--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every choice is a thousand renunciations…" description: "\"Every choice is a thousand renunciations. To choose one thing is to turn one's back on many others.\" — Ronald Rolheiser" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/ronald-rolheiser-23361_choice_every-choice-is-a-thousand-renunciations_2053069.png" --- # Every choice is a thousand renunciations. To choose one… ![“Every choice is a thousand renunciations. To choose one thing is to turn one's back on many others.” quote by Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/ronald-rolheiser-23361_choice_every-choice-is-a-thousand-renunciations_2053069.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/ronald-rolheiser-23361_choice_every-choice-is-a-thousand-renunciations_2053069.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/ronald-rolheiser-23361_choice_every-choice-is-a-thousand-renunciations_2053069.png) > “Every choice is a thousand renunciations. To choose one thing is to turn one's back on many others.” [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing one path inevitably means giving up many alternatives, highlighting the cost of commitment. **In simple terms:** Choosing means giving up many options. Key Takeaway Accept trade‑offs consciously. Themes choice commitment loss priorities Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - relationships - personal growth - spiritual practice Key Concepts Opportunity cost decision theory Questions to Reflect On - What are you willing to sacrifice for your goal? - How do you evaluate what you lose? A Different Perspective Hard to know which paths are truly valuable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Renunciation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renunciation/) ## Related quotes > [Life is an apprenticeship to the constant renunciations, to the steady failure of our claims, our hopes, our powers, our liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/life-is-an-apprenticeship-to-the-constant-renunciations-to-the-steady/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [The beauty of choice is that out of a thousand options, you are able to pick one option and then treat it like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/the-beauty-of-choice-is-that-out-of-a-thousand-options-you-are-able/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [“those renunciations that men have unwisely called virtue, as much as those natural rebellions that wise men still call sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-renunciations-that-men-have-unwisely-called-virtue-as-much-as/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [There is in even the most selfish passion a large element of self-abnegation. It is startling to realize that what we call extreme self-seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-is-in-even-the-most-selfish-passion-a-large-element-of-self/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The greatest threat to mankind comes from the renunciation of individual scruple in favor of institutional denominators. . . . Real heroism lies, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-greatest-threat-to-mankind-comes-from-the-renunciation-of/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Without marriage there will be no renunciation, Buddha would not have left the world - for what? His wife, Yashodhara, must have created the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/without-marriage-there-will-be-no-renunciation-buddha-would-not-have/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [The secret of happiness is renunciation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/the-secret-of-happiness-is-renunciation/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [The very act of faith by which we receive Christ is an act of the utter renunciation of self, and all its works, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hopkins/the-very-act-of-faith-by-which-we-receive-christ-is-an-act-of-the/) [Mark Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hopkins/) > [The person whose mind is always free from attachment, who has subdued the mind and senses, and who is free from desires, attains the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagavad-gita/the-person-whose-mind-is-always-free-from-attachment-who-has-subdued/) [Bhagavad Gita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagavad-gita/) > [“Although other ( yānas ) assert that liberation will be achieved by renouncing the objects, one will not be bound by the mere appearances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/longchen-rabjam/although-other-y-nas-assert-that-liberation-will-be-achieved-by/) [Longchen Rabjam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/longchen-rabjam/) > [It would not be going too far to assert that ... conflict confronts every woman who ventures upon a career of her own and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-horney/it-would-not-be-going-too-far-to-assert-that-conflict-confronts-every/) [Karen Horney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-horney/) > [There is no end to renunciation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/there-is-no-end-to-renunciation/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“Actually, the substitution of the reality-principle for the pleasure-principle denotes no dethronement of the pleasure-principle, but only a safeguarding of it. A momentary pleasure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/actually-the-substitution-of-the-reality-principle-for-the-pleasure/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Without calculation, economic activity is impossible. Since under Socialism economic calculation is impossible, under Socialism there can be no economic activity in our sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/without-calculation-economic-activity-is-impossible-since-under/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Renunciation is in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/renunciation-is-in-our-blood/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## More by Ronald Rolheiser > [It is no easy task to walk this earth and find peace. Inside of us, it would seem, something is at odds with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/it-is-no-easy-task-to-walk-this-earth-and-find-peace-inside-of-us-it/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [Without making any moral judgements whatsoever, one can say that self-indulgence and excessive self-preoccupation are the antithesis of genuine awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/without-making-any-moral-judgements-whatsoever-one-can-say-that-self/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“The Church is always God hung between two thieves. Thus, no one should be surprised or shocked at how badly the church has betrayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/the-church-is-always-god-hung-between-two-thieves-thus-no-one-should/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [This is perhaps the greatest moral challenge Jesus left us: We all do pretty well in love when the persons we are loving are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/this-is-perhaps-the-greatest-moral-challenge-jesus-left-us-we-all-do/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“Near the end of our lives, many of us struggle to move beyond the death of our dreams, beyond how we have been wounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/near-the-end-of-our-lives-many-of-us-struggle-to-move-beyond-the/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“There is within us a fundamental dis-ease, an unquenchable fire that renders us incapable, in this life, of ever coming to full peace. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/there-is-within-us-a-fundamental-dis-ease-an-unquenchable-fire-that/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [You feel your own life - your heart, your mind, your body, your sexuality, the people and things you are connected to - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/you-feel-your-own-life-your-heart-your-mind-your-body-your-sexuality/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“The resurrection tells us it is never too late. Every so often we will be surprised. We must believe that the stone will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/the-resurrection-tells-us-it-is-never-too-late-every-so-often-we-will/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“If a child or a brother or a sister or a loved one of yours strays from the church in terms of faith practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/if-a-child-or-a-brother-or-a-sister-or-a-loved-one-of-yours-strays/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“Our Shame and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/our-shame-and/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [The highest compliment we can give to God, our Creator, is to thoroughly enjoy the gift of life. One should never look a gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/the-highest-compliment-we-can-give-to-god-our-creator-is-to/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [We prepare to die by pushing ourselves to love less narrowly. In that sense, readying ourselves for death is really an ever-widening entry into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/we-prepare-to-die-by-pushing-ourselves-to-love-less-narrowly-in-that/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [The word baptism means derailment. Christ baptizes Peter on the rock when he tells him: "Because you confessed your love for me, your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/the-word-baptism-means-derailment-christ-baptizes-peter-on-the-rock/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [To be connected with the church is to be associated with scoundrels, warmongers, fakes, child-molesters, murderers, adulterers, and hypocrites of every description. It also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/to-be-connected-with-the-church-is-to-be-associated-with-scoundrels/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [We get ready for death by beginning to live life as we should have been living it all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/we-get-ready-for-death-by-beginning-to-live-life-as-we-should-have/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) [Explore all 26 Ronald Rolheiser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [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/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) Randy C. Dockens > [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/) > [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/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [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/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every choice is a thousand renunciations. 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