--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: they have priorities beyond merely being…" description: "\"“they have priorities beyond merely being safe and living longer; that the chance to shape one’s story is essential to sustaining meaning in life; that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/atul-gawande-1871_life_they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being_510810.png" --- # they have priorities beyond merely being safe and living… ![“they have priorities beyond merely being safe and living longer; that the chance to shape one’s story is essential to sustaining meaning in life; that we have the opportunity to refashion our institutions, our culture, and our conversations in ways that transform the possibilities for the last…” quote by Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/atul-gawande-1871_life_they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being_510810.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/atul-gawande-1871_life_they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being_510810.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/atul-gawande-1871_life_they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being_510810.png) > ““they have priorities beyond merely being safe and living longer; that the chance to shape one’s story is essential to sustaining meaning in life; that we have the opportunity to refashion our institutions, our culture, and our conversations in ways that transform the possibilities for the last chapters of everyone’s lives. Inevitably,”” [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It argues that beyond safety and longevity, shaping one's narrative and influencing cultural institutions gives life meaning, especially in later years. **In simple terms:** Meaning comes from shaping personal story and societal impact. Key Takeaway Prioritize purposeful storytelling and societal contribution. Themes meaning legacy agency aging Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - elder care decisions - community projects - personal memoirs Key Concepts narrative identity social change Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals influence larger institutions? - What stories define your later life? A Different Perspective Balancing personal agency with systemic constraints can be hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-opportunity/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) ## Related quotes > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [Our ideas of what our priorities are shift as we come face-to-face with some of the struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/our-ideas-of-what-our-priorities-are-shift-as-we-come-face-to-face/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [I don't see life as an opportunity to see how far you can go in the pursuit of pain, although I think I've challenged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-penn/i-don-t-see-life-as-an-opportunity-to-see-how-far-you-can-go-in-the/) [Sean Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-penn/) > [Life is not anything, but an opportunity for something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/life-is-not-anything-but-an-opportunity-for-something/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is a tide in the affairs of men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/there-is-a-tide-in-the-affairs-of-men/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [What if you had the ability to make EVERYDAY the BEST day of your life? You do! You see, we have the opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/what-if-you-had-the-ability-to-make-everyday-the-best-day-of-your/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [Life is a game, play it... Life is too precious, do not destroy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/life-is-a-game-play-it-life-is-too-precious-do-not-destroy-it/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Opportunities flit by while we sit regretting the chances we have lost, and the happiness that comes to us we heed not, because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/opportunities-flit-by-while-we-sit-regretting-the-chances-we-have/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“I expect you to go through life with your eyes open! If you keep your destiny in mind, every moment in life becomes an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/i-expect-you-to-go-through-life-with-your-eyes-open-if-you-keep-your/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [Do not suppose opportunity will knock twice at your door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/do-not-suppose-opportunity-will-knock-twice-at-your-door/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/life-is-an-opportunity-benefit-from-it/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-an-opportunity-benefit-from-it-life-is-beauty-admire-it-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In life we get an opportunity to do some cool things, and some things that are fun and that we like doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/in-life-we-get-an-opportunity-to-do-some-cool-things-and-some-things/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [In Life, We May Never Get The Same Opportunity Again, But There's Always Something Better Ahead...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/in-life-we-may-never-get-the-same-opportunity-again-but-there-s/) Pacifiersucker > [“Life is nothing but an opportunity for love to blossom. If you are alive, the opportunity is there – even to the last breath.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-nothing-but-an-opportunity-for-love-to-blossom-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Atul Gawande > [Don’t let yourself be. Find something new to try, something to change. Count how often it succeeds and how often it doesn’t. Write about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/don-t-let-yourself-be-find-something-new-to-try-something-to-change/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“Wilson spent several days camped out in one government office after another until she had secured an exemption. Unbelievably, she and her husband cleared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/wilson-spent-several-days-camped-out-in-one-government-office-after/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“8. Chapter 4 describes the birth of the assisted-living facility concept (Park Place), designed by Keren Wilson to provide her disabled mother, Jessie, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/8-chapter-4-describes-the-birth-of-the-assisted-living-facility/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [When we lived in a society where we had large families that lived together, especially in agricultural societies like my grandfather and father grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/when-we-lived-in-a-society-where-we-had-large-families-that-lived/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [My biggest fear, that 27 percent of Americans under 65 have an existing health condition that, without the protections of the Affordable Care Act,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/my-biggest-fear-that-27-percent-of-americans-under-65-have-an/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“..how we seek to spend our time may depend on how much time we perceive ourselves to have. When you are young and healthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/how-we-seek-to-spend-our-time-may-depend-on-how-much-time-we-perceive/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“I cannot pretend he escaped unscathed. The extended period of low blood pressure damaged an optic nerve and left him essentially blind in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/i-cannot-pretend-he-escaped-unscathed-the-extended-period-of-low/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [The battle of being mortal is the battle to maintain the integrity of one’s life,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/the-battle-of-being-mortal-is-the-battle-to-maintain-the-integrity-of/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“an average of $94,000 during the last year of life with a metastatic breast cancer. Our medical system is excellent at trying to stave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/an-average-of-94-000-during-the-last-year-of-life-with-a-metastatic/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“we need practice to get good at what we do. There is one difference in medicine, though: it is people we practice upon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/we-need-practice-to-get-good-at-what-we-do-there-is-one-difference-in/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [People underestimate the importance of dilligence as a virtue. No doubt it has something to do with how supremely mundane it seems. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/people-underestimate-the-importance-of-dilligence-as-a-virtue-no/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [Developing a skill is painful, though. It is difficult. And that's part of the satisfaction. You will only find meaning in what you struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/developing-a-skill-is-painful-though-it-is-difficult-and-that-s-part/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [Just look at the list of who the lowest-paid people are. Pediatricians are at the bottom. You would also look at internists. You would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/just-look-at-the-list-of-who-the-lowest-paid-people-are-pediatricians/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“When Felix came to this crossroads, the orthopedic shoe to drop wasn’t his. It was Bella’s. Year by year, I witnessed the progression in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/when-felix-came-to-this-crossroads-the-orthopedic-shoe-to-drop-wasn-t/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) [Explore all 200 Atul Gawande quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“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/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“they have priorities beyond merely being safe and living longer; that the chance to shape one’s story is essential to sustaining meaning in life; that we have the opportunity to refashion our institutions, our culture, and our conversations in ways that transform the possibilities for the last chapters of everyone’s lives. Inevitably,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Atul Gawande" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being-safe-and-living-longer-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being-safe-and-living-longer-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/atul-gawande-1871_life_they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being_510810.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/atul-gawande-1871_life_they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being_510810.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/atul-gawande-1871_life_they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being_510810.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“they have priorities beyond merely being safe and living longer; that the chance to shape one’s story is…” — Atul Gawande", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Atul Gawande", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“they have priorities beyond merely being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being-safe-and-living-longer-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/they-have-priorities-beyond-merely-being-safe-and-living-longer-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```