--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ned passed the next few minutes quietly…" description: "\"Ned passed the next few minutes quietly not dying in his office, and was pleased with how well it was going. He'd stayed alive longer, but now that he ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5e/a-lee-martinez-11831_accomplishment_ned-passed-the-next-few-minutes-quietly_2655853.png" --- # Ned passed the next few minutes quietly not dying in his… ![“Ned passed the next few minutes quietly not dying in his office, and was pleased with how well it was going. He'd stayed alive longer, but now that he was concentrating on it, it felt more like an accomplishment.” quote by A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5e/a-lee-martinez-11831_accomplishment_ned-passed-the-next-few-minutes-quietly_2655853.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5e/a-lee-martinez-11831_accomplishment_ned-passed-the-next-few-minutes-quietly_2655853.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5e/a-lee-martinez-11831_accomplishment_ned-passed-the-next-few-minutes-quietly_2655853.png) > “Ned passed the next few minutes quietly not dying in his office, and was pleased with how well it was going. He'd stayed alive longer, but now that he was concentrating on it, it felt more like an accomplishment.” [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing death can become a source of pride when one focuses on survival and purpose. **In simple terms:** Death can feel like achievement when embraced. Key Takeaway Find purpose in each moment. Themes mortality purpose accomplishment Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - hospital work - end‑of‑life care - personal reflection Key Concepts existentialism meaning-making Questions to Reflect On - What does “accomplishment” mean in this context? - How to balance acceptance and ambition? A Different Perspective Pride may mask underlying fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) ## Related quotes > [“I am not going to live, and I can choose to be as much for her as I can be, to burn as brightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-am-not-going-to-live-and-i-can-choose-to-be-as-much-for-her-as-i/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I am alive again, now that I can no longer stand to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-am-alive-again-now-that-i-can-no-longer-stand-to-live/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“What these sounds mean, he thought, is: I am alive and so are you. And we’re all very worried that we might not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/what-these-sounds-mean-he-thought-is-i-am-alive-and-so-are-you-and-we/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to turn your personality into the way they like well that's an accomplishment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-yourself-in-a-world-that-is-constantly-trying-to-turn-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Maybe if we all just tried to put pieces back together as soon as they fell out of place, the puzzles in our lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-bostic/maybe-if-we-all-just-tried-to-put-pieces-back-together-as-soon-as/) [Megan Bostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-bostic/) > [I feel very short-attention span for like accomplishment. It's like 'oh that felt really good' and then it's kind of like an immediate emptiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borns/i-feel-very-short-attention-span-for-like-accomplishment-it-s-like-oh/) [Borns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borns/) > [“The next day I received a phone call from Mr. Pride which began, “So, I heard you won Ho of the Year.” Well when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-madison/the-next-day-i-received-a-phone-call-from-mr-pride-which-began-so-i/) [Kate Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-madison/) > [Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/nothing-builds-self-esteem-and-self-confidence-like-accomplishment/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“I had carried on when all I wanted was to be dead. I had stayed alive for other people. I never stayed alive for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-brampton/i-had-carried-on-when-all-i-wanted-was-to-be-dead-i-had-stayed-alive/) [Sally Brampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-brampton/) > [I like to look on the bright side: Every day I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-frank/i-like-to-look-on-the-bright-side-every-day-i-beat-my-own-previous/) Scott Frank > [Even in that time of utter darkness, somewhere deep inside me the memory of love and goodness had stayed alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/even-in-that-time-of-utter-darkness-somewhere-deep-inside-me-the/) [Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/) > [“He hesitated. “They were what stayed alive, when I’d been taught and examined everything else.” Maud smiled then. “Exactly. That’s it. What could survive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt/he-hesitated-they-were-what-stayed-alive-when-i-d-been-taught-and/) [A.S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt/) > [“We both had done the math. Kelly added it all up and... knew she had to let me go. I added it up, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-broyles-jr-2/we-both-had-done-the-math-kelly-added-it-all-up-and-knew-she-had-to/) William Broyles Jr > [Every day I beat my own previous record for the number of consecutive days I’ve stayed alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/every-day-i-beat-my-own-previous-record-for-the-number-of-consecutive/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/everyday-i-beat-my-own-previous-record-for-number-of-consecutive-days/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) ## More by A. Lee Martinez > [“Humans... You want a nice warm hug from a cold, indifferent universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/humans-you-want-a-nice-warm-hug-from-a-cold-indifferent-universe/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [In the middle of nowhere, along a quiet stretch of road, the diner dreamt of the hungry dead. And of two men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/in-the-middle-of-nowhere-along-a-quiet-stretch-of-road-the-diner/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“All things exist in as simple a form as necessity dictates. When a thing is labeled 'complex,' that's just a roundabout way of saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/all-things-exist-in-as-simple-a-form-as-necessity-dictates-when-a/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“She stopped shrieking after a moment. It wasn't the crazy looks she drew from the other pedestrians that made her stop. And her damaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/she-stopped-shrieking-after-a-moment-it-wasn-t-the-crazy-looks-she/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“You’re unlikely to find death anywhere near a tomb.  Everyone there is already dead. Death’s business is among the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/you-re-unlikely-to-find-death-anywhere-near-a-tomb-everyone-there-is/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Quiet fell upon the pickup and lasted for a little over nineteen minutes. Is that why you hang around with him?", Loretta asked. "Cuz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/quiet-fell-upon-the-pickup-and-lasted-for-a-little-over-nineteen/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [Quiet descended, a silence so consuming that even the drafty corridors ceased whistling. Bog wasn't certain where to look, so he solved the problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/quiet-descended-a-silence-so-consuming-that-even-the-drafty-corridors/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Vance shook his head. "Philly, I love you, buddy. I do. But you're not my type." "I'm not?" "What? Are you insulted?" Philip was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/vance-shook-his-head-philly-i-love-you-buddy-i-do-but-you-re-not-my/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“He’d discovered that most of the terrors that stalked the night weren’t really terrors at all. They were mostly like regular folks, just trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/he-d-discovered-that-most-of-the-terrors-that-stalked-the-night-weren/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Do these robots looked armed? And I was talking to the dinosaur. Were you worried he would discuss me to death?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/do-these-robots-looked-armed-and-i-was-talking-to-the-dinosaur-were/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“The universe was filled with secrets, and he understood now that one of the biggest was that no one needed to know them all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/the-universe-was-filled-with-secrets-and-he-understood-now-that-one/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Music has always been the greatest expression of mortal philosophy," continued Lucky. "The path to enlightenment is found in the lyrics of Spinal Tap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/music-has-always-been-the-greatest-expression-of-mortal-philosophy/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Vance took the news of their "big-city fellows" status better than Philip. Probably because it turned out that he was actually gay. "You're what?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/vance-took-the-news-of-their-big-city-fellows-status-better-than/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“When you cross over into the weird stuff, there's no going back. Hector has a theory on it. Calls it the law of 'Anomalous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/when-you-cross-over-into-the-weird-stuff-there-s-no-going-back-hector/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [To worry is to acknowledge that the world is unpredictable, and there is power in understanding one's own powerlessness at times. But too often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/to-worry-is-to-acknowledge-that-the-world-is-unpredictable-and-there/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) [Explore all 57 A. Lee Martinez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) ## More Accomplishment quotes > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [I'm not always right, but I learn from my mistakes and make it a productive experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-kolhoff/i-m-not-always-right-but-i-learn-from-my-mistakes-and-make-it-a/) [Carson Kolhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-kolhoff/) > [Suffering in life can uncover untold depths of character and unknown strength for service. People who go through life unscathed by sorrow and untouched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/suffering-in-life-can-uncover-untold-depths-of-character-and-unknown/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Research is the live heart of the scientific life ... Greatness of position, respect for past accomplishments, the Nobel Prize itself -- none of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/research-is-the-live-heart-of-the-scientific-life-greatness-of/) [Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/) > [“One man accomplishment Is another mans failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-sargent/one-man-accomplishment-is-another-mans-failure/) Anthony Sargent > [I expected college to feel like a major accomplishment. I walked across the stage, eight months pregnant with my almost seven-year-old daughter watching in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-expected-college-to-feel-like-a-major-accomplishment-i-walked/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [Our purpose on this earth is not one single event, an accomplishment we can check off a list. There is no test. No passing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/our-purpose-on-this-earth-is-not-one-single-event-an-accomplishment/) [Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/) > [An untrained or uneducated Marine ... deployed to the combat zone is a bigger threat to mission accomplishment ... than the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/an-untrained-or-uneducated-marine-deployed-to-the-combat-zone-is-a/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) [Browse all 1,598 Accomplishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ned passed the next few minutes quietly not dying in his office, and was pleased with how well it was going. He'd stayed alive longer, but now that he was concentrating on it, it felt more like an accomplishment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "A. 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