--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People like to believe that they have…" description: "\"“People like to believe that they have several options open to them, but this is only a justification for attempting to avoid their battles. A warrior ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/th-un-mares-12077_avoidance_people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-se_2380178.jpg" --- # People like to believe that they have several options open… ![“People like to believe that they have several options open to them, but this is only a justification for attempting to avoid their battles. A warrior understands the folly of seeking escapisms, for he knows the world is pervaded by power, which comes at him like the waves of the sea. He either…” quote by Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/th-un-mares-12077_avoidance_people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-se_2380178.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/th-un-mares-12077_avoidance_people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-se_2380178.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/th-un-mares-12077_avoidance_people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-se_2380178.jpg) > ““People like to believe that they have several options open to them, but this is only a justification for attempting to avoid their battles. A warrior understands the folly of seeking escapisms, for he knows the world is pervaded by power, which comes at him like the waves of the sea. He either mounts the crest of those waves and surfs them, or he goes down under.”” [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People claim many choices to avoid confronting their struggles; true courage faces power's relentless force like surfing waves. **In simple terms:** Avoiding choices hides battles; face them like a surfer. Key Takeaway Confront challenges directly. Themes courage avoidance power dynamics Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crises - career decisions - social pressures - mental health Key Concepts Escapism resilience choice Questions to Reflect On - What battles are you avoiding? - Can avoidance ever be constructive? A Different Perspective Escapism can sometimes be a necessary coping tool. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoid Battles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-battles-5892222/) [Avoidance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoidance/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Battles Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battles-warrior-5847087/) [Escapism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapism/) [Escapisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapisms-5892223/) [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Justification Attempting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification-attempting-5892224/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warrior/) [Warrior Understands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warrior-understands-1213836/) ## Related quotes > [In the intervals between battles, the Warrior rests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/in-the-intervals-between-battles-the-warrior-rests/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The true warrior understands and seizes that moment by giving an effort so intense and so intuitive that it could only be called one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/the-true-warrior-understands-and-seizes-that-moment-by-giving-an/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [In every contest, there comes a moment that separates winning from losing. The true warrior understands and seizes that moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/in-every-contest-there-comes-a-moment-that-separates-winning-from/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [“the true warrior understands that while one is learning how to use a sword,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/the-true-warrior-understands-that-while-one-is-learning-how-to-use-a/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [Expeditions are escapism. The stuff that we're normally concerned about just doesn't matter out there. Tax returns, gas bill, none of it. Life becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/expeditions-are-escapism-the-stuff-that-we-re-normally-concerned/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [A great book provides escapism for me. The artistry and the creativity in a story are better than any drugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/a-great-book-provides-escapism-for-me-the-artistry-and-the-creativity/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [I think everybody wants to feel validated in some way, and when you're looking for leisure activities or if you're looking for escapism or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/i-think-everybody-wants-to-feel-validated-in-some-way-and-when-you-re/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [Fashion is, after all, a form of escapism, and in fact people are buying more special things than ever, nowadays. They deny and deny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/fashion-is-after-all-a-form-of-escapism-and-in-fact-people-are-buying/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [Everything we do is escapism, because we'll all be dead and everything we do is completely meaningless. Why brush your teeth? Why not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/everything-we-do-is-escapism-because-we-ll-all-be-dead-and-everything/) [T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/) > [“Often the most tricky questions are the ones we secretly know the answers of. What are you running from? What are you waiting for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/often-the-most-tricky-questions-are-the-ones-we-secretly-know-the/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) > [“We both knew no bounds to our escapism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-lillith-assadi/we-both-knew-no-bounds-to-our-escapism/) [Hannah Lillith Assadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-lillith-assadi/) > [I loved underground comics and psychedelic art. I did like some supernatural horror, but mainly fantasy. I was into escapism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arik-roper/i-loved-underground-comics-and-psychedelic-art-i-did-like-some/) [Arik Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arik-roper/) > [The young man shivered. He rolled the stock themes of fantasy over in his mind: cars and stockbrokers and commuters, housewives and police, agony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-young-man-shivered-he-rolled-the-stock-themes-of-fantasy-over-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What 'Escapism' did, of course I'm over the moon about that - but if that's the biggest moment that I ever get then so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raye/what-escapism-did-of-course-i-m-over-the-moon-about-that-but-if-that/) [Raye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raye/) > [Music is escapism from the grim realities of life. But then as soon as you escape into the music, from my point of view,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/music-is-escapism-from-the-grim-realities-of-life-but-then-as-soon-as/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) ## More by Théun Mares > [“SELF-CONFIDENCE IMPLIES THAT YOU ARE CONVINCED YOU CAN ACT UPON YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/self-confidence-implies-that-you-are-convinced-you-can-act-upon-your/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“WARRIORS KNOW EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR BEING MOST INTIMATELY, EVEN THEIR LATENT TENDENCIES, AND MOST ESPECIALLY THEIR HIDDEN POTENTIAL. TO ACHIEVE THIS WARRIORS USE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/warriors-know-every-aspect-of-their-being-most-intimately-even-their/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“A warrior never cedes his personal power to anything, not even to his death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/a-warrior-never-cedes-his-personal-power-to-anything-not-even-to-his/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“Man’s only justification for physical existence is to learn; this is his destiny which he cannot avoid under any circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/man-s-only-justification-for-physical-existence-is-to-learn-this-is/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“It is never easy to achieve sobriety, and yet once achieved, it cannot be allowed free rein. Instead it must be brought into its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/it-is-never-easy-to-achieve-sobriety-and-yet-once-achieved-it-cannot/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“A battle for power is a battle for survival, and in such a battle there are no rules of conduct. Power will use whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/a-battle-for-power-is-a-battle-for-survival-and-in-such-a-battle/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“Fear can only be prevalent in the absence of sufficient sobriety. In the full light of sobriety fear evaporates like mist before the sun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/fear-can-only-be-prevalent-in-the-absence-of-sufficient-sobriety-in/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“The only way to handle fear is to deliberately face it - to go with the fear and yet not to submit to it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/the-only-way-to-handle-fear-is-to-deliberately-face-it-to-go-with-the/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“Denial is the worst form of self-indulgence. A warrior sees his faults as being his passage to power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/denial-is-the-worst-form-of-self-indulgence-a-warrior-sees-his-faults/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“When the warrior fails in any one particular pursuit of knowledge he is not defeated, because in walking the path of knowledge we fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/when-the-warrior-fails-in-any-one-particular-pursuit-of-knowledge-he/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“The mistake of man is that he always seeks explanations which uphold his view of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/the-mistake-of-man-is-that-he-always-seeks-explanations-which-uphold/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“It is insanity for any man to wish for a different life to the one he has. Such wishes are based upon the demented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/it-is-insanity-for-any-man-to-wish-for-a-different-life-to-the-one-he/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“The warrior comes to knowledge fully prepared to die, and thus circumvents all possible pitfalls. Being prepared for the worst, the warrior cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/the-warrior-comes-to-knowledge-fully-prepared-to-die-and-thus/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“Everything in life is but a challenge. Challenges can never be good or bad; we make of our challenges what we will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/everything-in-life-is-but-a-challenge-challenges-can-never-be-good-or/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [“THE WARRIOR’S PATH IS NOT AN EXERCISE IN SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT. THE WARRIOR’S PATH IS A WAY OF LIFE NECESSARY TO THE DAILY SURVIVAL OF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/the-warrior-s-path-is-not-an-exercise-in-spiritual-development-the/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) [Explore all 56 Théun Mares quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) ## More Avoidance quotes > [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/) [John Whiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whiting/) > [“Collect yourself: to smother what you feel, recall to order, summon in one place; making, like Orpheus, a system against loss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-padel/collect-yourself-to-smother-what-you-feel-recall-to-order-summon-in/) [Ruth Padel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-padel/) > [All work is the avoidance of harder work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/all-work-is-the-avoidance-of-harder-work/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [“People spend entire lifetimes trying to avoid the things that have already happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-hartmann/people-spend-entire-lifetimes-trying-to-avoid-the-things-that-have/) [Silvia Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvia-hartmann/) > [America is not static. America is striving. And sometimes, America requires critique. Jingoism is an avoidance of realism. You can simultaneously love and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/america-is-not-static-america-is-striving-and-sometimes-america/) [Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/) > [I am not in favour of the takeover of excellent and strategically important British companies by struggling foreign firms whose actions are fuelled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/i-am-not-in-favour-of-the-takeover-of-excellent-and-strategically/) [David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/) > [Most human behavior is nothing other than the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/most-human-behavior-is-nothing-other-than-the-avoidance-of-pain-and/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [You can gain power by avoidance. You can gain power by doing certain things. You can gain much more power by meditating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-gain-power-by-avoidance-you-can-gain-power-by-doing-certain/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“If you love stress, practice avoidance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-rowe/if-you-love-stress-practice-avoidance/) [Sharon Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-rowe/) > [I've been trying to avoid my problems, and I don't know what to do. I get high, but when I come down, my problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/i-ve-been-trying-to-avoid-my-problems-and-i-don-t-know-what-to-do-i/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [All the textbooks talk about avoidance as a classic hallmark of anxiety disorder. So you need a therapist who is sympathetic and understanding but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/all-the-textbooks-talk-about-avoidance-as-a-classic-hallmark-of/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [I read recently in an article by G.K. Chesterton, that sex without gestation and parturition is like blowing the trumpets and waving the flags…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dora-russell/i-read-recently-in-an-article-by-g-k-chesterton-that-sex-without/) [Dora Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dora-russell/) > [Be truthful... and pay attention. I would also recommend the avoidance of credit cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/be-truthful-and-pay-attention-i-would-also-recommend-the-avoidance-of/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [“Most of us will do anything to avoid facing ourselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lolly-daskal/most-of-us-will-do-anything-to-avoid-facing-ourselves/) [Lolly Daskal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lolly-daskal/) > [The pleasant life is not produced by continual drinking and dancing, nor sexual intercourse, nor rare dishes of sea food and other delicacies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-pleasant-life-is-not-produced-by-continual-drinking-and-dancing/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) [Browse all 290 Avoidance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoidance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People like to believe that they have several options open to them, but this is only a justification for attempting to avoid their battles. A warrior understands the folly of seeking escapisms, for he knows the world is pervaded by power, which comes at him like the waves of the sea. He either mounts the crest of those waves and surfs them, or he goes down under.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Théun Mares" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-several-options-open-to-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Avoidance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-several-options-open-to-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/th-un-mares-12077_avoidance_people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-se_2380178.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/th-un-mares-12077_avoidance_people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-se_2380178.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/th-un-mares-12077_avoidance_people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-se_2380178.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People like to believe that they have several options open to them, but this is only a justification for…” — Théun Mares", "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": "Théun Mares", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“People like to believe that they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-several-options-open-to-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/people-like-to-believe-that-they-have-several-options-open-to-them/#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 } } ] } ```