--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of life's actions are within our…" description: "\"Most of life's actions are within our reach, but decisions take willpower.\" — Robert McKee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/robert-mckee-8479_action_most-of-life-s-actions-are-within-our-re_614217.jpg" --- # Most of life's actions are within our reach, but decisions… ![“Most of life's actions are within our reach, but decisions take willpower.” quote by Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/robert-mckee-8479_action_most-of-life-s-actions-are-within-our-re_614217.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/robert-mckee-8479_action_most-of-life-s-actions-are-within-our-re_614217.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/robert-mckee-8479_action_most-of-life-s-actions-are-within-our-re_614217.jpg) > “Most of life's actions are within our reach, but decisions take willpower.” [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We can often act on many things, but making decisions requires the willpower to commit and follow through. **In simple terms:** Decisions need willpower beyond ability. Key Takeaway Cultivate willpower for choices. Themes decision‑making willpower self‑control agency Mood motivational pragmatic Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - personal finance - health goals - career moves Key Concepts psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - What strategies strengthen willpower? - How do you prioritize decisions? A Different Perspective Willpower can be depleted; fatigue may hinder decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions/) [Decisions Willpower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions-willpower-2605499/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-actions-2015534/) [Reach Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reach-decisions-4001064/) [Willpower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willpower/) ## Related quotes > [We often put off doing something for as long as possible, then as we finally make the decision and step into the action, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/we-often-put-off-doing-something-for-as-long-as-possible-then-as-we/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [You have a brain and mind of your own. Use it, and reach your own decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-have-a-brain-and-mind-of-your-own-use-it-and-reach-your-own/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Men who reach decisions promptly usually have the capacity to move with definiteness of purpose in other circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/men-who-reach-decisions-promptly-usually-have-the-capacity-to-move/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [“The future is greatly different than your life now, the actions that you take must also be greatly different. 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Some times just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-foreman/you-can-never-tell-what-type-of-impact-you-may-make-on-another-s-life/) [Ed Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-foreman/) > [“Look back at Life. Far more than what people did to influence your Life, it is your Actions, your Convictions, and your Thoughts that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/look-back-at-life-far-more-than-what-people-did-to-influence-your/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [There are two lives to each of us, the life of our actions, and the life of our minds and hearts. History reveals men's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/there-are-two-lives-to-each-of-us-the-life-of-our-actions-and-the/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [“Move through life as if every one of your actions will echo forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaaa/move-through-life-as-if-every-one-of-your-actions-will-echo-forever/) [AAAA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaaa/) > [“Everything that could happen, but it never happened, eventually was taken away by the wind and leaves no trace.The life - this is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/everything-that-could-happen-but-it-never-happened-eventually-was/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Decisions decide destiny, there is no action without decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/decisions-decide-destiny-there-is-no-action-without-decision/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Many people fail in their career, business and relationship, and others get stuck because of their inability to make quality decisions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkem-mpamah/many-people-fail-in-their-career-business-and-relationship-and-others/) [Nkem Mpamah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkem-mpamah/) > [“The decisions we take reflects our belief and our charachter”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajnish-borah/the-decisions-we-take-reflects-our-belief-and-our-charachter/) [Rajnish Borah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajnish-borah/) ## More by Robert McKee > [Story isn't a flight from reality but a vehicle that carries us on our search for reality,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/story-isn-t-a-flight-from-reality-but-a-vehicle-that-carries-us-on/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Don't be didactic - don't write about poverty. Write about poor people. When you dramatize their lives and let life and characters be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/don-t-be-didactic-don-t-write-about-poverty-write-about-poor-people/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [To connect to people at the deepest level, you need stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/to-connect-to-people-at-the-deepest-level-you-need-stories/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Talent without craft is like fuel without an engine, it burns wildly but accomplishes nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/talent-without-craft-is-like-fuel-without-an-engine-it-burns-wildly/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [“If the story you're telling, is the story you're telling, you're in deep shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/if-the-story-you-re-telling-is-the-story-you-re-telling-you-re-in/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Classical design is a mirror of the human mind. 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Truth is what we think about what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/what-happens-is-fact-not-truth-truth-is-what-we-think-about-what/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [The universal erosion of values has lead to the universal erosion of story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/the-universal-erosion-of-values-has-lead-to-the-universal-erosion-of/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [In a world of lies and liars, an honest work of art is always an act of social responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/in-a-world-of-lies-and-liars-an-honest-work-of-art-is-always-an-act/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Influence is just persuasion in slow motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/influence-is-just-persuasion-in-slow-motion/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Good story' means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely task...But the love of a good story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/good-story-means-something-worth-telling-that-the-world-wants-to-hear/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [We realize we can't go around saying and doing what we're actually thinking and feeling. If we all did that, life would be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/we-realize-we-can-t-go-around-saying-and-doing-what-we-re-actually/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Oh, by the way, I tend to use a lot of profanities. I do that for a reason: I like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/oh-by-the-way-i-tend-to-use-a-lot-of-profanities-i-do-that-for-a/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Story is metaphor for life and life is lived in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/story-is-metaphor-for-life-and-life-is-lived-in-time/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) [Explore all 78 Robert McKee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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