--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life should not be a journey to the…" description: "\"“Life should not be a journey to the grave,” said Hunter S. Thompson, “with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/anonymous-1_journey_life-should-not-be-a-journey-to-the-grav_2687092.jpg" --- # Life should not be a journey to the grave,” said Hunter S… ![“Life should not be a journey to the grave,” said Hunter S. Thompson, “with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!’” Don’t take this…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/anonymous-1_journey_life-should-not-be-a-journey-to-the-grav_2687092.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/anonymous-1_journey_life-should-not-be-a-journey-to-the-grav_2687092.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/anonymous-1_journey_life-should-not-be-a-journey-to-the-grav_2687092.jpg) > ““Life should not be a journey to the grave,” said Hunter S. Thompson, “with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!’” Don’t take this the wrong way. It doesn’t mean to abuse yourself; it means to use up your time wisely—explore, create, and get what you want to get done in life done.”” [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. Life should be lived intensely, not safely, urging bold, passionate experiences before death. **In simple terms:** Live boldly, not safely. Key Takeaway Pursue intense experiences. Themes life risk passion Mood rebellious energetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - travel - creative work - adventure sports - personal projects Key Concepts existentialism hedonism Questions to Reflect On - What does a “good ride” look like for you? - How can you balance safety and passion? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to harm; not everyone can sustain high intensity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grave Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grave-said-1573787/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Journey Grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey-grave-1094753/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-journey/) [Thompson Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thompson-intention-2627370/) [Wisely Explore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisely-explore-2627371/) [Wrong way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-way/) ## Related quotes > [“The superstitious one will never walk upon a grave. It's said that its sinful in the day and terrible bad luck in the dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-l-bevill/the-superstitious-one-will-never-walk-upon-a-grave-it-s-said-that-its/) [C.L. 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I said 'I hope you do; I will be buried at sea.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-dawson/my-mother-in-law-said-one-day-i-will-dance-on-your-grave-i-said-i/) [Les Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-dawson/) > [The wife's Mother said, ‘When you're dead, I'll dance in your grave.’ I said: ‘Good, I'm being buried at sea’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-dawson/the-wife-s-mother-said-when-you-re-dead-i-ll-dance-in-your-grave-i/) [Les Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-dawson/) > [“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckenna-professional-motorcycle-racer-cycle-magazine-feb-1982/life-is-not-a-journey-to-the-grave-with-the-intention-of-arriving-5/) [Bill McKenna professional motorcycle racer Cycle magazine Feb. 1982](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckenna-professional-motorcycle-racer-cycle-magazine-feb-1982/) > [Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/life-should-not-be-a-journey-to-the-grave-with-the-intention-of-4/) [Hunter S. 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Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to slide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckenna/life-is-not-a-journey-to-the-grave-with-the-intention-of-arriving/) [Bill McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckenna/) > [“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-ryan/life-should-not-be-a-journey-to-the-grave-with-the-intention-of-2/) [Lori Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-ryan/) > [“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/life-should-not-be-a-journey-to-the-grave-with-the-intention-of/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [A lot of attractive women cant be too nice because guys take that kindness the wrong way and wont leave you alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-lot-of-attractive-women-cant-be-too-nice-because-guys-take-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The phrase, 'Don't take this the wrong way' has a zero percent success rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-phrase-don-t-take-this-the-wrong-way-has-a-zero-percent-success/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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. 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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 Journey quotes > [The end is nothing; the road is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-end-is-nothing-the-road-is-all/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [It is a sweet thing that we serve a dissatisfied God who has destinations in mind for us that we would never choose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/it-is-a-sweet-thing-that-we-serve-a-dissatisfied-god-who-has/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Have a Blast; Life wont last! Make the best of the journey before it is over!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-a-blast-life-wont-last-make-the-best-of-the-journey-before-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Cocoon's cry to first fly, Travels thousands of miles— So much in so little life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-negi/cocoon-s-cry-to-first-fly-travels-thousands-of-miles-so-much-in-so/) [Ritu Negi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-negi/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Loving yourself is a journey, not a destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-holliday/loving-yourself-is-a-journey-not-a-destination/) [Tess Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-holliday/) > [“Everywhere is home, let is go home”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzuco-hu-nh/everywhere-is-home-let-is-go-home/) [Dzuco Huỳnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzuco-hu-nh/) > [Life is a journey, not a destination. Fall into the deep - rise to new heights. .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-basumatary/life-is-a-journey-not-a-destination-fall-into-the-deep-rise-to-new/) [Ashish Basumatary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-basumatary/) > [Be the inner journeys, be the outer travels, all trips elevate man, all voyages lift him up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/be-the-inner-journeys-be-the-outer-travels-all-trips-elevate-man-all/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The hardest roads are often empty; the darkest paths are mostly silent; toughest destinations are almost peopleless! No easy road brings you great victory!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-hardest-roads-are-often-empty-the-darkest-paths-are-mostly-silent/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“May the seas bend to your journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoraida-c-rdova/may-the-seas-bend-to-your-journey/) [Zoraida Córdova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoraida-c-rdova/) [Browse all 11,861 Journey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Life should not be a journey to the grave,” said Hunter S. 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