--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have two choices, to control your…" description: "\"You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you.\" — Paulo Coelho" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paulo-coelho-10_choices_you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-min_2632823.jpg" --- # You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your… ![“You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you.” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paulo-coelho-10_choices_you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-min_2632823.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paulo-coelho-10_choices_you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-min_2632823.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paulo-coelho-10_choices_you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-min_2632823.jpg) > “You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you.” [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. Mind governs actions; either you direct thoughts or thoughts dominate you. **In simple terms:** Control your mind or be controlled. Key Takeaway Choose mental discipline. Themes self‑control mindfulness freedom Mood reflective determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - stress management - personal development - decision making Key Concepts willpower autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How do you notice when your mind is leading you? - What practices help you steer thoughts? A Different Perspective Mind control is harder than it appears. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Choices Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-control-1253108/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-mind/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Let Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-mind/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-control/) [Mind Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-let-705626/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-choices/) ## Related quotes > [People have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-have-two-choices-to-control-your-mind-or-to-let-your-mind/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In life, you have two choices: Do you control your life… or not? Are you the driver or the passenger? Do you make stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-young/in-life-you-have-two-choices-do-you-control-your-life-or-not-are-you/) [Justin Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-young/) > [Let go of the thoughts, let go of the mind, let go of everything. Let go! Drop it! Drop everything. Hold onto nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/let-go-of-the-thoughts-let-go-of-the-mind-let-go-of-everything-let-go/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [“The way to make the pain go away was to put your mind somewhere else. you let your mind leave and float above you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-goldberg-sloan/the-way-to-make-the-pain-go-away-was-to-put-your-mind-somewhere-else/) [Holly Goldberg Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-goldberg-sloan/) > [The mind is the greatest of all human forces. Control the mind and you control the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griffin-jay/the-mind-is-the-greatest-of-all-human-forces-control-the-mind-and-you/) [Griffin Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griffin-jay/) > [“If you don’t learn to control your mind, your mind will control you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehab-atalla/if-you-don-t-learn-to-control-your-mind-your-mind-will-control-you/) [Ehab Atalla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehab-atalla/) > [“A mind that dwells in the past builds a prison it cannot escape. Control your mind, or it will control you, and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/a-mind-that-dwells-in-the-past-builds-a-prison-it-cannot-escape/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“You are where today, where your mind has taken you. 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As you learn to control your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/there-is-an-incredible-power-intelligence-witin-you-that-is/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [There is no doubt that breath control is the means for mind control because the mind, like breath, is a part of air; because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/there-is-no-doubt-that-breath-control-is-the-means-for-mind-control/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [We need a program of psychosurgery for political control of our society. The purpose is physical control of the mind. Everyone who deviates from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-manuel-rodriguez-delgado/we-need-a-program-of-psychosurgery-for-political-control-of-our/) [Jose Manuel Rodriguez Delgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-manuel-rodriguez-delgado/) > [To master life, control the mind. To control the mind, guard your speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shri-radhe-maa/to-master-life-control-the-mind-to-control-the-mind-guard-your-speech/) [Shri Radhe Maa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shri-radhe-maa/) > [“Their bumper sticker read GUN CONTROL IS MIND CONTROL. In situations like this, you want to stick close to people in right-wing fringe groups.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/their-bumper-sticker-read-gun-control-is-mind-control-in-situations/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“To control your life, control your mind. To control your mind, control your breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/to-control-your-life-control-your-mind-to-control-your-mind-control/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) ## 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 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. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. 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": "You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paulo Coelho" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-mind-or-to-let-your-mind-control/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-mind-or-to-let-your-mind-control/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paulo-coelho-10_choices_you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-min_2632823.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paulo-coelho-10_choices_you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-min_2632823.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paulo-coelho-10_choices_you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-min_2632823.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you.” — 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": "You have two choices, to control...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-mind-or-to-let-your-mind-control/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-have-two-choices-to-control-your-mind-or-to-let-your-mind-control/#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 } } ] } ```