---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are sculptors finding ourselves in the…"
description: "\"We are sculptors finding ourselves in the evolution of choosing, not in the results of choice.\" — Sheena Iyengar"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-th_538555.png"
---

#  We are sculptors finding ourselves in the evolution of…

![“We are sculptors finding ourselves in the evolution of choosing, not in the results of choice.” quote by Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-th_538555.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-th_538555.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-th_538555.png)

> “We are sculptors finding ourselves in the evolution of choosing, not in the results of choice.”

[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.

We shape our identities through the process of making choices, not merely by the outcomes

Themes

identity choice personal growth

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

philosophical

When to use this quote

- career decisions
- relationship choices
- creative projects

Key Concepts

agency existentialism self-construction

Questions to Reflect On

- How do your choices define you?
- What can you learn from the act of choosing?

A Different Perspective

Focusing only on results can ignore valuable learning from the process

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Finding Ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-ourselves/) [Sculptors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sculptors/)

## Related quotes

> [Until we lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/until-we-lose-ourselves-there-is-no-hope-of-finding-ourselves/)

[Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/)

> [“When the options are few, we can be happy with what we choose since we are confident that it is the best possible choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/when-the-options-are-few-we-can-be-happy-with-what-we-choose-since-we/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [When you're choosing furniture for your home that's supposed to express who you are, what you are also saying is you want other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/when-you-re-choosing-furniture-for-your-home-that-s-supposed-to/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [I'm a great believer in the idea of not choosing based on our taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-m-a-great-believer-in-the-idea-of-not-choosing-based-on-our-taste/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [People were actually 6 times more likely to buy a jar of jam if they had encountered 6 than if they encountered 24, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/people-were-actually-6-times-more-likely-to-buy-a-jar-of-jam-if-they/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [ They \[people\] start asking themselves "Well which one is the best? Which one would be good for me?" And all those questions are much… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/they-people-start-asking-themselves-well-which-one-is-the-best-which/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [“The challenges we face when it comes to identity and choice exist precisely because choosing is not only a private activity but a social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-challenges-we-face-when-it-comes-to-identity-and-choice-exist/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [“One could even argue that we have a duty to create and pass on stories about choice because once a person knows such stories,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/one-could-even-argue-that-we-have-a-duty-to-create-and-pass-on/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [“Henri Poincaré, a celebrated French mathematician and philosopher of science, said, “Invention consists in avoiding the constructing of useless combinations and in constructing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/henri-poincar-a-celebrated-french-mathematician-and-philosopher-of/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [I think of choosing as a... both a fun and an effortful activity and I think of choice as something that in order for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-think-of-choosing-as-a-both-a-fun-and-an-effortful-activity-and-i/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [Choosing is a creative process, one through which we construct our environment, our lives, ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/choosing-is-a-creative-process-one-through-which-we-construct-our/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [Now if you expand their choice set. Say you give them 20 different speed dates, everything goes out the window. Everybody starts choosing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/now-if-you-expand-their-choice-set-say-you-give-them-20-different/)

[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/)

> [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/)

> [“Facing our fears, skeletons, and mistakes is paramount in finding ourselves-in living with ourselves. Once it's done, that fear will be laid to rest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-woodsmall/facing-our-fears-skeletons-and-mistakes-is-paramount-in-finding/)

[Cindy Woodsmall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-woodsmall/)

## 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": "We are sculptors finding ourselves in the evolution of choosing, not in the results of choice.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sheena Iyengar"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-the-evolution-of-choosing-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Choice"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-the-evolution-of-choosing-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-th_538555.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-th_538555.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edb/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-th_538555.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We are sculptors finding ourselves in the evolution of choosing, not in the results of choice.” — Sheena Iyengar",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Sheena Iyengar",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We are sculptors finding ourselves in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-the-evolution-of-choosing-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/we-are-sculptors-finding-ourselves-in-the-evolution-of-choosing-not/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```