--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The secret is that only that which can…" description: "\"“The secret is that only that which can destroy itself is truly alive.”\" — C.G. Jung" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/c-g-jung-2163_quote_the-secret-is-that-only-that-which-can-d_1536260.jpg" --- # The secret is that only that which can destroy itself is… ![“The secret is that only that which can destroy itself is truly alive.” quote by C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/c-g-jung-2163_quote_the-secret-is-that-only-that-which-can-d_1536260.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/c-g-jung-2163_quote_the-secret-is-that-only-that-which-can-d_1536260.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/c-g-jung-2163_quote_the-secret-is-that-only-that-which-can-d_1536260.jpg) > ““The secret is that only that which can destroy itself is truly alive.”” [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Only that which can self‑destruct possesses true vitality; destruction is a sign of authentic life. **In simple terms:** Self‑destruction shows true al. Key Takeaway Embrace change that may feel destructive but leads to growth. Themes life death transformation Mood introspective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative renewal - spiritual awakening Key Concepts psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What part of yourself needs to die to grow? - Can you differentiate healthy transformation from self‑sabotage? A Different Perspective Destruction can be harmful if not purposeful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) ## Related quotes > [I think when things happen in our lives that we can't truly understand why they destroy us, it's because we can't truly understand or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/i-think-when-things-happen-in-our-lives-that-we-can-t-truly/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [It is only when I am doing my work that I feel truly alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/it-is-only-when-i-am-doing-my-work-that-i-feel-truly-alive/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [You know you are truly alive when youre living among lions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-you-are-truly-alive-when-youre-living-among-lions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I understand that it is not when or how you die but how and if you truly were ever alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerri-nielsen/i-understand-that-it-is-not-when-or-how-you-die-but-how-and-if-you/) [Jerri Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerri-nielsen/) > [“You know you are truly alive, when you care for every living thing. One day soon, it will be the norm to view others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-althouse/you-know-you-are-truly-alive-when-you-care-for-every-living-thing-one/) [Tom Althouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-althouse/) > [When you are present, the world is truly alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/when-you-are-present-the-world-is-truly-alive/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [When we love anyone with our whole hearts, life begins when we are with that person; it is only in their company that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/when-we-love-anyone-with-our-whole-hearts-life-begins-when-we-are/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [Art is what we do when we're truly alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/art-is-what-we-do-when-we-re-truly-alive/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“If your life is not an adventure then you are not truly alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-sorenson/if-your-life-is-not-an-adventure-then-you-are-not-truly-alive/) [Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-sorenson/) > [“The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/the-miracle-is-not-to-walk-on-water-the-miracle-is-to-walk-on-the/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“The truly alive soul is tremblingly alive to the feelings of humanity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-temple/the-truly-alive-soul-is-tremblingly-alive-to-the-feelings-of-humanity/) Charlotte Temple > [The symphonic sounds of nature awaken every cell in my body and, in that moment, without a doubt, I am truly alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/the-symphonic-sounds-of-nature-awaken-every-cell-in-my-body-and-in/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) > [Without awareness, we are not truly alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-awareness-we-are-not-truly-alive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be truly alive is to feel one's ultimate existence within one's daily existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-wiman/to-be-truly-alive-is-to-feel-one-s-ultimate-existence-within-one-s/) [Christian Wiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-wiman/) > [Whatever is truly alive must die. Look at the flowers; only plastic flowers never die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/whatever-is-truly-alive-must-die-look-at-the-flowers-only-plastic/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More by C.G. Jung > [“I would even go so far as to say that the mythical character of a life is just what expresses its universal human validity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/i-would-even-go-so-far-as-to-say-that-the-mythical-character-of-a/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“Communion gives us warmth. Singleness gives us light. At immeasurable distance stands one single star at the zenith. This star is the God and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/communion-gives-us-warmth-singleness-gives-us-light-at-immeasurable/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“One book opens another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/one-book-opens-another/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“Before him exist neither question nor answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/before-him-exist-neither-question-nor-answer/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“The study of medicine consists on the one hand in storing up in the mind an enormous number of facts, which are simply memorized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/the-study-of-medicine-consists-on-the-one-hand-in-storing-up-in-the/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“There are no longer any gods whom we can invoke to help us. The great religions of the world suffer from increasing anemia, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/there-are-no-longer-any-gods-whom-we-can-invoke-to-help-us-the-great/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“Jen pohleďte na ty ďábelské prostředky ničení. Vynalezli je docela dobráčtí gentlemani, rozumní a vážení občané, kteří jsou přesně takoví, jaké si je přejeme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/jen-pohle-te-na-ty-belsk-prost-edky-ni-en-vynalezli-je-docela-dobr-t/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“Be silent and listen: have you recognized your madness and do you admit it? Have you noticed that all your foundations are completely mired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/be-silent-and-listen-have-you-recognized-your-madness-and-do-you/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“Ideas are not just counters used by the calculating mind; they are also golden vessels full of living feeling. "Freedom" is not a mere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/ideas-are-not-just-counters-used-by-the-calculating-mind-they-are/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“Give me your hand, a human hand, so that you can hold me to the earth with it, for whirling veins of fire swoop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/give-me-your-hand-a-human-hand-so-that-you-can-hold-me-to-the-earth/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“Co jednou upadlo do nevědomí, to nevědomí podrží bez ohledu na to, zda tím vědomí trpí nebo ne. Vědomí může umírat hlady a zimou,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/co-jednou-upadlo-do-nev-dom-to-nev-dom-podr-bez-ohledu-na-to-zda-t-m/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“Ultimately everything depends on the quality of the individual, but our fatally short-sighted age thinks only in terms of large numbers and mass organizations...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/ultimately-everything-depends-on-the-quality-of-the-individual-but/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate. That is to say, when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/the-psychological-rule-says-that-when-an-inner-situation-is-not-made/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“Magla oko nas je tako gusta i tako varljiva da smo morali da iznađemo egzaktne nauke da bi smo mogli da ugrabimo bar zračak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/magla-oko-nas-je-tako-gusta-i-tako-varljiva-da-smo-morali-da-izna-emo/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [“In order to make clear what this fourth stage has in view, and to throw some light on the curious term 'transformation,' we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/in-order-to-make-clear-what-this-fourth-stage-has-in-view-and-to/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) [Explore all 133 C.G. Jung quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The secret is that only that which can destroy itself is truly alive.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C.G. 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