--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes people don't want to be…" description: "\"Sometimes people don't want to be empowered because they are afraid of being the person to make the decisions.\" — Shonda Rhimes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/shonda-rhimes-1866_afraid_sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowe_3016685.jpg" --- # Sometimes people don't want to be empowered because they… ![“Sometimes people don't want to be empowered because they are afraid of being the person to make the decisions.” quote by Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/shonda-rhimes-1866_afraid_sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowe_3016685.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/shonda-rhimes-1866_afraid_sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowe_3016685.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/shonda-rhimes-1866_afraid_sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowe_3016685.jpg) > “Sometimes people don't want to be empowered because they are afraid of being the person to make the decisions.” [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People may avoid empowerment because making decisions brings responsibility and fear of failure. **In simple terms:** Fear of responsibility can block empowerment. Key Takeaway Embrace decision‑making despite fear. Themes empowerment decision‑making fear responsibility leadership Mood encouraging thoughtful Type leadership self‑help When to use this quote - team leadership - personal growth - entrepreneurship - project management Key Concepts psychology risk tolerance agency Questions to Reflect On - Why do you fear making decisions? - What small decisions can you practice now? A Different Perspective Not all decisions are equally impactful; paralysis can still occur. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [“Don't be one of those who don't want others to be empowered. Share information. Try to make the next person, smarter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/don-t-be-one-of-those-who-don-t-want-others-to-be-empowered-share/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [People want to be empowered to the point where they can thwart their enemies physically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leitch/people-want-to-be-empowered-to-the-point-where-they-can-thwart-their/) [David Leitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leitch/) > [If you're losing someone that you really Love, don't be afraid because if that person do Loves you a lot He/She would take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-losing-someone-that-you-really-love-don-t-be-afraid-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every night when I go out on stage, there's always one nagging fear in the back of my mind. I'm always afraid that somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/every-night-when-i-go-out-on-stage-there-s-always-one-nagging-fear-in/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [If your losing someone that you really love, Never be afraid, because if that person do loves you a lot, He/she would take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laine/if-your-losing-someone-that-you-really-love-never-be-afraid-because/) [Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laine/) > [If you're losing someone that you really love,never be afraid because if that person does loves you a lot he would TAKE THE RISK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-losing-someone-that-you-really-love-never-be-afraid-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To be afraid, a person has either to be very great and strong-- or else a coward. I'm neither.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/to-be-afraid-a-person-has-either-to-be-very-great-and-strong-or-else/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Don't be afraid to be who you are because you are the only person who knows you best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-to-be-who-you-are-because-you-are-the-only-person-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't be afraid of being the person you have become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-espinosa/don-t-be-afraid-of-being-the-person-you-have-become/) [Albert Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-espinosa/) > [If you kill someone, it shows that you are afraid of that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/if-you-kill-someone-it-shows-that-you-are-afraid-of-that-person/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [“It is not the homeless, mentally ill or extremely cunning people that we have to be afraid of. When someone loses everything that meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-is-not-the-homeless-mentally-ill-or-extremely-cunning-people-that/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Everyone is afraid of you and when folk are afraid of a person it usually means the person is cruel in some way, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/everyone-is-afraid-of-you-and-when-folk-are-afraid-of-a-person-it/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [I was never a hundred percent comfortable with the women I was hanging with because I was afraid they'd find out that I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taye-diggs/i-was-never-a-hundred-percent-comfortable-with-the-women-i-was/) [Taye Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taye-diggs/) > [“If we put a gun to her head she would sing all day. Try it first with a bird, General Benjamin said gently to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-sing-all-day-try-it-first-with/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [I think brutal honesty is extremely important. Don't be afraid of being up-front about your feelings and your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minka-kelly/i-think-brutal-honesty-is-extremely-important-don-t-be-afraid-of/) [Minka Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minka-kelly/) ## More by Shonda Rhimes > [My philosophy was always try to look like Whitney Houston at all times. That did not work out so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-philosophy-was-always-try-to-look-like-whitney-houston-at-all/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [“Being numb no longer suits me. It’s ill-fitting and I’m antsy about it. I find myself snapping back at people more. Or writing little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/being-numb-no-longer-suits-me-it-s-ill-fitting-and-i-m-antsy-about-it/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [You don't necessarily have to watch something for 14 seasons. It's not necessarily the way everything's supposed to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/you-don-t-necessarily-have-to-watch-something-for-14-seasons-it-s-not/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [We all think we’re going to be great and we feel a little bit robbed when our expectations aren’t met. But sometimes our expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/we-all-think-we-re-going-to-be-great-and-we-feel-a-little-bit-robbed/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [My worst trait is that I'm an introvert. When I've led stuff, the hardest thing for me to overcome has been my natural desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-worst-trait-is-that-i-m-an-introvert-when-i-ve-led-stuff-the/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [There are stories to be told that are still untold and characters to be portrayed that haven't been portrayed correctly. So there's work to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/there-are-stories-to-be-told-that-are-still-untold-and-characters-to/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I say it in the writers' room all the time: My black is not your black. What's terrifying is that, just the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-say-it-in-the-writers-room-all-the-time-my-black-is-not-your-black/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I don't think of myself as a television producer. Obviously, that's crazy. Because I should. That's what I do. But I don't actually see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-television-producer-obviously-that-s/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [My father used to say to me, 'The only limit to your success is your own imagination.' I actually believed that - like, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-father-used-to-say-to-me-the-only-limit-to-your-success-is-your/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I don't identify with her, but I highly admire Eleanor Roosevelt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-don-t-identify-with-her-but-i-highly-admire-eleanor-roosevelt/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/we-spend-our-whole-lives-worrying-about-the-future-planning-for-the/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [What I found fascinating for me was, I've never gotten so much approval and accolades and warmth and congratulations as when I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/what-i-found-fascinating-for-me-was-i-ve-never-gotten-so-much/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [“Look. I will not be told what size to be. I do not care about anyone else’s judgment about my body. I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/look-i-will-not-be-told-what-size-to-be-i-do-not-care-about-anyone/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [My parents created a world in which the only ­barrier to your success is your own imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-parents-created-a-world-in-which-the-only-barrier-to-your-success/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [There have to be practical steps. There's no point in holding out for a magic door because there are no magic doors. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/there-have-to-be-practical-steps-there-s-no-point-in-holding-out-for/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) [Explore all 194 Shonda Rhimes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes people don't want to be empowered because they are afraid of being the person to make the decisions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shonda Rhimes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowered-because-they-are-afraid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowered-because-they-are-afraid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/shonda-rhimes-1866_afraid_sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowe_3016685.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/shonda-rhimes-1866_afraid_sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowe_3016685.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/shonda-rhimes-1866_afraid_sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowe_3016685.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes people don't want to be empowered because they are afraid of being the person to make the decisions.” — Shonda Rhimes", "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": "Shonda Rhimes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes people don't want to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowered-because-they-are-afraid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowered-because-they-are-afraid/#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 } } ] } ```