--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once we are self-aware, we must choose…" description: "\"Once we are self-aware, we must choose purposes and principles to live by; otherwise the vacuum will be filled, and we will lose our self-awareness and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/stephen-covey-339_animal_once-we-are-self-aware-we-must-choose-pu_2353796.png" --- # Once we are self-aware, we must choose purposes and… ![“Once we are self-aware, we must choose purposes and principles to live by; otherwise the vacuum will be filled, and we will lose our self-awareness and become like groveling animals who live primarily for survival and propagation. People who exist on that level aren't living; they are "being lived".” quote by Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/stephen-covey-339_animal_once-we-are-self-aware-we-must-choose-pu_2353796.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/stephen-covey-339_animal_once-we-are-self-aware-we-must-choose-pu_2353796.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/stephen-covey-339_animal_once-we-are-self-aware-we-must-choose-pu_2353796.png) > “Once we are self-aware, we must choose purposes and principles to live by; otherwise the vacuum will be filled, and we will lose our self-awareness and become like groveling animals who live primarily for survival and propagation. People who exist on that level aren't living; they are "being lived".” [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When we become conscious of ourselves, we must define guiding values; otherwise emptiness leads to animalistic survival behavior. **In simple terms:** Self-awareness demands purpose; without it we revert to basic survival. Key Takeaway Define personal principles now. Themes self-awareness purpose values existence Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - spiritual practice - leadership decisions Key Concepts existentialism ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - What core values will guide your life? - How do you avoid falling into mere survival mode? A Different Perspective Choosing principles can be difficult amid societal pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personal development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-development/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self -awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness/) [Self Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness-3/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) ## Related quotes > [Once we are self-aware, we must choose purposes and principles to live by; otherwise the vacuum will be filled, and we will lose our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/once-we-are-self-aware-we-must-choose-purposes-and-principles-to-live/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [If we look further, we see that we actually contain all of existence. Everyone who has ever been or will ever be, is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-we-look-further-we-see-that-we-actually-contain-all-of-existence/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [In addition to self-awareness, imagination and conscience, it is the fourth human endowment - independent will - that really makes effective self-management possible. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/in-addition-to-self-awareness-imagination-and-conscience-it-is-the/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Awareness is not the same as thought. It lies beyond thinking, although it makes no use of thinking, honoring it's value and it's power.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/awareness-is-not-the-same-as-thought-it-lies-beyond-thinking-although/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“Such awareness is like living with a snake in the room; you watch its every movement, you are very, very sensitive to the slightest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/such-awareness-is-like-living-with-a-snake-in-the-room-you-watch-its/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Keeping a personal journal a daily in-depth analysis and evaluation of your experiences is a high-leverage activity that increases self-awareness and enhances all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/keeping-a-personal-journal-a-daily-in-depth-analysis-and-evaluation/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I operate better with education and awareness, like I think all of us do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-slater/i-operate-better-with-education-and-awareness-like-i-think-all-of-us/) [Christian Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-slater/) > [Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/awareness-is-like-the-sun-when-it-shines-on-things-they-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Too many vacations that last too long, too many movies, too much TV, too much video game playing - too much undisciplined leisure time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/too-many-vacations-that-last-too-long-too-many-movies-too-much-tv-too/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [ “What is the same in every human being and doesn't change? \[...\] That you exist. The words we use to express this concept are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-giesemann/what-is-the-same-in-every-human-being-and-doesn-t-change-that-you/) [Suzanne Giesemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-giesemann/) > [“Self-awareness is like an onion. There are multiple layers to it, and the more you peel them back, the more likely you’re going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/self-awareness-is-like-an-onion-there-are-multiple-layers-to-it-and/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [Once you start to question your life you get to a higher level of awareness. It's like turning a light on-voila you see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-judd/once-you-start-to-question-your-life-you-get-to-a-higher-level-of/) [Naomi Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-judd/) > [Awareness must be like the rays of the sun: extending everywhere, illuminating all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/awareness-must-be-like-the-rays-of-the-sun-extending-everywhere/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [ We should try to learn the nature of \[the spirit of revelation\]. . . . This is the grand means that the Lord has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-snow/we-should-try-to-learn-the-nature-of-the-spirit-of-revelation-this-is/) [Lorenzo Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-snow/) > [We have a very robust online business, but convincing luxury houses to join us on the website has involved a lot of groveling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-katz/we-have-a-very-robust-online-business-but-convincing-luxury-houses-to/) [Karen Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-katz/) ## More by Stephen Covey > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Empathic listening takes time, but it doesn't take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/empathic-listening-takes-time-but-it-doesn-t-take-anywhere-near-as/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The fire inside people is like a match; the way to ignite that flame is initially through friction, then other matches are lit through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-fire-inside-people-is-like-a-match-the-way-to-ignite-that-flame/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [In a very real sense, there are only two roles in organisations: customers and suppliers. 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