Since we had nothing to do with our arrival and usually are not consulted about our departure, what makes so many of us think we’re entitled to so much while we’re here?
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
When you cling, life is destroyed; when you hold on to anything, you cease to live.
—Anthony de Mello (1931–87) Indian-born American Theologian
Life is a bridge. Cross over it, but build no house on it.
—Indian Proverb
Life is a series of collisions with the future; it is not the sum of what we have been, but what we yearn to be.
—Jose Ortega y. Gasset (1883–1955) Spanish Critic, Journalist, Philosopher
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
—Unknown
A philosophy of life: I’m an adventurer, looking for treasure.
—Paulo Coelho (b.1947) Brazilian Songwriter, Novelist
A miracle happened: another day of life.
—Paulo Coelho (b.1947) Brazilian Songwriter, Novelist
It is one of the beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another, without helping himself.
—Gamaliel Bailey (1807–59) American Journalist
There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.
—Willa Cather (1873–1947) American Novelist, Writer
True masters are those who have chosen to make a life, rather than a living.
—Neale Donald Walsch (b.1943) American Spiritual Writer
Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the question themselves, as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, some day far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”
—Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) Austrian Poet
Poor people and most of the middle class are not willing to be uncomfortable. Remember, being comfortable is their biggest priority in life… The only time you can actually grow is when you are outside your comfort zone.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts; for the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. Soak it then in such trains of thoughts as, for example: Where life is possible at all, a right life is possible.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune. But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born, And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life, And to love life through labor is to be intimate with life’s inmost secret.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
We cannot withdraw our cards from the game. Were we as silent and mute as stones, our very passivity would be an act.
—Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–80) French Philosopher, Playwright, Novelist, Screenwriter, Political Activist
People with a high level of personal mastery are able to consistently realize the results that matter most deeply to them—in effect, they approach their life as an artist would approach a work of art. The do that by becoming committed to their own lifelong learning.
—Peter Senge (b.1947) American Management Consultant, Author, Scientist
To the psychotherapist an old man who cannot bid farewell to life appears as feeble and sickly as a young man who is unable to embrace it.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Life’s splendor forever lies in wait about each one of us in all its fullness, but veiled from view, deep down, invisible, far off. It is there, though, not hostile, not reluctant, not deaf. If you summon it by the right word, by its right name, it will come.
—Franz Kafka (1883–1924) Austrian Novelist, Short Story Writer
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
—Unknown
Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
Life is the childhood of our immortality.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
I learned the most important lesson of my life: that the extraordinary is not the birthright of a chosen and privileged few, but of all people, even the humblest. That is my one certainty: we are all the manifestation of the divinity of God.
—Paulo Coelho (b.1947) Brazilian Songwriter, Novelist
To ignore the unexpected (even if it were possible) would be to live without opportunity, spontaneity, and the rich moments of which “life” is made.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
I would not give a fig for the simplicity on this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity.
—Unknown
The desire not to be anything is the desire not to be.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
Life is simple, its just not easy.
—Unknown
Life has a meaning only if one barters it day by day for something other than itself.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900–44) French Novelist, Aviator
If we live truly, we shall see truly.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Life is too short for theatrics, for face time, for jumping through hoops, for excuses, for blaming, for trying too hard to please others, or for chasing society’s illusion of distant riches or fame.
—Robert Cooper (b.1947) British Diplomat
It’s of no use to look back and say, “I should have been different.” At any given moment, we are the way we are, and we see what we’re able to see. For that reason, guilt is always inappropriate.
—Joko Beck (1917–2011) American Zen Teacher
A warrior must cultivate the feeling that he has everything needed for the extravagant journey that is his life. What counts for a warrior is being alive. Life in itself is sufficient, self-explanatory and complete. Therefore, one may say without being presumptuous that the experience of experiences is being alive.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
Sooner or later, a man, if he is wise, discovers that life is a mixture of good days and bad, victory and defeat, give and take.
—Wilferd Arlan Peterson (1900–95) American Author
There is no life of a man, faithfully recorded, but it is a heroic poem of its sort, rhymed or unrhymed.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority, the idea to which youth and health and riches incline you, that life is a place of entertainment.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian Novelist
As a peaceful warrior, I would choose when, where and how I would behave. With that commitment, I began to live the life of a warrior.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
As it is with a play, so it is with life—what matters is not how long the acting lasts, but how good it is.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
You cannot discover the purpose of life by asking someone else – the only way you’ll ever get the right answer is by asking yourself.
—Terri Guillemets
Life has a way of overgrowing its achievements as well as its ruins.
—Edith Wharton (1862–1937) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
For I have known them all already, know them all: have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons; I have measured out my life with coffee spoons … .
—T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) American-born British Poet, Dramatist, Literary Critic
There’s no emptiness in the life of a warrior. Everything is filled to the brim. Everything is filled to the brim, and everything is equal.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
Don’t wait until you die to learn the warrior’s way. Do it now, each night, just before you drift off to sleep. As you review your day, consider these two questions of courage and love. Learn from each day, so that each day you can show a little more courage and a little more love. Then, as incidents occur, you may rise to the occasion and look back at the end of your life and feel good about the way you lived.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
We never live, but we ever hope to live.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Attack life, it’s going to kill you anyway.
—Niels Bohr (1885–1962) Danish Physicist
If A equals success, then the formula is A equals X plus Y and Z, with X being work, Y play, and Z keeping your mouth shut.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
My art and profession is to live.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
I count all that part of my life lost which I spent not in communion with God, or in doing good.
—John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric
Some love lasts a lifetime. True love last forever.
—Unknown
All of life’s experiences are teachers in some sense, challenging us to grow and evolve. Although the Persecutor certainly provokes a reaction, the Challenger elicits a response by encouraging the Creator to acquire new knowledge, skill, or insight. Both roles provoke change, but in different ways.
—David Emerald
Ours is a culture based on excess, on overproduction; the result is a steady loss of sharpness in our sensory experience. All the conditions of modern life—its material plenitude, its sheer crowdedness—conjoin to dull our sensory faculties.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher