--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When it's all over, it's not who you were…" description: "\"When it's all over, it's not who you were ... it's whether you made a difference.\" — Bob Dole" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bob-dole-8280_differences_when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were_1403313.jpg" --- # When it's all over, it's not who you were ... it's whether… ![“When it's all over, it's not who you were ... it's whether you made a difference.” quote by Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bob-dole-8280_differences_when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were_1403313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bob-dole-8280_differences_when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were_1403313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bob-dole-8280_differences_when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were_1403313.jpg) > “When it's all over, it's not who you were ... it's whether you made a difference.” [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) This quote is also attributed to [Bhaboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhaboo/) in other sources. Attributions for famous quotes are often disputed. ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The true measure of a life is the impact you have, not the identity you keep. **In simple terms:** Impact matters, not identity. Key Takeaway Focus on making a difference. Themes legacy purpose service Mood reflective inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - volunteering - career - family life Key Concepts Ethics Altruism Questions to Reflect On - How will you measure your contribution? - What difference do you want to leave behind? A Different Perspective Impact can be hard to quantify and may be overlooked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Making a difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-difference/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over-it/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [One person can make a difference. In fact, its not only possible for one person to make a difference, its essential that one person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-riley/one-person-can-make-a-difference-in-fact-its-not-only-possible-for/) [Bob Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-riley/) > [There can be no difference anywhere that does not make a difference somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/there-can-be-no-difference-anywhere-that-does-not-make-a-difference/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I'm cashing in on the excitement of making a difference in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steward/i-m-cashing-in-on-the-excitement-of-making-a-difference-in-the-world/) [David Steward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steward/) > [I was listening to the guy that represented me in the state Senate, and I just got really frustrated. I called my wife and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-salmon/i-was-listening-to-the-guy-that-represented-me-in-the-state-senate/) [Matt Salmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-salmon/) > [Individuals by themselves can make a difference. And by making a difference, you can improve the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-frist/individuals-by-themselves-can-make-a-difference-and-by-making-a/) [Bill Frist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-frist/) > [I will act as if I do make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/i-will-act-as-if-i-do-make-a-difference/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Title I dollars are well spent. They are really making a difference in the education of students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-bonamici/title-i-dollars-are-well-spent-they-are-really-making-a-difference-in/) [Suzanne Bonamici](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-bonamici/) > [There are many people making a difference. I mean, Dr. King never held an office. Gandhi never held an office. There are people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/there-are-many-people-making-a-difference-i-mean-dr-king-never-held/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [To make a difference is not a matter of accident...People CHOOSE to make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/to-make-a-difference-is-not-a-matter-of-accident-people-choose-to/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Never doubt that one person can make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/never-doubt-that-one-person-can-make-a-difference/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [It's very rewarding if I make a difference to a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/it-s-very-rewarding-if-i-make-a-difference-to-a-kid/) [Michael Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fishman/) > [Individuals sometimes feel insignificant and doubt that one person can really make a difference in this world. Well, believe me, one person can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/individuals-sometimes-feel-insignificant-and-doubt-that-one-person/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [If you care enough, you make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-swit/if-you-care-enough-you-make-a-difference/) [Loretta Swit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-swit/) > [“Focus on your work. Do what you're great at. Don't compare yourself to others and or waste time criticizing the lives and work of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/focus-on-your-work-do-what-you-re-great-at-don-t-compare-yourself-to/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [As an actor, you always want to feel like what you're doing is making a difference to the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lewis/as-an-actor-you-always-want-to-feel-like-what-you-re-doing-is-making/) [Matthew Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lewis/) ## More by Bob Dole > [It's going to be hard for someone like me to run for president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/it-s-going-to-be-hard-for-someone-like-me-to-run-for-president/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I will seek the presidency with nothing to fall back on but the judgment of the people of the United States, and nowhere to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-will-seek-the-presidency-with-nothing-to-fall-back-on-but-the/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [ The California proposition \[Prop. 187\] is one I would agree with. That's the easiest way to put it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/the-california-proposition-prop-187-is-one-i-would-agree-with-that-s/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [A government that seizes control of the economy for the good of the people, ends up seizing control of the people for the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/a-government-that-seizes-control-of-the-economy-for-the-good-of-the/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I've never known a lot of rich people. It's not my bag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-ve-never-known-a-lot-of-rich-people-it-s-not-my-bag/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [If something happened along the route and you had to leave your children with Bob Dole or Bill Clinton, I think you would probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-something-happened-along-the-route-and-you-had-to-leave-your/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [As president, I will fight illegal immigration in order to preserve an appropriate level of legal immigration. At the same time, I believe our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/as-president-i-will-fight-illegal-immigration-in-order-to-preserve-an/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [We're trying to get good pictures. Don't worry very much about what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/we-re-trying-to-get-good-pictures-don-t-worry-very-much-about-what-i/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I don't know how many people run for vice president and president and lose both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-don-t-know-how-many-people-run-for-vice-president-and-president-and/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [Something is wrong with America. I wonder sometimes what people are thinking about or if they're thinking at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/something-is-wrong-with-america-i-wonder-sometimes-what-people-are/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I will seek the presidency with nothing to fall back on but the judgment of the people, and nowhere to go but the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-will-seek-the-presidency-with-nothing-to-fall-back-on-but-the-2/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [You read what Disraeli had to say. I don't remember what he said. He said something. He's no longer with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/you-read-what-disraeli-had-to-say-i-don-t-remember-what-he-said-he/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I think the Republican Party has indicated to everyone who wants to look at us that, you know, we're in the mainstream. We understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-think-the-republican-party-has-indicated-to-everyone-who-wants-to/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [If there is one clear lesson of our century, it is this: where aggression is tolerated, it multiplies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-there-is-one-clear-lesson-of-our-century-it-is-this-where/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I'm not a Gingrich fan. He's just difficult to work with. It's either Newt's way or the highway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-m-not-a-gingrich-fan-he-s-just-difficult-to-work-with-it-s-either/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) [Explore all 82 Bob Dole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) ## More Difference quotes > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [There may be little practical difference between a Ford Mondeo and a BMW three series, but in terms of perceptions of who you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/there-may-be-little-practical-difference-between-a-ford-mondeo-and-a/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I really think there's no difference between an art piece made by a man and one made by a woman. Is it a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-really-think-there-s-no-difference-between-an-art-piece-made-by-a/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [In a play, you only get one chance, and you have to get it perfect. In a film, you can change and fix it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-hayward/in-a-play-you-only-get-one-chance-and-you-have-to-get-it-perfect-in-a/) [Kara Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-hayward/) > [I like candidates who tell me something that is going to make a difference to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/i-like-candidates-who-tell-me-something-that-is-going-to-make-a/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) > [There's a difference between watching a film and watching a bit of cinema and enjoying a film as a piece of cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-frost/there-s-a-difference-between-watching-a-film-and-watching-a-bit-of/) [Nick Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-frost/) > [“THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND YOU When I hold a rose, I see the soft, velvety petals and smile, because tucked between those precious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-schroeder/the-difference-between-me-and-you-when-i-hold-a-rose-i-see-the-soft/) [Lisa Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-schroeder/) > [If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. I don't just want to maintain the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/if-you-ask-why-i-do-what-i-do-i-want-to-make-a-difference-i-don-t/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [When I came back, after all those stories about Hitler and his snub, I came back to my native country, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/when-i-came-back-after-all-those-stories-about-hitler-and-his-snub-i/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [To make a big difference in the world show a little love.to know love open your heart to Jesus,to show love open your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohlatsane-nicole/to-make-a-big-difference-in-the-world-show-a-little-love-to-know-love/) [Mohlatsane Nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohlatsane-nicole/) > [The biggest difference between us is in our thoughts. You do not want to know the truth and I cannot forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-biggest-difference-between-us-is-in-our-thoughts-you-do-not-want/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/between-depriving-a-man-of-one-hour-from-his-life-and-depriving-him/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“it makes such difference where you read”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/it-makes-such-difference-where-you-read/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [What's the difference between beautiful and ugly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-s-the-difference-between-beautiful-and-ugly/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Browse all 1,876 Difference quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When it's all over, it's not who you were ... it's whether you made a difference.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bob Dole" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were-it-s-whether-you-made-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Difference" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were-it-s-whether-you-made-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bob-dole-8280_differences_when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were_1403313.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bob-dole-8280_differences_when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were_1403313.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bob-dole-8280_differences_when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were_1403313.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When it's all over, it's not who you were ... it's whether you made a difference.” — Bob Dole", "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": "Bob Dole", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When it's all over, it's not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were-it-s-whether-you-made-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/when-it-s-all-over-it-s-not-who-you-were-it-s-whether-you-made-a/#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 } } ] } ```