--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Too often, we decide to follow a path…" description: "\"Too often, we decide to follow a path that is not really our own, one that others have set for us. We forget that...in both cases we will pass through ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/paulo-coelho-10_cases_too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-tha_2068178.jpg" --- # Too often, we decide to follow a path that is not really… ![“Too often, we decide to follow a path that is not really our own, one that others have set for us. We forget that...in both cases we will pass through both difficult and happy moments. But when we are living our dream, the difficulties we encounter make sense.” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/paulo-coelho-10_cases_too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-tha_2068178.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/paulo-coelho-10_cases_too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-tha_2068178.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/paulo-coelho-10_cases_too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-tha_2068178.jpg) > “Too often, we decide to follow a path that is not really our own, one that others have set for us. We forget that...in both cases we will pass through both difficult and happy moments. But when we are living our dream, the difficulties we encounter make sense.” [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Following others' paths leads to confusion; pursuing personal dreams makes hardships meaningful. **In simple terms:** Living your own dream gives purpose to challenges. Key Takeaway Choose your own path, even when hard. Themes purpose authenticity resilience Mood hopeful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - relationships - creative projects Key Concepts self‑actualization existential meaning Questions to Reflect On - What path feels truly yours? - How do challenges shape your vision? A Different Perspective Ignoring inner calling can cause regret. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-happy-899999/) [Difficulties Encounter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficulties-encounter-3048116/) [Difficulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficulty/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Difficulties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-difficulties-3980193/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Encounters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encounters/) [Follow Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-path/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Happy Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-mom/) [Happy moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-moments/) [Make sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-sense/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Our dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-dreams/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Path Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path-really-303223/) ## Related quotes > [When we are living our dream, the difficulties we encounter make sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-we-are-living-our-dream-the-difficulties-we-encounter-make-sense/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“You have to forge your own path for it to really matter...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-valdez/you-have-to-forge-your-own-path-for-it-to-really-matter/) [Leonardo Valdez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-valdez/) > [When I started on the path, too, I really thought I would become a yogi in a cave, but I didn't have clarity about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-bajaj/when-i-started-on-the-path-too-i-really-thought-i-would-become-a-yogi/) [Karan Bajaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-bajaj/) > [“DO NOT LONG for the absence of problems in your life. That is an unrealistic goal, since in this world you will have trouble.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-young/do-not-long-for-the-absence-of-problems-in-your-life-that-is-an/) [Sarah Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-young/) > [I'm just going with the flow. I'm in the process, I'm on the path. I'm really working towards all of my goals and music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandy-norwood/i-m-just-going-with-the-flow-i-m-in-the-process-i-m-on-the-path-i-m/) [Brandy Norwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandy-norwood/) > [Surfing is a life path. You have to really commit... You have to let go and have faith that it's gonna work out when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-heller/surfing-is-a-life-path-you-have-to-really-commit-you-have-to-let-go/) [Peter Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-heller/) > [The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without, the more significant and the higher in inspiration his life will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-bushnell/the-more-difficulties-one-has-to-encounter-within-and-without-the/) [Horace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-bushnell/) > [“the peaceful warrior’s greatest battles don’t lie in the external world, but within us. These inner hurdles generate most of the obstacles and difficulties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/the-peaceful-warrior-s-greatest-battles-don-t-lie-in-the-external/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [I think in general, it's just an interesting age to be at, after college. You spend so much of your life, being on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-baio/i-think-in-general-it-s-just-an-interesting-age-to-be-at-after/) [Chris Baio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-baio/) > [I often think that all the difficulties we encounter only give us the more strength if we keep hold of our work, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-swallow-richards/i-often-think-that-all-the-difficulties-we-encounter-only-give-us-the/) [Ellen Swallow Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-swallow-richards/) > [Sometimes in life we go through really challenging times. These challenging times can make it very difficult to be happy. Its not that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumar-anupam/sometimes-in-life-we-go-through-really-challenging-times-these/) [Kumar Anupam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumar-anupam/) > [“It's really not that difficult to be happy. You just have to be grateful and especially appreciate what you do have now. The rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fasela-oosterwolde/it-s-really-not-that-difficult-to-be-happy-you-just-have-to-be/) [Fasela Oosterwolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fasela-oosterwolde/) > [“People who are one way on the inside and another way on the outside become conflicted and often lose touch with their own values.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/people-who-are-one-way-on-the-inside-and-another-way-on-the-outside/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [The reason we find it so difficult to be happy: we see the past better that it was,the present worse than it is,and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/the-reason-we-find-it-so-difficult-to-be-happy-we-see-the-past-better/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [A way of life that keeps saying 'Around the next corner, above the next step,' works against the natural order of things and makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-hoff/a-way-of-life-that-keeps-saying-around-the-next-corner-above-the-next/) [Benjamin Hoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-hoff/) ## More by Paulo Coelho > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Love will never separate a man from his personal legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-will-never-separate-a-man-from-his-personal-legend/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [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/) > [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Eat when it is time to eat. And walk when it is time to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/eat-when-it-is-time-to-eat-and-walk-when-it-is-time-to-walk/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [People are reading more and writing more because of the internet. So the virtual world is a way for me to listen to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/people-are-reading-more-and-writing-more-because-of-the-internet-so/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Joy is like sex – it begins and ends. I want pleasure. I want to be contended, but happiness? I no longer fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/joy-is-like-sex-it-begins-and-ends-i-want-pleasure-i-want-to-be/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Trudi se da zivis, sjecanja su za starije ljude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/trudi-se-da-zivis-sjecanja-su-za-starije-ljude/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When someone leaves, it's because someone else is about to arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-someone-leaves-it-s-because-someone-else-is-about-to-arrive/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [She didn't need to understand the meaning of life; it was enough to find someone who did, and then fall asleep in his arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/she-didn-t-need-to-understand-the-meaning-of-life-it-was-enough-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The simpler the pose, the better; the more sober, the more beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-simpler-the-pose-the-better-the-more-sober-the-more-beautiful/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) [Explore all 3,665 Paulo Coelho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More Cases quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I think we've all had enough of Coltrane saxophonists. There's a case of someone ruining a generation of saxophonists, as Louis Armstrong may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-think-we-ve-all-had-enough-of-coltrane-saxophonists-there-s-a-case/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [ \[As in the case of\] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-branson/as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-illegality-has-driven-organized/) [Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-branson/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [The Cheney team had, for example, technological supremacy over the National Security Council staff. That is to say, they could read their e-mails. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wilkerson/the-cheney-team-had-for-example-technological-supremacy-over-the/) [Lawrence Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wilkerson/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 6,420 Cases quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Too often, we decide to follow a path that is not really our own, one that others have set for us. We forget that...in both cases we will pass through both difficult and happy moments. But when we are living our dream, the difficulties we encounter make sense.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paulo Coelho" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-that-is-not-really-our-own-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cases" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-that-is-not-really-our-own-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/paulo-coelho-10_cases_too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-tha_2068178.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/paulo-coelho-10_cases_too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-tha_2068178.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/paulo-coelho-10_cases_too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-tha_2068178.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Too often, we decide to follow a path that is not really our own, one that others have set for us. We forget…” — Paulo Coelho", "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": "Paulo Coelho", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Too often, we decide to follow...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-that-is-not-really-our-own-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/too-often-we-decide-to-follow-a-path-that-is-not-really-our-own-one/#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 } } ] } ```