--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had been someone before. That person…" description: "\"He had been someone before. That person had been the result of a lifetime of choices, good and bad. And like it or not, he was drawing closer to that i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/marcus-sakey-5370_choices_he-had-been-someone-before-that-person-h_448832.png" --- # He had been someone before. That person had been the… ![“He had been someone before. That person had been the result of a lifetime of choices, good and bad. And like it or not, he was drawing closer to that identity now. Not the freedom of infinite variety, but the tyranny of a decision made, a path walked, a life lived. What if he didn't like the view” quote by Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/marcus-sakey-5370_choices_he-had-been-someone-before-that-person-h_448832.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/marcus-sakey-5370_choices_he-had-been-someone-before-that-person-h_448832.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/marcus-sakey-5370_choices_he-had-been-someone-before-that-person-h_448832.png) > “He had been someone before. That person had been the result of a lifetime of choices, good and bad. And like it or not, he was drawing closer to that identity now. Not the freedom of infinite variety, but the tyranny of a decision made, a path walked, a life lived. What if he didn't like the view” [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our past choices shape our identity, limiting perceived freedom and creating a sense of inevitability. **In simple terms:** Choices define us and limit freedom. Key Takeaway Accept past choices, shape future actions. Themes identity choice freedom determinism Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - long‑term planning - self‑reflection Key Concepts self‑concept life narrative agency Questions to Reflect On - How do past decisions influence your current self? - Can you redefine your identity? A Different Perspective Identity can be reshaped through conscious change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decisions made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions-made/) [Drawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drawing/) [Good and bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-bad/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Identity Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity-freedom-3920905/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Infinite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-lived/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Lifetime Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime-choices-3920906/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Walked Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walked-life-775067/) [What if](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-if/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't want to just write a series - I wanted to write an epic, on story that spans three books, where decisions made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/i-didn-t-want-to-just-write-a-series-i-wanted-to-write-an-epic-on/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [Thanks to the people that walked in to my life and made it better. 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He gave me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-ward/he-walked-into-my-life-and-slowly-gently-he-showed-me-how-to-smile/) [Natalie Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-ward/) > [You walked in and my life began again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steely-dan/you-walked-in-and-my-life-began-again/) [Steely Dan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steely-dan/) > [I THOUGHT I WAS ALONE UNTIL YOU WALKED IN MY LIFE .THANKS FOR BEING THERE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-thought-i-was-alone-until-you-walked-in-my-life-thanks-for-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“From the day you first walked into my life, you’ve been saving me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-ward/from-the-day-you-first-walked-into-my-life-you-ve-been-saving-me/) [Penelope Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-ward/) > [“And what a refreshing and happy horror that there was nobody there! 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From the moment I talked to him, I knew he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/from-the-moment-he-walked-into-my-life-i-never-wanted-him-to-leave/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You walked into my life and made it a hundred times better, honey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lila-felix/you-walked-into-my-life-and-made-it-a-hundred-times-better-honey/) [Lila Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lila-felix/) ## More by Marcus Sakey > [“There was a skill to organizing your life into neatly bundled anecdotes, and he lacked it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/there-was-a-skill-to-organizing-your-life-into-neatly-bundled/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [“you are going to find that the heights you’ve attained make for a long fall if you don’t understand the mountain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/you-are-going-to-find-that-the-heights-you-ve-attained-make-for-a/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [Once I came to really understand the mechanics of three-act structure, my life got a great deal easier. 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That’s what matters. That’s what tells us something. But people want to see pictures. Supernova in vivid color. Even though scientifically it’s useless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/data-that-s-what-matters-that-s-what-tells-us-something-but-people/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [“intentions and results. Cooper’s intentions in killing Peters and releasing the video had been good; the results had been a disaster. 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It’s not a television, or a car, or a house. It’s not an item…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/here-s-the-thing-about-freedom-freedom-is-not-a-couch-it-s-not-a/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [“Now sit down and shut up, you autocratic frat boy. It’s adult swim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/now-sit-down-and-shut-up-you-autocratic-frat-boy-it-s-adult-swim/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [“Cooper had a theory about personality. Most people considered personality to be a singular identity. Malleable, sure, but essentially cohesive. But he tended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/cooper-had-a-theory-about-personality-most-people-considered/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) [Explore all 99 Marcus Sakey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [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/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. 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When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [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/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He had been someone before. 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