April 12, 2026

"Next time you're faced with a choice, do the right thing. It hurts everyone less in the long run."

Wendelin Van Draanen
Did you find this inspiring?
Inspirational quote by Wendelin Van Draanen

Explanation

This quote is basically a gentle reminder that shortcuts usually come back to bite us. In the moment, doing the right thing can feel hard or inconvenient: telling the truth instead of a small lie, owning up to a mistake at work, ending a relationship honestly instead of ghosting, setting a boundary even though someone might be upset. But when we avoid the hard choice now, we’re really just delaying the pain and often making it bigger for ourselves and for others. Doing the right thing might feel uncomfortable in the short term, but it keeps your conscience clear, your relationships more honest, and your life a lot less tangled. It’s choosing a small, clean hurt now over a messy, lingering one later.

About the Author

Wendelin Van Draanen (born January 6, 1965, in Chicago and raised in California) is an American author best known for her bestselling novel Flipped and the long-running Sammy Keyes mystery series. A former middle school and high school teacher, she spent years in the classroom before becoming a full time writer, which deeply shaped her understanding of how kids wrestle with choices, consequences, and identity. Her books often blend humor with moral complexity, earning multiple Edgar Awards and a devoted readership among both reluctant and enthusiastic young readers. The quote about “doing the right thing” reflects the core of her work: she consistently writes characters who must choose integrity over impulse, showing that while honesty can be painful in the moment, it leads to healthier relationships and less regret over time.

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