--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And that's the tricky thing about life…" description: "\"“And that's the tricky thing about life, really, that the things we want most will kill us.”\" — Donald Miller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/donald-miller-607_kill_and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-r_2508490.png" --- # And that's the tricky thing about life, really, that the… ![“And that's the tricky thing about life, really, that the things we want most will kill us.” quote by Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/donald-miller-607_kill_and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-r_2508490.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/donald-miller-607_kill_and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-r_2508490.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/donald-miller-607_kill_and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-r_2508490.png) > ““And that's the tricky thing about life, really, that the things we want most will kill us.”” [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The most coveted desires often bring self‑destruction. **In simple terms:** What we want most can harm us. Key Takeaway Beware of destructive cravings. Themes desire danger self‑sabotage Mood cautionary reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career ambition - addiction - relationship expectations Key Concepts philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - What are the hidden costs of your biggest wish? - How can you pursue goals safely? A Different Perspective Desire can blind us to risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [A novel is a tricky thing to map.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reif-larsen/a-novel-is-a-tricky-thing-to-map/) [Reif Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reif-larsen/) > [Being in adverts, it's a tricky thing, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-chatto/being-in-adverts-it-s-a-tricky-thing-i-suppose/) [Grace Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-chatto/) > [Success is a tricky mistress. It's nice to have but it's a tricky thing to embrace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/success-is-a-tricky-mistress-it-s-nice-to-have-but-it-s-a-tricky/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [Chemistry's a tricky thing, and if I'm not feeling it, I'm not gonna pretend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-sullivan/chemistry-s-a-tricky-thing-and-if-i-m-not-feeling-it-i-m-not-gonna/) [Faith Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-sullivan/) > [“Trust is a tricky thing. It can bite you hard when you least expect it to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-campbell/trust-is-a-tricky-thing-it-can-bite-you-hard-when-you-least-expect-it/) [Steph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-campbell/) > [It's always a tricky thing, trying to make aid sustainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liya-kebede/it-s-always-a-tricky-thing-trying-to-make-aid-sustainable/) [Liya Kebede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liya-kebede/) > [“... Grief is a tricky thing, and it doesn't always manifest in the way we expect it to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-finn/grief-is-a-tricky-thing-and-it-doesn-t-always-manifest-in-the-way-we/) [Elizabeth Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-finn/) > [Planning a career, I always find that such a tricky thing, because I don't have much of a plan, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/planning-a-career-i-always-find-that-such-a-tricky-thing-because-i/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [The tricky thing becomes: Do you know yourself well enough to then portray that on screen? And for me, I find that really hard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/the-tricky-thing-becomes-do-you-know-yourself-well-enough-to-then/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [Success, in whatever form it takes, is a tricky thing - once you've achieved your goal, then what? Where do you aim?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arabella-weir/success-in-whatever-form-it-takes-is-a-tricky-thing-once-you-ve/) [Arabella Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arabella-weir/) > [Advice is such a tricky thing when you're young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jena-malone/advice-is-such-a-tricky-thing-when-you-re-young/) [Jena Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jena-malone/) > [The tricky thing about being a writer, or about being any kind of artist, is that in addition to making art you also have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/the-tricky-thing-about-being-a-writer-or-about-being-any-kind-of/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“Love was a tricky thing, a word to describe something that for most intents was indescribable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-forbes/love-was-a-tricky-thing-a-word-to-describe-something-that-for-most/) [M.R. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-forbes/) > [Planning a career, I always find a tricky thing, because I don't have much of a plan, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/planning-a-career-i-always-find-a-tricky-thing-because-i-don-t-have/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Sometimes the things we want most in life are the things that will kill us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/sometimes-the-things-we-want-most-in-life-are-the-things-that-will/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) ## More by Donald Miller > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [I think each of us can, through our writing, discover our super power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-think-each-of-us-can-through-our-writing-discover-our-super-power/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [If you don't feel free and be yourself, you can't connect. Find people who accept your quirks. They'll heal your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/if-you-don-t-feel-free-and-be-yourself-you-can-t-connect-find-people/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [And so I have come to understand that strength, inner strength, comes from receiving love as much as it comes from giving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-so-i-have-come-to-understand-that-strength-inner-strength-comes/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“Humans, as a species, are constantly, and in every way, comparing themselves to one another, which, given the brief nature of their existence, seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/humans-as-a-species-are-constantly-and-in-every-way-comparing/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“alone, lonely, and loneliness are three of the most powerful words in the English language... Those words say that we are human; they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/alone-lonely-and-loneliness-are-three-of-the-most-powerful-words-in/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“It isn't about what you don't get done; it's about what you do get done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/it-isn-t-about-what-you-don-t-get-done-it-s-about-what-you-do-get-done/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“Most Christians have enormous respect for the space and freedom of others, it is only that they have found a joy in Jesus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/most-christians-have-enormous-respect-for-the-space-and-freedom-of/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“The soul needs to interact with other people to be healthy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/the-soul-needs-to-interact-with-other-people-to-be-healthy/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Don't let go of your strength or your beauty. It was given to you by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/don-t-let-go-of-your-strength-or-your-beauty-it-was-given-to-you-by/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [There's a lot of letters, and a lot of people come say "hi" at book signings, but I'm amazed at how normal everybody is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-a-lot-of-letters-and-a-lot-of-people-come-say-hi-at-book/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [I am something of a recluse by nature. I am that cordless screwdriver that has to charge for twenty hours to earn ten minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-am-something-of-a-recluse-by-nature-i-am-that-cordless-screwdriver/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [The most important thing that happens within Christian spirituality is when a person falls in love with Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/the-most-important-thing-that-happens-within-christian-spirituality/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Every day you live is a page. Every year, a chapter. Your life, a book. What is it about?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/every-day-you-live-is-a-page-every-year-a-chapter-your-life-a-book/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“And that’s the first time I realized that the idea a character is what he does makes as much sense in life as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-that-s-the-first-time-i-realized-that-the-idea-a-character-is/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) [Explore all 448 Donald Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) ## More Kill quotes > [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“If you’ve bullshitted me, angel, I’m going to kill you.” The other male rolled his eyes. “I’m already dead, idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/if-you-ve-bullshitted-me-angel-i-m-going-to-kill-you-the-other-male/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubbly/what-doesnt-kill-you-makes-you-stronger/) Bubbly > [Curiosity Can Kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anison/curiosity-can-kill/) [Anison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anison/) > [Don't smoke. Don't kill yourselves. Don't maim yourselves. Tell your friends. Please don't smoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-eszterhas/don-t-smoke-don-t-kill-yourselves-don-t-maim-yourselves-tell-your/) [Joe Eszterhas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-eszterhas/) > [“The only ones who kill are those prepared to be killed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lelouch-vi-britannia/the-only-ones-who-kill-are-those-prepared-to-be-killed/) [Lelouch Vi Britannia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lelouch-vi-britannia/) > [Boredom is vastly underrated. Boredom means that nothing is trying to kill you every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/boredom-is-vastly-underrated-boredom-means-that-nothing-is-trying-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I’m going to kill Mr. Mysterious for this. Kill that crazy motherfucker. Why does he have to live on the edge all the time?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-huss/i-m-going-to-kill-mr-mysterious-for-this-kill-that-crazy-motherfucker/) [J.A. Huss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-huss/) > [“Be that as it may, we do need you in particular to complete this assignment. (Syd) What is it with you government assholes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/be-that-as-it-may-we-do-need-you-in-particular-to-complete-this/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“I'm only one kill away from Command Assassin. Be a damn shame for that kill to be you" (Darion)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-m-only-one-kill-away-from-command-assassin-be-a-damn-shame-for-that/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Well, let's say you heard a fight in the boys' bathroom, and you broke it up. What would you do naturally if you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/well-let-s-say-you-heard-a-fight-in-the-boys-bathroom-and-you-broke/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [Nothing will kill what you've been called to do more than comparing yourself to someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/nothing-will-kill-what-you-ve-been-called-to-do-more-than-comparing/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I imagine that in a closed, hermetic society like the mob, where everybody knows each other, it must be really, really unpleasant to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dominik/i-imagine-that-in-a-closed-hermetic-society-like-the-mob-where/) [Andrew Dominik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dominik/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Fuck, Princess. You kill me. Every damn time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarina-bowen/fuck-princess-you-kill-me-every-damn-time/) [Sarina Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarina-bowen/) Browse all 3,038 Kill quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And that's the tricky thing about life, really, that the things we want most will kill us.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-really-that-the-things-we-want/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Kill" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-really-that-the-things-we-want/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/donald-miller-607_kill_and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-r_2508490.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/donald-miller-607_kill_and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-r_2508490.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/donald-miller-607_kill_and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-r_2508490.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And that's the tricky thing about life, really, that the things we want most will kill us.” — Donald Miller", "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": "Donald Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And that's the tricky thing about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-really-that-the-things-we-want/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-really-that-the-things-we-want/#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 } } ] } ```