--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you’re older, you will realise the…" description: "\"“When you’re older, you will realise the only thing that matters, the only thing, is that you had courage and honour. Lose those things and you won’t d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/conn-iggulden-21255_boots_when-you-re-older-you-will-realise-the-o_2535240.jpg" --- # When you’re older, you will realise the only thing that… ![“When you’re older, you will realise the only thing that matters, the only thing, is that you had courage and honour. Lose those things and you won’t die any quicker, but you’ll be less than the dirt on our boots. You’ll still be dust, but you’ll have wasted your short time in the light.” quote by Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/conn-iggulden-21255_boots_when-you-re-older-you-will-realise-the-o_2535240.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/conn-iggulden-21255_boots_when-you-re-older-you-will-realise-the-o_2535240.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/conn-iggulden-21255_boots_when-you-re-older-you-will-realise-the-o_2535240.jpg) > ““When you’re older, you will realise the only thing that matters, the only thing, is that you had courage and honour. Lose those things and you won’t die any quicker, but you’ll be less than the dirt on our boots. You’ll still be dust, but you’ll have wasted your short time in the light.”” [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Courage and honor define a meaningful life; without them, existence feels empty. **In simple terms:** Honor gives life meaning. Key Takeaway Live with courage and honor. Themes courage honor legacy Mood inspirational serious Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - military service - public service - personal challenges - career decisions Key Concepts ethical philosophy existential purpose Questions to Reflect On - What does courage look like in daily life? - How can you honor your principles? A Different Perspective May ignore other values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Dirt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirt/) [Honour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honour/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) ## Related quotes > [We could move catalog, if he'd only die quicker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/we-could-move-catalog-if-he-d-only-die-quicker/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [As you get older, you realise you can't worry about mistakes; you just worry about playing, and I've been doing that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/as-you-get-older-you-realise-you-can-t-worry-about-mistakes-you-just/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [Truth, wisdom,courage & honour to commitment are unbeatable combination of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/truth-wisdom-courage-honour-to-commitment-are-unbeatable-combination/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Courage is tricky if you always do what others tell you to do. any fool can have courage but honour , that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-blind-side/courage-is-tricky-if-you-always-do-what-others-tell-you-to-do-any/) [The Blind Side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-blind-side/) > [“If your situation is too tough, don´t go back, go forward. You die quicker when you go backward. Die later when you go forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience-johnson/if-your-situation-is-too-tough-don-t-go-back-go-forward-you-die/) [Patience Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience-johnson/) > [The most important thing is, Do you have the courage to admit that you're wrong? And do you change? The most important thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-most-important-thing-is-do-you-have-the-courage-to-admit-that-you/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The whole point of courage, to overcome your fear. That's the interesting thing, when courage bleeds through the fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/the-whole-point-of-courage-to-overcome-your-fear-that-s-the/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [“The funny thing about courage is that it is often more of an internal journey than it is an external challenge – thought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-ogunlaru/the-funny-thing-about-courage-is-that-it-is-often-more-of-an-internal/) [Rasheed Ogunlaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-ogunlaru/) > [“I nodded, pretending to be a hundred times more courageous than I felt. But that was the thing about courage. Sometimes you had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-tawn-bergren/i-nodded-pretending-to-be-a-hundred-times-more-courageous-than-i-felt/) [Lisa Tawn Bergren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-tawn-bergren/) > [The thing of courage As rous'd with rage doth sympathise, And, with an accent tun'd in self-same key, Retorts to chiding fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-thing-of-courage-as-rous-d-with-rage-doth-sympathise-and-with-an/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The thing about courage is it’s something that we have to learn and relearn our whole lives. It’s not just in you, it’s in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/the-thing-about-courage-is-it-s-something-that-we-have-to-learn-and/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [It is a brave thing to have courage to be an individual; it is also, perhaps, a lonely thing. But it is better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/it-is-a-brave-thing-to-have-courage-to-be-an-individual-it-is-also/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [There is such a thing as the courage in remaining baffled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-antrim/there-is-such-a-thing-as-the-courage-in-remaining-baffled/) [Donald Antrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-antrim/) > [As you get older, you realise that your identity becomes more important - the environment in which you have grown is actually part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/as-you-get-older-you-realise-that-your-identity-becomes-more/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [When you are older, you realise that everything else is just nothing compared to painting and drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/when-you-are-older-you-realise-that-everything-else-is-just-nothing/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) ## More by Conn Iggulden > [“Sung Win smiled to himself, enjoying the tension across his shoulders and the way his pulse beat in his veins. All life involved risk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/sung-win-smiled-to-himself-enjoying-the-tension-across-his-shoulders/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“As he prepared to ride on, he chuckled at the thought of the wolf entering the sheepfold. He would not ride with fire and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/as-he-prepared-to-ride-on-he-chuckled-at-the-thought-of-the-wolf/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“Keep a line of retreat,’ Warwick ordered. To his disgust, his voice trembled and he cleared his throat loudly before going on with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/keep-a-line-of-retreat-warwick-ordered-to-his-disgust-his-voice/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“No congratulations?’ Derry said cheerfully. ‘No “well done, Derry”? I am disappointed in you, William Pole. There’s not many men could have pulled this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/no-congratulations-derry-said-cheerfully-no-well-done-derry-i-am/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“The Assassin fortress in Alamut came under attack by Hulegu’s forces around 1256. The head of the Muslim sect that held the fortress of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/the-assassin-fortress-in-alamut-came-under-attack-by-hulegu-s-forces/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“Richard felt his spirits begin to recover and he raised his hand to the crowds, though it made his back ache. It was worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/richard-felt-his-spirits-begin-to-recover-and-he-raised-his-hand-to/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“I have been distracted from my duty as a father to some extent, but there is no greater exercise to a man’s talents than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/i-have-been-distracted-from-my-duty-as-a-father-to-some-extent-but/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“We are all fools with our sons. We wipe them and suckle them and all we expect is for them to be grateful to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/we-are-all-fools-with-our-sons-we-wipe-them-and-suckle-them-and-all/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“Winter is our time. They shut up their cities for the cold months. They put their horses in stables and sit around great fires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/winter-is-our-time-they-shut-up-their-cities-for-the-cold-months-they/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [Men respect the silent; they despise the garrulous. - Marius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/men-respect-the-silent-they-despise-the-garrulous-marius/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“It was a revelation as important as any other in its way – that expert men love their subject. Show them interest, show them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/it-was-a-revelation-as-important-as-any-other-in-its-way-that-expert/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“The man attempted to salute and Renius forced himself to smile, biting back his temper at the sloppy manners. He watched the fat figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/the-man-attempted-to-salute-and-renius-forced-himself-to-smile-biting/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [We are the silver people, the Mongols. When they ask, tell them there are no tribes. Tell them I am khan of the sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/we-are-the-silver-people-the-mongols-when-they-ask-tell-them-there/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [Courage cannot be left like bones in a bag. It must be brought out and shown the light again and again, growing stronger each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/courage-cannot-be-left-like-bones-in-a-bag-it-must-be-brought-out-and/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [“It was rare for Richard to have hands clear of broken blisters or his body unbruised. When he was weak of will, as his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/it-was-rare-for-richard-to-have-hands-clear-of-broken-blisters-or-his/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) [Explore all 29 Conn Iggulden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) ## More Boots quotes > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [“The hiking boots the outdoor adventure magazine sent me to buy - large, ungainly potato like things that I have been trying to break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/the-hiking-boots-the-outdoor-adventure-magazine-sent-me-to-buy-large/) [david rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [Stop trying to treat music like it's a tennis shoe, something to be branded. If the music industry wants to save money, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/stop-trying-to-treat-music-like-it-s-a-tennis-shoe-something-to-be/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [We did rent some houses in different hub cities which made it that we weren't in hotels all the time. But we're on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-fisher/we-did-rent-some-houses-in-different-hub-cities-which-made-it-that-we/) [Mike Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-fisher/) > [He won't, won't he? Then bring me my boots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-harris-barham/he-won-t-won-t-he-then-bring-me-my-boots/) [Richard Harris Barham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-harris-barham/) > [I've always got such high expectations for myself. I'm aware of them, but I can't relax them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-decker/i-ve-always-got-such-high-expectations-for-myself-i-m-aware-of-them/) [Mary Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-decker/) > [“You can't judge a book by its steel-toed combat boots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-judge-a-book-by-its-steel-toed-combat-boots/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“He felt more human with his boots on. A man can face the world with something on his feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-felt-more-human-with-his-boots-on-a-man-can-face-the-world-with/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Iron and coal dominated everywhere, from grey to black: the black boots, the black stove-pipe hat, the black coach or carriage, the black iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/iron-and-coal-dominated-everywhere-from-grey-to-black-the-black-boots/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [I always felt so much more comfortable in the Western. The minute I got a horse and a hat and a pair of boots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mccrea/i-always-felt-so-much-more-comfortable-in-the-western-the-minute-i/) [Joel McCrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mccrea/) > [I love vintage cowboy boots, and some days I'm into platform stilettos encrusted in jewels. It's really all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/i-love-vintage-cowboy-boots-and-some-days-i-m-into-platform-stilettos/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place...The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/what-we-suffer-from-today-is-humility-in-the-wrong-place-the-old/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I wore hot pants and cowboy boots and I thought, 'What have I gotten myself into?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/i-wore-hot-pants-and-cowboy-boots-and-i-thought-what-have-i-gotten/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) Browse all 1,025 Boots quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When you’re older, you will realise the only thing that matters, the only thing, is that you had courage and honour. Lose those things and you won’t die any quicker, but you’ll be less than the dirt on our boots. 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