldier-to-act-and-think-much-more-quickly-whoever/) [Mark Esper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-esper/) > [I shall act as I think my duty requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/i-shall-act-as-i-think-my-duty-requires/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) ## More by Malcolm Gladwell > [When I go to my health club, and it's in the basement, you have to take the elevator down. 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If they were moral leaders, they wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-need-to-be-clear-when-we-venerate-entrepreneurs-what-we-are/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Some people look like they sound better than they actually sound, because they look confident and have good posture," once musician, a veteran of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/some-people-look-like-they-sound-better-than-they-actually-sound/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [A handicap is like trying to race and you have a ten pound weight stuck to your waist. That is a handicap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/a-handicap-is-like-trying-to-race-and-you-have-a-ten-pound-weight/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“neighborhood was filled with engineers from Hewlett-Packard, then as now one of”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/neighborhood-was-filled-with-engineers-from-hewlett-packard-then-as/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“People are ruined by challenged economic lives. 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They are famously "the people of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-conventional-explanation-for-jewish-success-of-course-is-that/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“An archway to one side leads to a church, the Madonna del Carmine—Our Lady of Mount Carmine. Narrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/an-archway-to-one-side-leads-to-a-church-the-madonna-del-carmine-our/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [People are experience-rich and theory-poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-experience-rich-and-theory-poor/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Most psychologists believe that nature—genetics—accounts for about half of the reason why we tend to act the way we do. His point is simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/most-psychologists-believe-that-nature-genetics-accounts-for-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) [Explore all 647 Malcolm Gladwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## More Free will quotes > [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/) > [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Only when he voluntarily chooses that which he inexorably must do, has man any free will at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-when-he-voluntarily-chooses-that-which-he-inexorably-must-do-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The goal of the Creator is for each entity to make a conscious choice to again seek Oneness, out of our own free will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilcock/the-goal-of-the-creator-is-for-each-entity-to-make-a-conscious-choice/) [David Wilcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilcock/) > [“The answer to the question raised in the title of this essay - Is salvation a matter of divine determination or human responsibility? -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layton-talbert/the-answer-to-the-question-raised-in-the-title-of-this-essay-is/) [Layton Talbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layton-talbert/) > [“Mastema prefers absolutes. He wants fences on the world and everything in its place, neat and tidy as a churchyard garden. God is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-crow/mastema-prefers-absolutes-he-wants-fences-on-the-world-and-everything/) Kirby Crow > [“There is a big park in the middle of the locality. Surrounded by at least 50 houses. That those residents got to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-paula/there-is-a-big-park-in-the-middle-of-the-locality-surrounded-by-at/) [Andy Paula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-paula/) > [I believe in free will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessa-crispin/i-believe-in-free-will/) [Jessa Crispin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessa-crispin/) > [“Most people live life on the path we set for them. Too afraid to explore any other. But once in a while people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-adjustment-bureau/most-people-live-life-on-the-path-we-set-for-them-too-afraid-to/) The Adjustment Bureau > [They either attach themselves to God's will, which results in their continuous progress, improvement and advancement, or they oppose God's will, are justly subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/they-either-attach-themselves-to-god-s-will-which-results-in-their/) [Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/) > [I know we can each do something, however small that act may seem to be. We can pay an honest tithe and give our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/i-know-we-can-each-do-something-however-small-that-act-may-seem-to-be/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“We are built to desire free will and to choose our own destiny. It's not about being right or wrong; it's about the celebration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deiamor-verus/we-are-built-to-desire-free-will-and-to-choose-our-own-destiny-it-s/) DeiAmor Verus > [Your true nature doesn't come out. 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