--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't make a conscious choice…" description: "\"If you don't make a conscious choice... someone else will decide for you. It may be your boss, a family member, an advertiser, a collective social infl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/steve-pavlina-3958_advertisers_if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-som_1259219.png" --- # If you don't make a conscious choice... someone else will… ![“If you don't make a conscious choice... someone else will decide for you. It may be your boss, a family member, an advertiser, a collective social influence, or someone or something else, but it won't be something of your deliberate choosing.” quote by Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/steve-pavlina-3958_advertisers_if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-som_1259219.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/steve-pavlina-3958_advertisers_if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-som_1259219.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/steve-pavlina-3958_advertisers_if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-som_1259219.png) > “If you don't make a conscious choice... someone else will decide for you. It may be your boss, a family member, an advertiser, a collective social influence, or someone or something else, but it won't be something of your deliberate choosing.” [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If you don't choose actively, others will dictate your path. **In simple terms:** Choose or be chosen. Key Takeaway Take active control. Themes autonomy decision‑making influence Mood thoughtful empowering Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - consumer choices - political voting Key Concepts psychology social dynamics personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What choices are you avoiding? - Who influences you most? A Different Perspective External forces can be subtle. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Deliberate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deliberate/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-members/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Thought provoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-provoking/) ## Related quotes > [For me, choosing happiness has to be something that's conscious, a choice, something I act on. And I think this is something really difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loung-ung/for-me-choosing-happiness-has-to-be-something-that-s-conscious-a/) [Loung Ung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loung-ung/) > [Advertising is very simple in a lot of ways. Advertisers go where the users go, and users are choosing to spend a lot more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wojcicki/advertising-is-very-simple-in-a-lot-of-ways-advertisers-go-where-the/) [Susan Wojcicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wojcicki/) > [Who Will I be? Hmm... How to choose Who to be Well lets see There's so many choices now Play guitar, be a movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal/who-will-i-be-hmm-how-to-choose-who-to-be-well-lets-see-there-s-so/) [Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal/) > [You're not just anyone. One day, you're going to have to make a choice. You have to decide what kind of man you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-not-just-anyone-one-day-you-re-going-to-have-to-make-a-choice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is always a choice; the only part you have to decide on is living with the consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/there-is-always-a-choice-the-only-part-you-have-to-decide-on-is/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You are not just anyone. One day, you're going to have to make a choice. You have to decide what kind of man you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kent/you-are-not-just-anyone-one-day-you-re-going-to-have-to-make-a-choice/) [Jonathan Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kent/) > [All over the world people have developed their own ideas about what's right and wrong in life, but so long as you aren't harming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/all-over-the-world-people-have-developed-their-own-ideas-about-what-s/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Had he any choice? Can one decide whether to love or not? Yes, probably. One could walk away from life and choose half a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-perry/had-he-any-choice-can-one-decide-whether-to-love-or-not-yes-probably/) [Anne Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-perry/) > [Your past builds you, although its your choice if you decide to allow it to impact you in a negative or positive way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-past-builds-you-although-its-your-choice-if-you-decide-to-allow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness is a choice. You can decide how things affect you. You can decide how you react. It's up to YOU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-a-choice-you-can-decide-how-things-affect-you-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She said, "Right now, while we have this time, I'm not going to do any of that other stuff. I'm going to seize this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/she-said-right-now-while-we-have-this-time-i-m-not-going-to-do-any-of/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [“I'm in a hole because at some point I found a shovel and started digging. Maybe I should trade my shovels for ladders and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-m-in-a-hole-because-at-some-point-i-found-a-shovel-and-started/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [The only thing stopping you is fear, and the only thing that will get you past it is courage. What you do with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/the-only-thing-stopping-you-is-fear-and-the-only-thing-that-will-get/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Saying no isn't easy, but it's a required skill if you wish to have any degree of focus in your life. If you say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/saying-no-isn-t-easy-but-it-s-a-required-skill-if-you-wish-to-have/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Are you one of those people who notices the problems of the world and says ... somebody ought to do something about that? Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/are-you-one-of-those-people-who-notices-the-problems-of-the-world-and/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) ## More by Steve Pavlina > [Your values are your current estimations of truth. They represent your answer to the question of how to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/your-values-are-your-current-estimations-of-truth-they-represent-your/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Using passion as your only fuel will no more assure you of success than being in love will ensure a successful long-term relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/using-passion-as-your-only-fuel-will-no-more-assure-you-of-success/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [When you discipline yourself to do what is hard, you gain access to a realm of results that are denied everyone else. The willingness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/when-you-discipline-yourself-to-do-what-is-hard-you-gain-access-to-a/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [A man doesn't require the approval of others. He's willing to follow his heart wherever it leads him. When a man is following his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/a-man-doesn-t-require-the-approval-of-others-he-s-willing-to-follow/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [To work effectively you need uninterrupted blocks of time in which you can complete meaningful work... I've found that a minimum of 90 minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/to-work-effectively-you-need-uninterrupted-blocks-of-time-in-which/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [People in their early 20s are invariably weird.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/people-in-their-early-20s-are-invariably-weird/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Are you one of those people who notices the problems of the world and says ... somebody ought to do something about that? Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/are-you-one-of-those-people-who-notices-the-problems-of-the-world-and/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Think for yourself. Unplug yourself from follow-the-follower groupthink, and virtually ignore what everyone else in your industry is saying (except the ones everyone agrees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/think-for-yourself-unplug-yourself-from-follow-the-follower/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Security is worthless if you have to sacrifice growth to get it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/security-is-worthless-if-you-have-to-sacrifice-growth-to-get-it/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [I believe we can proactively choose to believe whatever we want instead of merely letting our beliefs coalesce as reactions to events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/i-believe-we-can-proactively-choose-to-believe-whatever-we-want/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Pour the bulk of your time into action, not deciding. The state of indecision is a major time waster. Don't spend more than 60…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/pour-the-bulk-of-your-time-into-action-not-deciding-the-state-of/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Treat your business relationships like friendships (or potential friendships). Formality puts up walls, and walls don't foster good business relationships. No one is loyal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/treat-your-business-relationships-like-friendships-or-potential/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Side effect of overemphasizing the importance of personal security in your life is that it can cause you to live reactively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/side-effect-of-overemphasizing-the-importance-of-personal-security-in/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [You can move beyond the ego's perspective and see reality from the perspective of a higher consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/you-can-move-beyond-the-ego-s-perspective-and-see-reality-from-the/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [Passion and purpose go hand in hand. When you discover your purpose, you will normally find its something youre tremendously passionate about](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/passion-and-purpose-go-hand-in-hand-when-you-discover-your-purpose/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) [Explore all 116 Steve Pavlina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) ## More Advertisers quotes > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [The consumption of alcohol is increasing among youth. Targeting young audiences, advertisers portray beer and wine as joyful, socially desirable, and harmless. Producers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/the-consumption-of-alcohol-is-increasing-among-youth-targeting-young/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [Advertisers now have a highly targeted opportunity for aligning their brands alongside the entertainment experience people are enjoying on YouTube.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hurley/advertisers-now-have-a-highly-targeted-opportunity-for-aligning-their/) [Chad Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hurley/) > [In the old days, advertisers ventured on their own opinions. The few guess right, the many wrong. Those were the time of advertising disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/in-the-old-days-advertisers-ventured-on-their-own-opinions-the-few/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [There are all kinds of people who continue to be largely ignored by advertisers, whose lives largely go unseen. They deserve their moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/there-are-all-kinds-of-people-who-continue-to-be-largely-ignored-by/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [As you start to see more respected advertisers coming in and looking at esports, you're going to find that there's a lot of interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morhaime/as-you-start-to-see-more-respected-advertisers-coming-in-and-looking/) [Michael Morhaime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morhaime/) > [People are looking for original content in many different places, as are advertisers. This takes us into a whole new ballgame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-zucker/people-are-looking-for-original-content-in-many-different-places-as/) [Jeff Zucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-zucker/) > [The next time you see John Stossel or Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity, these flat-Earthers, these corporate toadies, lying to you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/the-next-time-you-see-john-stossel-or-glenn-beck-or-rush-limbaugh-or/) [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/) > [Denunciations of the manipulativeness of advertisers can unfortunately all too easily be turned on their heads into denunciations of the gullibility of consumers. Both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/denunciations-of-the-manipulativeness-of-advertisers-can/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [“Robbed of a rapt audience, advertisers know that influencing how you spend what to do while depends on having some control over how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-carlson/robbed-of-a-rapt-audience-advertisers-know-that-influencing-how-you/) [Greg Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-carlson/) > [So the first things that you see when you look up something on Google could be dependent on the amount of advertising or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/so-the-first-things-that-you-see-when-you-look-up-something-on-google/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Experience has taught me that advertisers get the best results when they pay their agency a flat fee. It is unrealistic to expect your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/experience-has-taught-me-that-advertisers-get-the-best-results-when/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Commercial television has lowered the general standard of TV in an endeavour to get millions and masses of people to watch the advertising. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-robens-baron-robens-of-woldingham/commercial-television-has-lowered-the-general-standard-of-tv-in-an/) Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham > [Let's face it, we're skunk drunk and it's because of money. It's almost like we all need to enter Betty Ford Clinic 2.0 together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rubel/let-s-face-it-we-re-skunk-drunk-and-it-s-because-of-money-it-s-almost/) [Steve Rubel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rubel/) > [I don't think the advertisers have any real idea of their power not only to reflect but to mold society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/i-don-t-think-the-advertisers-have-any-real-idea-of-their-power-not/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) Browse all 108 Advertisers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you don't make a conscious choice... someone else will decide for you. It may be your boss, a family member, an advertiser, a collective social influence, or someone or something else, but it won't be something of your deliberate choosing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Pavlina" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-someone-else-will-decide-for-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advertisers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-someone-else-will-decide-for-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/steve-pavlina-3958_advertisers_if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-som_1259219.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/steve-pavlina-3958_advertisers_if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-som_1259219.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/steve-pavlina-3958_advertisers_if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-som_1259219.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you don't make a conscious choice... someone else will decide for you. It may be your boss, a family…” — Steve Pavlina", "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": "Steve Pavlina", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you don't make a conscious...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-someone-else-will-decide-for-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/if-you-don-t-make-a-conscious-choice-someone-else-will-decide-for-you/#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 } } ] } ```