--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Absolute freedom is absolute nonsense! We…" description: "\"Absolute freedom is absolute nonsense! We gain freedom in anything through commitment, discipline, and fixed habit.\" — Richard J. Foster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/richard-j-foster-1460_absolute-freedom_absolute-freedom-is-absolute-nonsense-we_2445414.png" --- # Absolute freedom is absolute nonsense! We gain freedom in… ![“Absolute freedom is absolute nonsense! We gain freedom in anything through commitment, discipline, and fixed habit.” quote by Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/richard-j-foster-1460_absolute-freedom_absolute-freedom-is-absolute-nonsense-we_2445414.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/richard-j-foster-1460_absolute-freedom_absolute-freedom-is-absolute-nonsense-we_2445414.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/richard-j-foster-1460_absolute-freedom_absolute-freedom-is-absolute-nonsense-we_2445414.png) > “Absolute freedom is absolute nonsense! We gain freedom in anything through commitment, discipline, and fixed habit.” [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom is not achieved by unrestrained liberty but by disciplined commitment and habit formation. **In simple terms:** Discipline creates true freedom. Key Takeaway Cultivate disciplined habits. Themes discipline freedom commitment habit self‑control Mood determined reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - career development - health routines - financial planning Key Concepts self‑discipline habit formation psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance discipline with spontaneity? - What habits give you a sense of freedom? A Different Perspective Discipline can feel restrictive and may suppress spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolute freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-freedom/) [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) ## Related quotes > [I need freedom, absolute freedom, to think, act and speak - Kalyani Rajalingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalyani-rajalingham/i-need-freedom-absolute-freedom-to-think-act-and-speak-kalyani/) [Kalyani Rajalingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalyani-rajalingham/) > [Absolute freedom is absolute responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/absolute-freedom-is-absolute-responsibility/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“every American is governed only by the principle of personal responsibility and that his or her most important freedom is the absolute freedom to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wittig-albert/every-american-is-governed-only-by-the-principle-of-personal/) [Susan Wittig Albert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wittig-albert/) > [Before Vatican II, in theology, as in other areas, the discipline was fixed. After the council there has been a revolution - a chaotic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/godfried-danneels/before-vatican-ii-in-theology-as-in-other-areas-the-discipline-was/) [Godfried Danneels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/godfried-danneels/) > [Commitment is not a barrier to freedom. Commitment is the \*exercise\* of freedom, the act of making a choice or decision and meaning it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/commitment-is-not-a-barrier-to-freedom-commitment-is-the-exercise-of/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) > [We, the People, recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which only asks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-the-people-recognize-that-we-have-responsibilities-as-well-as/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I socialise, I have my freedom, I absolute adore my work and frankly it would take someone utterly remarkable to turn my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-socialise-i-have-my-freedom-i-absolute-adore-my-work-and-frankly-it/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [I have served one idea, marched under one banner - war against all imposed authority - against every kind of deprivation of freedom, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-herzen/i-have-served-one-idea-marched-under-one-banner-war-against-all/) [Alexander Herzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-herzen/) > [(He) mourned mankind, and the blindness of men, who thought that the Kosmos had rules and limits that would shelter them from their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/he-mourned-mankind-and-the-blindness-of-men-who-thought-that-the/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [Medical Freedom is an absolute right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santos/medical-freedom-is-an-absolute-right/) [George Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santos/) > [Whenever freedom is made into the absolute, the result is not freedom but anarchism. Freedom must be under law, or it is not freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/whenever-freedom-is-made-into-the-absolute-the-result-is-not-freedom/) [R.J. Rushdoony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-rushdoony/) > [The most fundamental message of Gautama the Buddha is not God, is not soul... it is freedom: freedom absolute, total, unconditional. He does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-most-fundamental-message-of-gautama-the-buddha-is-not-god-is-not-2/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Freedom is an absolute state, there is no such thing as being half-free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/freedom-is-an-absolute-state-there-is-no-such-thing-as-being-half-free/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The most fundamental message of Gautama the Buddha is not God, is not soul... it is freedom: freedom absolute, total, unconditional. He does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-morganti/the-most-fundamental-message-of-gautama-the-buddha-is-not-god-is-not/) Anthony Morganti > [Only a law-order which holds to the primacy of God's law can bring forth true freedom, freedom for justice, truth, and godly life. Freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/only-a-law-order-which-holds-to-the-primacy-of-god-s-law-can-bring/) [R.J. Rushdoony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-rushdoony/) ## More by Richard J. Foster > [Prayer is - listening for the still small voice of God. Listening with the "ear of our hearts."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/prayer-is-listening-for-the-still-small-voice-of-god-listening-with/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Over-consumption is a cancer eating away at our spiritual vitals. It distances us from the great masses of broken bleeding humanity. It converts us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/over-consumption-is-a-cancer-eating-away-at-our-spiritual-vitals-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“To believe that God can reach us and bless us in the ordinary junctures of daily life is the stuff of prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/to-believe-that-god-can-reach-us-and-bless-us-in-the-ordinary/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Prayer is simply saying "thank you, bless you, praise you."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/prayer-is-simply-saying-thank-you-bless-you-praise-you/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [There is an old proverb to the effect that 'all those who open their mouths, close their eyes!' The purpose of silence and solitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/there-is-an-old-proverb-to-the-effect-that-all-those-who-open-their/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [It is an occupational hazard of devout folk to become stuffy bores. This should not be. Of all people, we should be the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/it-is-an-occupational-hazard-of-devout-folk-to-become-stuffy-bores/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“Lord God, you deserve my best. Forgive me for the times I have offered you only the dregs, whether it be half-heartedly muttered prayers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/lord-god-you-deserve-my-best-forgive-me-for-the-times-i-have-offered/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/superficiality-is-the-curse-of-our-age-the-doctrine-of-instant/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [If worship does not change us it has not been worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/if-worship-does-not-change-us-it-has-not-been-worship/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“I want to mention one other reason why we shy away from commitment. It is, very simply, the fear that we will not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/i-want-to-mention-one-other-reason-why-we-shy-away-from-commitment-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“It is one thing to act like a servant; it is quite another to be a servant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/it-is-one-thing-to-act-like-a-servant-it-is-quite-another-to-be-a/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“we hold on so tightly to the good that we do know that we cannot receive the greater good that we do not know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/we-hold-on-so-tightly-to-the-good-that-we-do-know-that-we-cannot/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“Once we have made generous latitude for individual differences and schedules, we must firmly discipline ourselves to a regular pattern of prayer. We cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/once-we-have-made-generous-latitude-for-individual-differences-and/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Freedom in the Gospel does not mean license. It means opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/freedom-in-the-gospel-does-not-mean-license-it-means-opportunity/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“The tongue is our most powerful weapon of manipulation. A frantic stream of words flows from us because we are in a constant process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/the-tongue-is-our-most-powerful-weapon-of-manipulation-a-frantic/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) [Explore all 239 Richard J. Foster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## More Absolute freedom quotes > [“My holy of holies are the human body, health, intelligence, talent, inspiration, love, and the most absolute freedom - freedom from force and falsity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/my-holy-of-holies-are-the-human-body-health-intelligence-talent/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [The Marvel experience was particularly wrenching because I was sort of given absolute freedom while we were shooting, and then in post, it turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-taylor/the-marvel-experience-was-particularly-wrenching-because-i-was-sort/) [Alan Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-taylor/) > [“An attempt to wrest from God the prerogatives of absolute freedom and infinity leads to the inversion of Pentecost and what is in effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-e-gunton/an-attempt-to-wrest-from-god-the-prerogatives-of-absolute-freedom-and/) Colin E. Gunton > [What is freedom? There is no such thing as absolute freedom!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/what-is-freedom-there-is-no-such-thing-as-absolute-freedom/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [Art lives where absolute freedom is, because where it is not, there can be no creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/art-lives-where-absolute-freedom-is-because-where-it-is-not-there-can/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“After those four years, he returned to the Midwest. He'd turned twenty-five, the Age of Unfolding, and it was time to write a novel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-harbach/after-those-four-years-he-returned-to-the-midwest-he-d-turned-twenty/) [Chad Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-harbach/) > [Having grown up in Bombay, from the day youre born, you have absolute freedom to choose who you want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freida-pinto/having-grown-up-in-bombay-from-the-day-youre-born-you-have-absolute/) [Freida Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freida-pinto/) > [Absolute freedom need not be lost as the price we must pay for the advent of civilization; men are born free, and need never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/absolute-freedom-need-not-be-lost-as-the-price-we-must-pay-for-the/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Absolute freedom need not be lost as the price we must pay for the advent of civilization. Man may achieve liberty and abundance, freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/absolute-freedom-need-not-be-lost-as-the-price-we-must-pay-for-the-2/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Once you have surrendered completely to God, you experience for the first time absolute freedom from the worries, problems and ills of this world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashok-kushwaha/once-you-have-surrendered-completely-to-god-you-experience-for-the/) [Ashok Kushwaha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashok-kushwaha/) > [“It is ironical that, in the very field in which Science has claimed superiority to Theology, for example - in the abandoning of dogma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-dingle/it-is-ironical-that-in-the-very-field-in-which-science-has-claimed/) Herbert Dingle > [“It was easy enough to write a sentence, but if you were going to create a work of art, the way Melville had, each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-harbach/it-was-easy-enough-to-write-a-sentence-but-if-you-were-going-to/) [Chad Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-harbach/) > [... the absolute freedom of woman will be the dawn of the day of man's regeneration. In raising her he will elevate himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-celeste-claflin/the-absolute-freedom-of-woman-will-be-the-dawn-of-the-day-of-man-s/) [Tennessee Celeste Claflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-celeste-claflin/) > [I wish to speak a word for Nature, for absolute Freedom and Wildness, as contrasted with a Freedom and Culture merely civil, - to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-wish-to-speak-a-word-for-nature-for-absolute-freedom-and-wildness/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“The capacity to be alone is the capacity to love. It may look paradoxical to you, but it's not. It is an existential truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-capacity-to-be-alone-is-the-capacity-to-love-it-may-look/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) [Browse all 105 Absolute freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Absolute freedom is absolute nonsense! We gain freedom in anything through commitment, discipline, and fixed habit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard J. 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