Quote of the day by Morgan Freeman: ‘One of the things you can always depend on - this is one of the truths of the universe, and you heard it first from here…’

Sometimes the hardest part of achieving something is not knowing how to do it. It is deciding that you are actually going to do it. Dreams can remain safely in our heads for years because wanting something and committing to it are not always the same thing. Morgan Freeman’s words turn that uncomfortable truth into a simple observation about human behaviour: once a person truly decides what they want, their choices begin moving in that direction.

That idea carries particular weight coming from Freeman, whose own career was built over decades rather than overnight.

Morgan Freeman

Born on June 1, 1937, in Memphis, Tennessee, Freeman discovered acting as a child. The American Film Institute notes that he won a statewide acting competition at the age of 12. But acting was not immediately his profession. After graduating from high school in 1955, Freeman joined the US Air Force instead of accepting a drama scholarship. He trained as an automatic tracking radar repairman and served from 1955 to 1959.

His path into professional acting was gradual. He worked in theatre and eventually made his Broadway debut in 1967 in Hello, Dolly!. He later became widely known through the children's television programme The Electric Company in the 1970s.

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Freeman did not become a major Hollywood star in his twenties or thirties. His most significant film recognition arrived much later.

His performance in Street Smart earned him his first Academy Award nomination in 1987. He followed it with another Oscar-nominated performance in Driving Miss Daisy, and then became internationally associated with films including Glory, The Shawshank Redemption, Unforgiven and Se7en.

In 2005, Freeman finally won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. He later received another Oscar nomination for portraying Nelson Mandela in Invictus.

Freeman's filmography has stretched across dramas, thrillers, comedies and major franchises. He played Lucius Fox in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy and appeared in films such as Bruce Almighty, The Bucket List and Invictus.

His achievements have been recognised beyond individual performances. Freeman received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2008 and the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award in 2011.

Quote of the day

“One of the things you can always depend on - this is one of the truths of the universe, and you heard it first from here - whatever we decide we want to do is what we do.”

The quotation is attributed to Freeman by BrainyQuote and other quotation collections.

What does the quote mean?

At its heart, the quote is about the power of a genuine decision. People often say they want something while continuing to organise their lives around other priorities. Wanting to write a book, change careers, learn an instrument, become healthier or pursue a creative ambition means little if nothing changes in everyday behaviour.

Freeman's wording suggests that a serious decision eventually becomes visible through action. If something matters enough, it begins influencing how time is spent, which opportunities are pursued and which obstacles are tolerated.

The quote is not necessarily saying that every goal can be achieved simply by wanting it. Circumstances, resources, opportunity and luck all matter. Rather, it focuses attention on the part of the process that belongs to the individual: making the decision and allowing that decision to shape behaviour.

There is also something revealing about Freeman's own journey. His career was not an instant success story. He spent years working in theatre and television before becoming one of Hollywood's most recognisable actors. His story makes the distinction between wanting something and continuing to work toward it particularly meaningful.

More quotes by Morgan Freeman

“The best way to guarantee a loss is to quit.”

“You can't take credit for talent; you can only take credit for using it.”

“Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen, that stillness becomes a radiance.”

“As long as you feel like a victim, you are one.”