--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we've learned is that if you can…" description: "\"What we've learned is that if you can make the right decision in the supermarket aisle, it's a heck of a lot easier to make a good decision when you re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/tom-rath-3501_aisle_what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-ma_791512.jpg" --- # What we've learned is that if you can make the right… ![“What we've learned is that if you can make the right decision in the supermarket aisle, it's a heck of a lot easier to make a good decision when you reach in your cupboard when you're craving a snack at eight o'clock at night.” quote by Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/tom-rath-3501_aisle_what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-ma_791512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/tom-rath-3501_aisle_what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-ma_791512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/tom-rath-3501_aisle_what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-ma_791512.jpg) > “What we've learned is that if you can make the right decision in the supermarket aisle, it's a heck of a lot easier to make a good decision when you reach in your cupboard when you're craving a snack at eight o'clock at night.” [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Making good choices in simple, everyday situations builds the habit of sound decision‑making for larger, more complex challenges. **In simple terms:** Small choices shape big decisions. Key Takeaway Practice disciplined choices daily. Themes decision‑making habit formation self‑control health Mood pragmatic encouraging Type self‑help practical When to use this quote - grocery shopping - snack cravings - budgeting - time management Key Concepts behavioral economics willpower routine Questions to Reflect On - Which daily choice could you improve? - How does consistency affect confidence? A Different Perspective Habits can be hard to change without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aisle/) [Craving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craving/) [Craving Snack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craving-snack-6077334/) [Cupboard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cupboard/) [Cupboard Craving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cupboard-craving-6077331/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision Supermarket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-supermarket-6077333/) [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Eight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heck/) [Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned/) [Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Reach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reach/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Right decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-decision/) [Snack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snack/) [Supermarket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supermarket/) [Supermarket Aisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supermarket-aisle-6077332/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [I did things like get in a cupboard before the teacher came in at the beginning of a lesson, and then, two minutes before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/i-did-things-like-get-in-a-cupboard-before-the-teacher-came-in-at-the/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [“She's an ugly little thing. No child should look like that. Pale and sour, like a glass of milk that's turned." "And so skinny!"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/she-s-an-ugly-little-thing-no-child-should-look-like-that-pale-and/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [Polenta is one of those ingredients that in many homes spends its days at the back of the kitchen cupboard, on the 'no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/polenta-is-one-of-those-ingredients-that-in-many-homes-spends-its/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [“So do not fritter away your days. Sooner than you fear, you will stand before a mirror in a care home, look at your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/so-do-not-fritter-away-your-days-sooner-than-you-fear-you-will-stand/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“cupboard. The strange little key, which had been his great-grandmother’s,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-reid-banks/cupboard-the-strange-little-key-which-had-been-his-great-grandmother-s/) [Lynne Reid Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-reid-banks/) > [“Mr. H. Potter The Cupboard under the Stairs 4 Privet Drive Little Whinging Surrey”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/mr-h-potter-the-cupboard-under-the-stairs-4-privet-drive-little/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [Your mind is a cupboard and you stock the shelves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/your-mind-is-a-cupboard-and-you-stock-the-shelves/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [Honestly, there always has to be a jar of Marmite in the cupboard. And a bag of Fruit Gums. That's living with a British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayma-mays/honestly-there-always-has-to-be-a-jar-of-marmite-in-the-cupboard-and/) [Jayma Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayma-mays/) > [“The fact is that there are many skeletons in the Tower’s cupboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-pollard/the-fact-is-that-there-are-many-skeletons-in-the-tower-s-cupboard/) [A.J. Pollard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-pollard/) > [The cat which isn't let out of the bag often becomes a skeleton in the cupboard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-madan/the-cat-which-isn-t-let-out-of-the-bag-often-becomes-a-skeleton-in/) [Geoffrey Madan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-madan/) > [Let’s see . . . ah, yes, this is nice and cozy.” It was a broom cupboard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-s-see-ah-yes-this-is-nice-and-cozy-it-was-a-broom-cupboard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like my old nose. If I could get it out the cupboard and put it on, then I would.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-price/i-like-my-old-nose-if-i-could-get-it-out-the-cupboard-and-put-it-on/) [Katie Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-price/) > [The first thing you have to understand is that I was not desperate to be a writer. I was never a closet writer filing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-swarup/the-first-thing-you-have-to-understand-is-that-i-was-not-desperate-to/) [Vikas Swarup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-swarup/) > [As a kid, there was a painting of 'Appeal to the Great Spirit' that I would see when I would get oatmeal bowls out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/as-a-kid-there-was-a-painting-of-appeal-to-the-great-spirit-that-i/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) > [The ideal vacuum cleaner would be one you never see. It needs to not just be a cool gadget, but a product that cleans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/the-ideal-vacuum-cleaner-would-be-one-you-never-see-it-needs-to-not/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) ## More by Tom Rath > [Every day, I read about new ideas and research that could help someone I care about live a longer and healthier life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/every-day-i-read-about-new-ideas-and-research-that-could-help-someone/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [I've seen people be effective, even among local teams, by offering something that improves wellbeing in a small way - people who get passionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/i-ve-seen-people-be-effective-even-among-local-teams-by-offering/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [“What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths - and can call on the right strength at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/what-great-leaders-have-in-common-is-that-each-truly-knows-his-or-her/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [If you want people to understand that you value their contributions and that they are important, the recognition and praise you provide must have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/if-you-want-people-to-understand-that-you-value-their-contributions/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [On average, spending time with your boss is consistently rated as the least pleasurable activity in a given day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/on-average-spending-time-with-your-boss-is-consistently-rated-as-the/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [“Once your brain initially processes something, you are less likely to retain the information if you are not physically active in the period following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/once-your-brain-initially-processes-something-you-are-less-likely-to/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [I would absolutely recommend against excessive positivity and optimism. Any positive emotion that you're infusing into a workplace needs to be grounded in reality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/i-would-absolutely-recommend-against-excessive-positivity-and/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [The vast knowledge we have to prevent cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses is staggering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/the-vast-knowledge-we-have-to-prevent-cancer-heart-disease-and-other/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [Positive defaults protect you from yourself - and that helps you to make decisions in the moment that are better for your long-term interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/positive-defaults-protect-you-from-yourself-and-that-helps-you-to/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [Making better choices takes work. There is a daily give and take, but it is worth the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/making-better-choices-takes-work-there-is-a-daily-give-and-take-but/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [Having fewer unhealthy days and, in turn, more days when you have the energy to get things done is probably the global constant through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/having-fewer-unhealthy-days-and-in-turn-more-days-when-you-have-the/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [Even if people just change two or three things that they are able to sustain over time, it makes quite a difference eventually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/even-if-people-just-change-two-or-three-things-that-they-are-able-to/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [People with high levels of wellbeing have been careful to work out early in the morning and not to have heavy meals throughout the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/people-with-high-levels-of-wellbeing-have-been-careful-to-work-out/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [The absence of high-quality friendships is bad for your health, spirits, productivity, and longevity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/the-absence-of-high-quality-friendships-is-bad-for-your-health/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [I'm a researcher, so I'm realistic that there's nothing I'm doing that's going to prevent me from getting cancer in the future. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/i-m-a-researcher-so-i-m-realistic-that-there-s-nothing-i-m-doing-that/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) [Explore all 129 Tom Rath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) ## More Aisle quotes > [The nation, as you know, is at a critical point. At a time like this we can't risk partisan bickering and political posturing. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/the-nation-as-you-know-is-at-a-critical-point-at-a-time-like-this-we/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [It has been said that a bride's attitude towards her betrothed can be summed up in three words: Aisle. Alter. Hymn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-muir/it-has-been-said-that-a-bride-s-attitude-towards-her-betrothed-can-be/) [Frank Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-muir/) > [I see the world as a knowledge hardware story, and every day I'm just walking through the aisles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/i-see-the-world-as-a-knowledge-hardware-story-and-every-day-i-m-just/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [There is a bunch of racism in America, and sadly, most of it's on the left side of the aisle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-is-a-bunch-of-racism-in-america-and-sadly-most-of-it-s-on-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The hand that rounded Peter's dome, And groined the aisles of Christian Rome, Wrought in a sad sincerity; Himself from God he could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-hand-that-rounded-peter-s-dome-and-groined-the-aisles-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Let that get you up in the morning and put the light in your eyes. I'm telling you, it makes you a better husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/let-that-get-you-up-in-the-morning-and-put-the-light-in-your-eyes-i-m/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [Heaven is not a place for those who are afraid of hell; it’s a place for those who love God. You can scare people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-chandler/heaven-is-not-a-place-for-those-who-are-afraid-of-hell-it-s-a-place/) [Matt Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-chandler/) > [Every presidential candidate for decades has released his tax returns, and I've released 33 years of my tax returns. The American people deserve to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/every-presidential-candidate-for-decades-has-released-his-tax-returns/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I'll never forget that first night with the team. Going to the ballpark on the bus was the hardest 30 minutes of my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kaline/i-ll-never-forget-that-first-night-with-the-team-going-to-the/) [Al Kaline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kaline/) > [ In modern day evangelism, this precious doctrine \[of regeneration\] has been reduced to nothing more than a human decision to raise one's hand, walk… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/in-modern-day-evangelism-this-precious-doctrine-of-regeneration-has/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [I've had diseases that lasted longer than my marriages. You know you are in a bad marriage if you walk down the aisle thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-carter/i-ve-had-diseases-that-lasted-longer-than-my-marriages-you-know-you/) [Nell Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-carter/) > [I want to be here for a long time, so I am going to do everything I have to do to be here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-want-to-be-here-for-a-long-time-so-i-am-going-to-do-everything-i/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [There are smart people on our side of the aisle who have known as early as I did who Obama was and should have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-are-smart-people-on-our-side-of-the-aisle-who-have-known-as/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I am all in favor of pay equity for women, but this kind of legislation, as is typical of what's being proposed by my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-am-all-in-favor-of-pay-equity-for-women-but-this-kind-of/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I think that people have to reward those individuals who are prepared to work across the political aisle. I don't see any other way;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-king/i-think-that-people-have-to-reward-those-individuals-who-are-prepared/) [Angus King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-king/) [Browse all 203 Aisle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aisle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What we've learned is that if you can make the right decision in the supermarket aisle, it's a heck of a lot easier to make a good decision when you reach in your cupboard when you're craving a snack at eight o'clock at night.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Rath" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-make-the-right-decision-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aisle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-make-the-right-decision-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/tom-rath-3501_aisle_what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-ma_791512.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/tom-rath-3501_aisle_what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-ma_791512.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/tom-rath-3501_aisle_what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-ma_791512.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What we've learned is that if you can make the right decision in the supermarket aisle, it's a heck of a lot…” — Tom Rath", "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": "Tom Rath", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What we've learned is that if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-make-the-right-decision-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/what-we-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-can-make-the-right-decision-in-the/#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 } } ] } ```