--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We decide where the time goes. There's so…" description: "\"“We decide where the time goes. There's so much freedom in that, and so much responsibility.”\" — Shauna Niequist" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/shauna-niequist-3042_christian-living_we-decide-where-the-time-goes-there-s-so_6852.jpg" --- # We decide where the time goes. There's so much freedom in… ![“We decide where the time goes. There's so much freedom in that, and so much responsibility.” quote by Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/shauna-niequist-3042_christian-living_we-decide-where-the-time-goes-there-s-so_6852.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/shauna-niequist-3042_christian-living_we-decide-where-the-time-goes-there-s-so_6852.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e9/shauna-niequist-3042_christian-living_we-decide-where-the-time-goes-there-s-so_6852.jpg) > ““We decide where the time goes. There's so much freedom in that, and so much responsibility.”” [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We control how we allocate our time, which grants us autonomy but also obliges us to own the outcomes of those choices. **In simple terms:** Time allocation equals freedom and duty. Key Takeaway Own your schedule. Themes agency responsibility time management choice autonomy Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - planning a workday - setting personal goals - balancing family and career Key Concepts prioritization self-discipline consequences Practical Applications - designing a daily routine - evaluating project timelines Questions to Reflect On - How does your perception of freedom change when you consider the weight of responsibility? - What habits help you align your time use with your core values? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-living/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Freedom is the very essence of our economy and society. Without freedom the human mind is prevented from unleashing its creative force. But what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/freedom-is-the-very-essence-of-our-economy-and-society-without/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [There will be no more protest. No more dissension. No more violence. There will be only one voice. The voice of Ravinia. The voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-will-be-no-more-protest-no-more-dissension-no-more-violence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There goes your freedom of choice, there goes the last human voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/there-goes-your-freedom-of-choice-there-goes-the-last-human-voice/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [There will be no more protests. No more dissension. No more violence. There will be only one voice. The voice of Ravinia. The voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-machale-2/there-will-be-no-more-protests-no-more-dissension-no-more-violence/) [D. J. MacHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-machale-2/) > [As far as your self-control goes, as far goes your freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/as-far-as-your-self-control-goes-as-far-goes-your-freedom/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [“You get to decide where your time goes. You can either spend it moving forward, or you can spend it putting out fires. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-morgan/you-get-to-decide-where-your-time-goes-you-can-either-spend-it-moving/) Tony Morgan > [So do all who live to see such times, Frodo, but it is not for us to decide. All we must decide is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-do-all-who-live-to-see-such-times-frodo-but-it-is-not-for-us-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [you will never catch up. Walk around feeling like a leaf know you could tumble at any second. Then decide what to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/you-will-never-catch-up-walk-around-feeling-like-a-leaf-know-you/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [So do all who live to see such times, but that is not them to decide. All you have to decide is what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-christensen/so-do-all-who-live-to-see-such-times-but-that-is-not-them-to-decide/) Jacob Christensen > [All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-we-have-to-decide-is-what-to-do-with-the-time-that-is-given-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We get to decide each time whether we will lean in toward what is unfolding and say yes or back away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/we-get-to-decide-each-time-whether-we-will-lean-in-toward-what-is/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [You have to decide when it is time to move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-whelan/you-have-to-decide-when-it-is-time-to-move-on/) [Wendy Whelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-whelan/) > [“When you run for your life, you will become the one deciding how you use your time. You will be the one deciding that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-you-run-for-your-life-you-will-become-the-one-deciding-how-you/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-do-all-who-live-to-see-such-times-but-that-is-not-for-them-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All you have to decide, is what to do with the time that is given to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-you-have-to-decide-is-what-to-do-with-the-time-that-is-given-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Shauna Niequist > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“When things fall apart, the broken pieces allow all sorts of things to enter, and one of them is the presence of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/when-things-fall-apart-the-broken-pieces-allow-all-sorts-of-things-to/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“The world is alive, blinking and clicking, winking at us slyly, inviting us to get up and dance to the music that’s been playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/the-world-is-alive-blinking-and-clicking-winking-at-us-slyly-inviting/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“I have always, essentially, been waiting. 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We're spending them according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/we-have-each-one-of-us-been-entrusted-with-one-life-made-up-of-days/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“Years ago, Aaron and I were talking with the pastor of a fast-growing church, and another friend, a more seasoned pastor. The first pastor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/years-ago-aaron-and-i-were-talking-with-the-pastor-of-a-fast-growing/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“I believe deeply that God does his best work in our lives during times of great heartbreak and loss, and I believe that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-believe-deeply-that-god-does-his-best-work-in-our-lives-during/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“one of the chief aspects of mothering is prayer,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/one-of-the-chief-aspects-of-mothering-is-prayer/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“Our friend Ian, an Episcopal priest, taught us something I’d never heard, something that shaped all of us: on a rainy night, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/our-friend-ian-an-episcopal-priest-taught-us-something-i-d-never/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“When you haven’t yet had your heart really broken, the gospel isn’t about death and rebirth. It’s about life and more life. It’s about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/when-you-haven-t-yet-had-your-heart-really-broken-the-gospel-isn-t/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“Present over perfect living is real over image, connecting over comparing, meaning over mania, depth over artifice. 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