--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man becomes a slave to his constantly…" description: "\"Man becomes a slave to his constantly repeated acts. What he at first chooses, at last compels.\" — Orison Swett Marden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/orison-swett-marden-711_firsts_man-becomes-a-slave-to-his-constantly-re_643795.png" --- # Man becomes a slave to his constantly repeated acts. What… ![“Man becomes a slave to his constantly repeated acts. What he at first chooses, at last compels.” quote by Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/orison-swett-marden-711_firsts_man-becomes-a-slave-to-his-constantly-re_643795.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/orison-swett-marden-711_firsts_man-becomes-a-slave-to-his-constantly-re_643795.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/orison-swett-marden-711_firsts_man-becomes-a-slave-to-his-constantly-re_643795.png) > “Man becomes a slave to his constantly repeated acts. What he at first chooses, at last compels.” [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Repeated actions shape identity; initial choices become habitual forces that dominate later behavior. **In simple terms:** Repeated acts become habits that define us. Key Takeaway Mindful habit formation. Themes habit choice identity self-discipline Mood thoughtful motivational Type self-help philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - career building - health routines Key Concepts behavioral psychology personal development habit loops Questions to Reflect On - What daily actions define you? - How can you change a harmful habit? A Different Perspective Habits can trap one in unwanted patterns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) ## Related quotes > [We are told that when Hölderlin went 'mad,' he constantly repeated, 'Nothing is happening to me, nothing is happening to me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-celan/we-are-told-that-when-h-lderlin-went-mad-he-constantly-repeated/) [Paul Celan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-celan/) > [“Where did the idea come from that we should take life so seriously, anyway? Why should a man be such a slave to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/where-did-the-idea-come-from-that-we-should-take-life-so-seriously/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“The lazy man is the slave of his own feelings. 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Woman is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/woman-is-to-man-as-the-slave-to-the-master-the-manual-to-the-mental/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [The weak-minded man is the slave of his vices and the dupe of his virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-antoine-petit-senn/the-weak-minded-man-is-the-slave-of-his-vices-and-the-dupe-of-his/) [Jean Antoine Petit-Senn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-antoine-petit-senn/) > [It is often asserted that as woman has always been man's slave--subject--inferior--dependent, under all forms of government and religion, slavery must be her normal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/it-is-often-asserted-that-as-woman-has-always-been-man-s-slave/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [“In this world, therefore, the dominion of good men is profitable, not so much for themselves as for human affairs. But the dominion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/in-this-world-therefore-the-dominion-of-good-men-is-profitable-not-so/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“Man is slave of emotions when they arise, and master of them when they don't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/man-is-slave-of-emotions-when-they-arise-and-master-of-them-when-they/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [I am a free man, the slave of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-a-free-man-the-slave-of-christ/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tremble not before the free man, but before the slave who has chains to break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/tremble-not-before-the-free-man-but-before-the-slave-who-has-chains/) [Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/) > [A slave is a free man if he is content with his lot; a free man is a slave if he seeks more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-slave-is-a-free-man-if-he-is-content-with-his-lot-a-free-man-is-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To have done great things together, to want to do more, such are the essential conditions to form a people. . . . Man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/to-have-done-great-things-together-to-want-to-do-more-such-are-the/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [In the end what separates a man from a slave? Money? Power? No, a man chooses, and a slave obeys!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-end-what-separates-a-man-from-a-slave-money-power-no-a-man/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only freedom that man ever has is when he becomes a slave to Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/the-only-freedom-that-man-ever-has-is-when-he-becomes-a-slave-to/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Some would know Why I so Long still doe tarry, And ask why Here that I Live, and not marry? Thus I those Doe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/some-would-know-why-i-so-long-still-doe-tarry-and-ask-why-here-that-i/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) ## More by Orison Swett Marden > [“We can so educate the will power that it will focus the thoughts upon the bright side of things, and upon objects which elevate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/we-can-so-educate-the-will-power-that-it-will-focus-the-thoughts-upon/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“Gulliver was a giant whom the dwarfs captured while he was napping by binding him with tiny threads. Each thread was a trifle which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/gulliver-was-a-giant-whom-the-dwarfs-captured-while-he-was-napping-by/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“The hatred thought cannot live an instant in the presence of the love thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-hatred-thought-cannot-live-an-instant-in-the-presence-of-the-love/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“About as poor business as one can engage in is that of going through life with one's eyes so fixed upon what others have,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/about-as-poor-business-as-one-can-engage-in-is-that-of-going-through/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“We tend to get what we expect, and if we expect nothing we get nothing. 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Everything that exists has brought with it its own peculiar lesson. The mountain teaches stability and grandeur; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-universe-is-one-great-kindergarten-everything-that-exists-has/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [If you want to enlarge your life, you must first enlarge your thought of it and of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/if-you-want-to-enlarge-your-life-you-must-first-enlarge-your-thought/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [The moment man cuts himself off from living connection with the human race and its needs, he begins to die from poor circulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-moment-man-cuts-himself-off-from-living-connection-with-the-human/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“There is something inside of a man which protests against doing that which tends to injure another, that which does not square with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/there-is-something-inside-of-a-man-which-protests-against-doing-that/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [A good system shortens the road to the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/a-good-system-shortens-the-road-to-the-goal/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Keep fear out of your child's mind, as you would keep poison out of his body; for fear is the deadliest of mental poisons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/keep-fear-out-of-your-child-s-mind-as-you-would-keep-poison-out-of/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) [Explore all 396 Orison Swett Marden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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