--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I prefer a life in which we don't take…" description: "\"I prefer a life in which we don't take ourselves too seriously.\" — Carter Burwell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/carter-burwell-15278_life_i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-o_1325954.png" --- # I prefer a life in which we don't take ourselves too… ![“I prefer a life in which we don't take ourselves too seriously.” quote by Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/carter-burwell-15278_life_i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-o_1325954.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/carter-burwell-15278_life_i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-o_1325954.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/carter-burwell-15278_life_i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-o_1325954.png) > “I prefer a life in which we don't take ourselves too seriously.” [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A light‑hearted approach to life prevents taking oneself too seriously, fostering joy and resilience. **In simple terms:** Don’t take life too seriously; stay light‑hearted. Key Takeaway Embrace humor and humility. Themes humor humility resilience Mood playful relaxed Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - daily interactions - creative work - social gatherings - personal growth Key Concepts self‑deprecation stress relief creative freedom Questions to Reflect On - When is seriousness essential? - How can humor improve difficult situations? A Different Perspective Excessive levity can undermine seriousness when needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [People should always have something which they prefer to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-should-always-have-something-which-they-prefer-to-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My work is my work. I take my work seriously but I don't take myself too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/my-work-is-my-work-i-take-my-work-seriously-but-i-don-t-take-myself/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I don't take me seriously. If we get some giggles, I don't mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/i-don-t-take-me-seriously-if-we-get-some-giggles-i-don-t-mind/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [Don't take yourself too seriously. And take yourself as seriously as death itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/don-t-take-yourself-too-seriously-and-take-yourself-as-seriously-as/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Don't take everything so seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/don-t-take-everything-so-seriously/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [I don't take myself seriously. Others should take me seriously, I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-teja/i-don-t-take-myself-seriously-others-should-take-me-seriously-i-don-t/) [Ravi Teja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-teja/) > [Take your work seriously, but don't take yourself seriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/take-your-work-seriously-but-don-t-take-yourself-seriously/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Between a dead-hero and a living-no one, always prefer the latter, always prefer the life! Being no one is infinitely better than being dead!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/between-a-dead-hero-and-a-living-no-one-always-prefer-the-latter/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I have taken you in my arms, and I love you, and I prefer you to my life itself. For the present life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chrysostom/i-have-taken-you-in-my-arms-and-i-love-you-and-i-prefer-you-to-my/) [John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chrysostom/) > [I prefer a life of pain and hardship so that when I get a break or some kindness I appreciate it much more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-prefer-a-life-of-pain-and-hardship-so-that-when-i-get-a-break-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Basically I prefer a BE-Life System over a Belief System.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/basically-i-prefer-a-be-life-system-over-a-belief-system/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [Take a load off, don’t take everything so seriously. And just be happier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana-grande/take-a-load-off-don-t-take-everything-so-seriously-and-just-be-happier/) [Ariana Grande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana-grande/) > [Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-brett/don-t-take-yourself-so-seriously-no-one-else-does/) [Regina Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-brett/) > [If you don't take yourself seriously, you will die joyfully. If you take yourself seriously, you will go through a lot of misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/if-you-don-t-take-yourself-seriously-you-will-die-joyfully-if-you/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [I don't take myself that seriously. I'm a pragmatist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/i-don-t-take-myself-that-seriously-i-m-a-pragmatist/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) ## More by Carter Burwell > [In mainstream romantic comedies, I'm usually tearing my hair out. It's just a devastatingly difficult genre for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/in-mainstream-romantic-comedies-i-m-usually-tearing-my-hair-out-it-s/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [I'm one of those people who is actually inspired by a deadline. I might not sleep for many days on end, it may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-is-actually-inspired-by-a-deadline-i/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [Music is the subliminal connecting adhesive in film, or at least in narrative feature films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/music-is-the-subliminal-connecting-adhesive-in-film-or-at-least-in/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [Carefully execute every instruction given to you by the director, producer, and studio. But that would be a life not worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/carefully-execute-every-instruction-given-to-you-by-the-director/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [Even if I went off to some other career, I hope I would still be doing Coen films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/even-if-i-went-off-to-some-other-career-i-hope-i-would-still-be-doing/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [If not bliss, ignorance can at least be fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/if-not-bliss-ignorance-can-at-least-be-fun/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [There is not much irony when people are being happy on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/there-is-not-much-irony-when-people-are-being-happy-on-screen/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [Big Sur is at the end of the continent. It attracts really crazy people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/big-sur-is-at-the-end-of-the-continent-it-attracts-really-crazy-people/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [Hopefully each film can be given a musical voice of its own, which is not to say that the instrumentation is always unique, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/hopefully-each-film-can-be-given-a-musical-voice-of-its-own-which-is/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [On Being John Malkovich and the cinema of the absurd, I do enjoy it. I wish there were more like it. The very fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/on-being-john-malkovich-and-the-cinema-of-the-absurd-i-do-enjoy-it-i/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [I write music to please myself. Hopefully the director's enjoying it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/i-write-music-to-please-myself-hopefully-the-director-s-enjoying-it/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [I dont find myself lobbying for projects. Filmmakers almost always come to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/i-dont-find-myself-lobbying-for-projects-filmmakers-almost-always/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [I just love the sheer mess of New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/i-just-love-the-sheer-mess-of-new-york/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [How does my music connect to an audience? That is just a complete mystery to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/how-does-my-music-connect-to-an-audience-that-is-just-a-complete/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) > [Death is always around the corner, but often our society gives it inordinate help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/death-is-always-around-the-corner-but-often-our-society-gives-it/) [Carter Burwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) [Explore all 43 Carter Burwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/) ## 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": "I prefer a life in which we don't take ourselves too seriously.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carter Burwell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-ourselves-too-seriously/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-ourselves-too-seriously/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/carter-burwell-15278_life_i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-o_1325954.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/carter-burwell-15278_life_i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-o_1325954.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/carter-burwell-15278_life_i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-o_1325954.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I prefer a life in which we don't take ourselves too seriously.” — Carter Burwell", "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": "Carter Burwell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-burwell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I prefer a life in which...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-ourselves-too-seriously/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-burwell/i-prefer-a-life-in-which-we-don-t-take-ourselves-too-seriously/#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 } } ] } ```