--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is what it is, not what it ought to…" description: "\"Life is what it is, not what it ought to be. The way life works does not require our approval. Those who ignore the laws of life pay a heavy price.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/anonymous-1_laws-of-life_life-is-what-it-is-not-what-it-ought-to_2202445.jpg" --- # Life is what it is, not what it ought to be. The way life… ![“Life is what it is, not what it ought to be. The way life works does not require our approval. Those who ignore the laws of life pay a heavy price.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/anonymous-1_laws-of-life_life-is-what-it-is-not-what-it-ought-to_2202445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/anonymous-1_laws-of-life_life-is-what-it-is-not-what-it-ought-to_2202445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/anonymous-1_laws-of-life_life-is-what-it-is-not-what-it-ought-to_2202445.jpg) > “Life is what it is, not what it ought to be. The way life works does not require our approval. Those who ignore the laws of life pay a heavy price.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote asserts that reality exists independently of our expectations, and ignoring natural laws leads to consequences. **In simple terms:** Reality exists regardless of our wishes; ignoring natural rules brings penalties. Key Takeaway Accept reality and respect natural limits. Themes reality acceptance consequences law humility Mood reflective serious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal decisions - leadership - environmental policy - health choices Key Concepts philosophy stoicism natural law Questions to Reflect On - Do you accept things as they are or seek to change them? - What natural laws have you ignored? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex social issues where change is possible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Laws Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-life-2302381/) [Laws of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-of-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-ought-259274/) [Life Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-pay-527450/) [Life work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-work/) [Life Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-works/) ## Related quotes > [The laws of life dictate that the good life must be achieved with hard work and sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-laws-of-life-dictate-that-the-good-life-must-be-achieved-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The laws of life allow no one to be successful without striving and struggling for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-laws-of-life-allow-no-one-to-be-successful-without-striving-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The laws of life are written into every atom, molecule and heartbeat. We are immersed in the sweet law of unfolding mystery called life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-laws-of-life-are-written-into-every-atom-molecule-and-heartbeat/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“No one is quite what he seems, Niall," he said. "That is one of the laws of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brady/no-one-is-quite-what-he-seems-niall-he-said-that-is-one-of-the-laws/) [Charles Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brady/) > [Life works in seasons; which means you won't be stuck where you are forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-works-in-seasons-which-means-you-won-t-be-stuck-where-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Each moment life is new and you have to respond from your inner newness, you have to be available to the new as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/each-moment-life-is-new-and-you-have-to-respond-from-your-inner/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Price Of Everything Is The Amount Of Life You Pay For It.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-price-of-everything-is-the-amount-of-life-you-pay-for-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I bargained with Life for a penny, and Life would pay no more. However I begged at the evening when I counted my scanty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bargained-with-life-for-a-penny-and-life-would-pay-no-more-however-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your life works to the degree you keep your agreements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-erhard/your-life-works-to-the-degree-you-keep-your-agreements/) [Werner Erhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-erhard/) > [It is really strange how life works, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-souness/it-is-really-strange-how-life-works-isn-t-it/) [Graeme Souness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-souness/) > [I want to say something else, something that will help, but when I look at her I know, suddenly, that anything I say won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bloom/i-want-to-say-something-else-something-that-will-help-but-when-i-look/) [Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bloom/) > [“that’s the way life works; you grab a door at random and hope it’s the one you want,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/that-s-the-way-life-works-you-grab-a-door-at-random-and-hope-it-s-the/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [I think I understand the way life works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-agholor/i-think-i-understand-the-way-life-works/) [Nelson Agholor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-agholor/) > [ ... the reason life works at all is that not everyone in your tribe is nuts on the same day. \[pp. 65-66\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/the-reason-life-works-at-all-is-that-not-everyone-in-your-tribe-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Laws of life quotes > [Everything Dies. That is the law of life-the bitter unchangeable law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-clement-davies/everything-dies-that-is-the-law-of-life-the-bitter-unchangeable-law/) [David Clement-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-clement-davies/) > [The Eucharist is the life of the people. The Eucharist gives them a center of life. All can come together without the barriers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-julian-eymard/the-eucharist-is-the-life-of-the-people-the-eucharist-gives-them-a/) [Peter Julian Eymard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-julian-eymard/) > [Today is the parent of tomorrow. The present casts its shadow far into the future. That is the law of life, individual and social.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/today-is-the-parent-of-tomorrow-the-present-casts-its-shadow-far-into/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [If that is the law of life we must work it out in daily exisitance. Wherever there are wars, wherever we are confronted with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-that-is-the-law-of-life-we-must-work-it-out-in-daily-exisitance/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If we can keep ourselves from interfering with the natural laws of life, mistakes can be our child's finest teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/if-we-can-keep-ourselves-from-interfering-with-the-natural-laws-of/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [When Jesus sent forth his servants formerly he sent them to preach this Gospel. When the Father and the Son and Moroni and others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/when-jesus-sent-forth-his-servants-formerly-he-sent-them-to-preach/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [“There is no man,’ he began, ‘however wise, who has not at some period of his youth said things, or lived in a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/there-is-no-man-he-began-however-wise-who-has-not-at-some-period-of/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [My life isn’t theories and formulae. It’s part instinct, part common sense. Logic is as good a word as any, and I’ve absorbed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/my-life-isn-t-theories-and-formulae-it-s-part-instinct-part-common/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [No matter where the skeptical thought originates, or how it gets access to our minds, we see at once that it flattens the level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-salter-storrs/no-matter-where-the-skeptical-thought-originates-or-how-it-gets/) [Richard Salter Storrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-salter-storrs/) > [Survival is the second law of life. The first is that we are all one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/survival-is-the-second-law-of-life-the-first-is-that-we-are-all-one/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [The ultimate cause of human disease is the consequence of our transgression of the universal laws of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paracelsus/the-ultimate-cause-of-human-disease-is-the-consequence-of-our/) [Paracelsus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paracelsus/) > [The farmer doesn't sow any seed; he chooses it carefully for by experience he knows that the harvest will be of the same Nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amado-nervo/the-farmer-doesn-t-sow-any-seed-he-chooses-it-carefully-for-by/) [Amado Nervo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amado-nervo/) > [Progress is The law of life: man is not Man as yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/progress-is-the-law-of-life-man-is-not-man-as-yet/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [It's a law of life - check it and you'll see it holds true in every situation of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/it-s-a-law-of-life-check-it-and-you-ll-see-it-holds-true-in-every/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [Every law of matter or the body, supposed to govern man,is rendered null and void by the law of Life, God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/every-law-of-matter-or-the-body-supposed-to-govern-man-is-rendered/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) [Browse all 97 Laws of life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-of-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is what it is, not what it ought to be. 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