--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well certainly not having any choice…" description: "\"Well certainly not having any choice - having your entire life dictated by others.\" — Sheena Iyengar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-hav_1130535.png" --- # Well certainly not having any choice - having your entire… ![“Well certainly not having any choice - having your entire life dictated by others.” quote by Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-hav_1130535.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-hav_1130535.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-hav_1130535.png) > “Well certainly not having any choice - having your entire life dictated by others.” [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. Lack of choice leads to feeling controlled, eroding personal agency. **In simple terms:** No choice equals loss of control. Key Takeaway Regain autonomy. Themes autonomy choice control Mood reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - daily routines - personal goals Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What choices can you reclaim? - How does external control affect your motivation? A Different Perspective External pressures can sometimes guide beneficially. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Entire life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“Hell isn't having no choice. It's having to make a choice between horrific things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-winslow/hell-isn-t-having-no-choice-it-s-having-to-make-a-choice-between/) [Don Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-winslow/) > [“Having choice is nothing but a big illusion created by those who have power to make choices and make another if it goes wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crestless-wave/having-choice-is-nothing-but-a-big-illusion-created-by-those-who-have/) Crestless Wave > [I do think that there are cultural differences in the extent to which we value having more and more choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-do-think-that-there-are-cultural-differences-in-the-extent-to-which/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Having the choice at the end of my life has become incredibly important. It has given me a sense of peace during a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-maynard/having-the-choice-at-the-end-of-my-life-has-become-incredibly/) [Brittany Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-maynard/) > [So much of our life is dictated by our mindsets. So much of it! Of how we think, we shall become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/so-much-of-our-life-is-dictated-by-our-mindsets-so-much-of-it-of-how/) [Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/) > [“Part of my life no longer made sense. A life of meetings stretched between appointments, half listening to people, always running late. A life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-gallagher/part-of-my-life-no-longer-made-sense-a-life-of-meetings-stretched/) [Nora Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-gallagher/) > [All too often, as we know from experience, people do not choose life; they do not accept the gospel of life, but let themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/all-too-often-as-we-know-from-experience-people-do-not-choose-life/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Everything I've done in my life has been dictated by the fact that I like to be home at night and in bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/everything-i-ve-done-in-my-life-has-been-dictated-by-the-fact-that-i/) [Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/) > [That's very indicative to me of one of the things that really creates an aversion for me about having a child - this idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-kerman/that-s-very-indicative-to-me-of-one-of-the-things-that-really-creates/) [Piper Kerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-kerman/) > [If I was given the choice between having the world back and having you, I wouldn't be able to give you up. Not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/if-i-was-given-the-choice-between-having-the-world-back-and-having/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“It won’t be the same. Just because we have the choice of having anything we want without having to lift a finger, we don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-grace-davis/it-won-t-be-the-same-just-because-we-have-the-choice-of-having/) [Liz Grace Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-grace-davis/) > [“I’ve discovered that, given a seemingly impossible choice between having the person without the feeling, or the feeling without the person, in the deepest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachelle-rogers/i-ve-discovered-that-given-a-seemingly-impossible-choice-between/) Rachelle Rogers > [Confronted with the choice between having time and having things, we’ve chosen to have things. Today it is a luxury to read what Socrates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-zaid/confronted-with-the-choice-between-having-time-and-having-things-we/) [Gabriel Zaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-zaid/) > [A lot of women in New Zealand feel like they have to make a choice between having babies and having a career or continuing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacinda-ardern/a-lot-of-women-in-new-zealand-feel-like-they-have-to-make-a-choice/) [Jacinda Ardern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacinda-ardern/) > [“Suddenly, I see the other side of choice. Of all of us having it. Sometimes we will choose wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/suddenly-i-see-the-other-side-of-choice-of-all-of-us-having-it/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) ## 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": "Well certainly not having any choice - having your entire life dictated by others.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sheena Iyengar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-having-your-entire-life-dictated/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-having-your-entire-life-dictated/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-hav_1130535.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-hav_1130535.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/sheena-iyengar-2596_choice_well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-hav_1130535.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Well certainly not having any choice - having your entire life dictated by others.” — 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": "Well certainly not having any choice...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-having-your-entire-life-dictated/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/well-certainly-not-having-any-choice-having-your-entire-life-dictated/#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 } } ] } ```