--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't know where life will take you…" description: "\"You can't know where life will take you, but you can commit to a direction\" — Wendell Berry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/wendell-berry-236_commit_you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you_1304192.jpg" --- # You can't know where life will take you, but you can… ![“You can't know where life will take you, but you can commit to a direction” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/wendell-berry-236_commit_you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you_1304192.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/wendell-berry-236_commit_you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you_1304192.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/wendell-berry-236_commit_you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you_1304192.jpg) > “You can't know where life will take you, but you can commit to a direction” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s path is unpredictable, yet choosing a direction gives purpose and guidance. **In simple terms:** You can’t predict life, but you can choose a direction. Key Takeaway Pick a direction and pursue it. Themes purpose direction uncertainty commitment Mood reflective determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal growth - relationship decisions - travel planning Key Concepts existentialism agency future planning Questions to Reflect On - What direction feels most authentic to you? - How do you stay adaptable while committed? A Different Perspective Direction alone won’t guarantee success; external factors matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commit/) [Commit Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commit-direction-4292552/) [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Know Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-life/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Commit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-commit-451669/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [The only way to have a life is to commit to it like crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/the-only-way-to-have-a-life-is-to-commit-to-it-like-crazy/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [I think when you are young and you don't really know what you want in life, you can commit to something and think at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-scott/i-think-when-you-are-young-and-you-don-t-really-know-what-you-want-in/) [Jonathan Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-scott/) > [The first step to creating the best day of your life is commit to doing whatever it takes to make your dream become your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-first-step-to-creating-the-best-day-of-your-life-is-commit-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The moment your dreams and your revelation take a special direction while your plans and actions take the opposite direction you commit yourself into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-moment-your-dreams-and-your-revelation-take-a-special-direction/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Remember, life is always uncertain. Everything dead is certain, life is always uncertain. Everything dead is solid, fixed - its nature cannot be changed;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-life-is-always-uncertain-everything-dead-is-certain-life-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'll never know everything. 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The rest of your life is nothing but a bunch of big beautiful tomorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-abrams/so-what-do-you-know-about-life-when-you-re-eighteen-the-rest-of-your/) [Lauren Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-abrams/) > [“You don't know what your life is, nor what you're doing, nor who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/you-don-t-know-what-your-life-is-nor-what-you-re-doing-nor-who-you-are/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [When Love Is Unknown For You, You Know What Is Happiness, When You Know Love... You Know What Is Pain, When You Lose It,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/when-love-is-unknown-for-you-you-know-what-is-happiness-when-you-know/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [“Knowing thyself. Know that your life could be define by your daily actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/knowing-thyself-know-that-your-life-could-be-define-by-your-daily/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“i have friends who know everything there is to know about life except how to enjoy it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darnell-lamont-walker/i-have-friends-who-know-everything-there-is-to-know-about-life-except/) [Darnell Lamont Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darnell-lamont-walker/) > [... the more you know about life, the more you get out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-henry-hoover/the-more-you-know-about-life-the-more-you-get-out-of-it/) [Lou Henry Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-henry-hoover/) > [I am really unable to talk about my life - I don't know my life. I've travelled a lot and this is the life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ousmane-sembene/i-am-really-unable-to-talk-about-my-life-i-don-t-know-my-life-i-ve/) [Ousmane Sembene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ousmane-sembene/) ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. 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Time does not stop for love, but it does not stop for death and grief, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mercy-of-the-world-is-time-time-does-not-stop-for-love-but-it/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-dislike-the-thought-that-some-animal-has-been-made-miserable-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [These are people who are capable of devotion, public devotion, to justice. They meant what they said and every day that passes, they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/these-are-people-who-are-capable-of-devotion-public-devotion-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) [Explore all 847 Wendell Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More Commit quotes > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Progress is the injustice each generation commits with regard to its predecessors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/progress-is-the-injustice-each-generation-commits-with-regard-to-its/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [Don't commit to being a columnist unless you're willing to do it right. Report your behind off, so you have something original and useful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-sloan/don-t-commit-to-being-a-columnist-unless-you-re-willing-to-do-it/) [Allan Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-sloan/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I like to always wash the slate clean, and reinvigorate my spirit to be connected to the characters that I am doing. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-like-to-always-wash-the-slate-clean-and-reinvigorate-my-spirit-to/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [You get a script and you love it. You find a director that you trust, and it becomes all about how do I commit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-van-der-beek/you-get-a-script-and-you-love-it-you-find-a-director-that-you-trust/) [James Van Der Beek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-van-der-beek/) > [Ok, look. I'm honest. Girl I can't lie I miss you. You and the music were the only things that I'd commit to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/ok-look-i-m-honest-girl-i-can-t-lie-i-miss-you-you-and-the-music-were/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [One should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/one-should-not-withdraw-from-individuals-and-commit-to-the-community/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [A man must commit a crime at least once in his life-time. 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Not hit and quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhecky/love-and-commit-not-hit-and-quit/) [Jhecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhecky/) [Browse all 1,824 Commit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't know where life will take you, but you can commit to a direction", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wendell Berry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you-but-you-can-commit-to-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commit" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you-but-you-can-commit-to-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/wendell-berry-236_commit_you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you_1304192.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/wendell-berry-236_commit_you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you_1304192.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/wendell-berry-236_commit_you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you_1304192.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't know where life will take you, but you can commit to a direction” — Wendell Berry", "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": "Wendell Berry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't know where life will...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you-but-you-can-commit-to-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/you-can-t-know-where-life-will-take-you-but-you-can-commit-to-a/#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 } } ] } ```