--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Choice is more than picking 'x' over 'y.'…" description: "\"Choice is more than picking 'x' over 'y.' It is a responsibility to separate the meaningful and the uplifting from the trivial and the disheartening. I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_choice-is-more-than-picking-x-over-y-it_3081656.jpg" --- # Choice is more than picking 'x' over 'y.' It is a… ![“Choice is more than picking 'x' over 'y.' It is a responsibility to separate the meaningful and the uplifting from the trivial and the disheartening. It is the only tool we have that enables us to go from who we are today to who we want to be tomorrow.” quote by Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_choice-is-more-than-picking-x-over-y-it_3081656.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_choice-is-more-than-picking-x-over-y-it_3081656.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_choice-is-more-than-picking-x-over-y-it_3081656.jpg) > “Choice is more than picking 'x' over 'y.' It is a responsibility to separate the meaningful and the uplifting from the trivial and the disheartening. It is the only tool we have that enables us to go from who we are today to who we want to be tomorrow.” [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing involves responsibility to distinguish meaningful, uplifting options from trivial, disheartening ones, shaping personal growth. **In simple terms:** Choosing is a responsible act that shapes who we become. Key Takeaway Make thoughtful choices that align with your future self. Themes decision-making responsibility personal growth Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - relationships - health decisions - creative projects Key Concepts values meaning uplift triviality disheartening Questions to Reflect On - What criteria help you separate meaning from triviality? - How does responsibility affect your decision confidence? A Different Perspective Choices can be constrained by limited information or bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Disheartening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disheartening/) [Meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Uplifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uplifting/) ## Related quotes > [“It would be so much easier if I didnt have to make either choice. Picking neither and going back to the way I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keary-taylor/it-would-be-so-much-easier-if-i-didnt-have-to-make-either-choice/) [Keary Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keary-taylor/) > [Choice is the only tool we have that enables us to go from who we are today to who we want to be tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/choice-is-the-only-tool-we-have-that-enables-us-to-go-from-who-we-are/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Everything that happens to us is a reflection of who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/everything-that-happens-to-us-is-a-reflection-of-who-we-are/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Work is holy, sacred, and uplifting when it springs from who we are, when it bears a relationship to our unfolding journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-teasdale/work-is-holy-sacred-and-uplifting-when-it-springs-from-who-we-are/) [Wayne Teasdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-teasdale/) > [As our values are the core to who we are as human beings, they are also the easiest way to identify and connect with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-braun/as-our-values-are-the-core-to-who-we-are-as-human-beings-they-are/) [Adam Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-braun/) > [“But for fear of disheartening them, we also spoke to them of disappointments and the bitter taste that rest has after a useless action.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/but-for-fear-of-disheartening-them-we-also-spoke-to-them-of/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [The most disheartening tendency common among readers is to tear out one sentence from a work, as a criterion of the writer's ideas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-most-disheartening-tendency-common-among-readers-is-to-tear-out/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who becomes their disease. I know so many people like that. It’s disheartening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/don-t-tell-me-you-re-one-of-those-people-who-becomes-their-disease-i-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I went to a private school, and I struggled academically. It was really disheartening to always be considered bad at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gia-coppola/i-went-to-a-private-school-and-i-struggled-academically-it-was-really/) [Gia Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gia-coppola/) > [I think any filmmaker will tell you when they wandered from theater to theater to watch their prints, it was disheartening to see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-think-any-filmmaker-will-tell-you-when-they-wandered-from-theater-2/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [how poor and disheartening a thing is experience compared with hope!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vita-sackville-west/how-poor-and-disheartening-a-thing-is-experience-compared-with-hope/) [Vita Sackville-West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vita-sackville-west/) > [Among the most disheartening and dangerous of . . . advisors, you will often find those closest to you, your dearest friends, members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-maddern-fiske/among-the-most-disheartening-and-dangerous-of-advisors-you-will-often/) [Minnie Maddern Fiske](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-maddern-fiske/) > [My mother told me that everything in life happened for a purpose. She said all things were part of God's plan, even the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/my-mother-told-me-that-everything-in-life-happened-for-a-purpose-she/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I'll be honest, watching the music industry collapse has been demoralizing and disheartening at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/i-ll-be-honest-watching-the-music-industry-collapse-has-been/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) ## More by Sheena Iyengar > [“Personal happiness is always a very serious matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/personal-happiness-is-always-a-very-serious-matter/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [“move. For one thing, you’re going to start paying more attention. Yes, perhaps you’ll sometimes have a crazed, wild-eyed look, but that’s a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/move-for-one-thing-you-re-going-to-start-paying-more-attention-yes/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [What we share with animals is a desire for choice. It's a desire to have control over our life and a desire to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/what-we-share-with-animals-is-a-desire-for-choice-it-s-a-desire-to/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [You know, you take a little infant and you turn on the music mobile on their crib and you find that if you give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/you-know-you-take-a-little-infant-and-you-turn-on-the-music-mobile-on/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I went home and they seemed... my parents seemed normal. They didn't seem to feel like somehow they had been victims of some Nazi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-went-home-and-they-seemed-my-parents-seemed-normal-they-didn-t-seem/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [The less control people had over their work, the higher their blood pressure during work hours. Moreover, blood pressure at home was unrelated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-less-control-people-had-over-their-work-the-higher-their-blood/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Consumers presented with six choices on an item were twice as likely to buy as consumers overwhelmed with 24 varieties of the same item.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/consumers-presented-with-six-choices-on-an-item-were-twice-as-likely/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [The quality of health care continues to improve, and people are living longer, but these developments mean that we're likely to eventually find ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-quality-of-health-care-continues-to-improve-and-people-are-living/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [The key to getting the most from choice is to be choosy about choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-key-to-getting-the-most-from-choice-is-to-be-choosy-about-choosing/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I used to go to this store called Draeger's and you had a little bit of that same feeling because this was a store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-used-to-go-to-this-store-called-draeger-s-and-you-had-a-little-bit/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Balancing hopes, desires and an appreciating of the possibilities with a clear-eyed assessment of the limitations: that is the art of choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/balancing-hopes-desires-and-an-appreciating-of-the-possibilities-with/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [So gut tells you "How do I feel about this right now?" It doesn't tell me how I feel about it tomorrow or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/so-gut-tells-you-how-do-i-feel-about-this-right-now-it-doesn-t-tell/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I put out a good 10 different types of drinks for them and they just said, "Oh, okay, so it's just one choice." One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-put-out-a-good-10-different-types-of-drinks-for-them-and-they-just/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Like, people are less likely to invest in their retirement when they have more options in their 401K plans than when they have fewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/like-people-are-less-likely-to-invest-in-their-retirement-when-they/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) [Explore all 158 Sheena Iyengar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) ## 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": "Choice is more than picking 'x' over 'y.' 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