--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: to not act is a choice too" description: "\"to not act is a choice too\" — Melissa Marr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/melissa-marr-1875_choice_to-not-act-is-a-choice-too-2825500_2825500.png" --- # to not act is a choice too ![“to not act is a choice too” quote by Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/melissa-marr-1875_choice_to-not-act-is-a-choice-too-2825500_2825500.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/melissa-marr-1875_choice_to-not-act-is-a-choice-too-2825500_2825500.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/melissa-marr-1875_choice_to-not-act-is-a-choice-too-2825500_2825500.png) > “to not act is a choice too” [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing inaction is itself a decision, reflecting agency even when doing nothing. **In simple terms:** Inaction is a choice. Key Takeaway Recognize agency in all actions. Themes choice agency decision-making Mood contemplative neutral Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - daily life - political stance - personal relationships Key Concepts philosophy free will ethics Questions to Reflect On - When is inaction the best option? - How does inaction affect outcomes? A Different Perspective Inaction may lead to missed opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-choice-927261/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ## Related quotes > [We only see what we look at. To look is an act of choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/we-only-see-what-we-look-at-to-look-is-an-act-of-choice/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [“Every act and choice you make is creating the real you and shaping your real life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/every-act-and-choice-you-make-is-creating-the-real-you-and-shaping/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [If people are disappointed in the way I act, It's their choice. I live my life the way I am not the way they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clevelle/if-people-are-disappointed-in-the-way-i-act-it-s-their-choice-i-live/) [Clevelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clevelle/) > [People of color have to do this work as a mater of everyday survival. And so long as they have to, who am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/people-of-color-have-to-do-this-work-as-a-mater-of-everyday-survival/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [“It was her choice. In a world where so many choices weren't hers, it was a wonderful thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/it-was-her-choice-in-a-world-where-so-many-choices-weren-t-hers-it/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [“You have two choices in life...Choice one is to be the same and be like everyone else...Choice two is to be yourself and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-two-choices-in-life-choice-one-is-to-be-the-same-and-be-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [The dignity of man is in free choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/the-dignity-of-man-is-in-free-choice/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) > [“Under the idea that we can all make our own fates, that we have choices, is the reminder that sometimes we don't. That sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scott/under-the-idea-that-we-can-all-make-our-own-fates-that-we-have/) [Elizabeth Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-scott/) > [Leadership is a choice. It's the choice not to do nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/leadership-is-a-choice-it-s-the-choice-not-to-do-nothing/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I think, if I had my choice, I would spend all my time in the studio writing, and creating music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-condon/i-think-if-i-had-my-choice-i-would-spend-all-my-time-in-the-studio/) [Zach Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-condon/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Melissa Marr > [Mortals are such fragile things. Just tender feelings walking around exposed in their delicate shells...Easy to crush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/mortals-are-such-fragile-things-just-tender-feelings-walking-around/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [How was I to know? ... You didn't say anything.""I said lots of things," he corrected gently. "You just didn't hear them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/how-was-i-to-know-you-didn-t-say-anything-i-said-lots-of-things-he/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [She turned so they were face-to-face and gave him back the words he'd offered her their first night together: "I survived. Isn't that what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/she-turned-so-they-were-face-to-face-and-gave-him-back-the-words-he-d/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [As a lifelong romance reader, it's always satisfying to get to talk to other romance readers!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/as-a-lifelong-romance-reader-it-s-always-satisfying-to-get-to-talk-to/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [“You are my king. You could command me to stop seeing her." Niall turned his gaze to Irial. "What would you do?" "Blind myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/you-are-my-king-you-could-command-me-to-stop-seeing-her-niall-turned/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [You say potato; I say potahto..." I say integrity; you say deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/you-say-potato-i-say-potahto-i-say-integrity-you-say-deceit/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Will you be my forever, Donia?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/will-you-be-my-forever-donia/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [“It was her choice. In a world where so many choices weren't hers, it was a wonderful thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/it-was-her-choice-in-a-world-where-so-many-choices-weren-t-hers-it/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Seth gave her that: a private space to believe in the illusion of normalcy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/seth-gave-her-that-a-private-space-to-believe-in-the-illusion-of/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [“One hundred eighty days, Aislinn. Seth's been gone for one hundred eighty days, and I've watched you try to pretend it doesn't hurt for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/one-hundred-eighty-days-aislinn-seth-s-been-gone-for-one-hundred/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Pride goeth before the fall…but you've already fallen, haven't you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/pride-goeth-before-the-fall-but-you-ve-already-fallen-haven-t-you/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [“Tell me i'm not losing more of you to him every fucking day. -Seth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/tell-me-i-m-not-losing-more-of-you-to-him-every-fucking-day-seth/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [I've read Reverend Kirk, in fact. My uncle's library has quite a few books of your people. I have read Mr. Lang's fairy tales…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/i-ve-read-reverend-kirk-in-fact-my-uncle-s-library-has-quite-a-few/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [She stepped closer to one of the statues. It looked wide-eyed, almost afraid as she reached out her hand. One of the women reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/she-stepped-closer-to-one-of-the-statues-it-looked-wide-eyed-almost/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Trust your instincts, trust your judgment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/trust-your-instincts-trust-your-judgment/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) [Explore all 201 Melissa Marr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“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/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [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/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) [Randy C. Dockens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-c-dockens/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [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/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "to not act is a choice too", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melissa Marr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/to-not-act-is-a-choice-too/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/to-not-act-is-a-choice-too/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/melissa-marr-1875_choice_to-not-act-is-a-choice-too-2825500_2825500.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/melissa-marr-1875_choice_to-not-act-is-a-choice-too-2825500_2825500.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/melissa-marr-1875_choice_to-not-act-is-a-choice-too-2825500_2825500.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“to not act is a choice too” — Melissa Marr", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Melissa Marr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "to not act is a choice...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/to-not-act-is-a-choice-too/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/to-not-act-is-a-choice-too/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```