--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our lives have a countdown clock that we…" description: "\"Our lives have a countdown clock that we can't see. Mine reminds me to only do work that matters.\" — Donald Miller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/donald-miller-607_clock_our-lives-have-a-countdown-clock-that-we_734579.png" --- # Our lives have a countdown clock that we can't see. Mine… ![“Our lives have a countdown clock that we can't see. Mine reminds me to only do work that matters.” quote by Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/donald-miller-607_clock_our-lives-have-a-countdown-clock-that-we_734579.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/donald-miller-607_clock_our-lives-have-a-countdown-clock-that-we_734579.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/donald-miller-607_clock_our-lives-have-a-countdown-clock-that-we_734579.png) > “Our lives have a countdown clock that we can't see. Mine reminds me to only do work that matters.” [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. Life is finite and unseen, prompting focus on meaningful work rather than trivial tasks. **In simple terms:** Life is short, so do what matters. Key Takeaway Prioritize work that aligns with purpose. Themes purpose time focus Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - volunteering - creative work - daily tasks Key Concepts existentialism productivity meaning Questions to Reflect On - What work truly matters to you? - How can you measure meaningful impact? A Different Perspective Ignoring the unseen clock can cause regret over wasted time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Countdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/countdown/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [When I see the poor in India, it reminds me of the work that I have to do for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/when-i-see-the-poor-in-india-it-reminds-me-of-the-work-that-i-have-to/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [“What ripens passion is the conviction that your work matters. For most people, interest without purpose is nearly impossible to sustain for a lifetime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/what-ripens-passion-is-the-conviction-that-your-work-matters-for-most/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [Work on something that matters. Have courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/work-on-something-that-matters-have-courage/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [My work has never been about me, and I've never made a big deal about my race. I've actually tried hard to avoid ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/my-work-has-never-been-about-me-and-i-ve-never-made-a-big-deal-about/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [The only thing we can control is the daily work we put in, and that's all that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danilo-gallinari/the-only-thing-we-can-control-is-the-daily-work-we-put-in-and-that-s/) [Danilo Gallinari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danilo-gallinari/) > [If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do work that matters, this is it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/if-there-was-ever-a-moment-to-follow-your-passion-and-do-work-that/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Open office plans, cell phones, constant notifications: these are all things that fight against sustained attention on a task. For some people and some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/open-office-plans-cell-phones-constant-notifications-these-are-all/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [The people that are doing work that matters aren't doing work thats popular. They're just doing work that changes some people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-people-that-are-doing-work-that-matters-aren-t-doing-work-thats/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Once you stop thinking about the minutiae of what each part might mean for your career, you learn that if you do a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-savage/once-you-stop-thinking-about-the-minutiae-of-what-each-part-might/) [Fred Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-savage/) > [To lend each other a hand when we're falling, perhaps that's the only work that matters in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/to-lend-each-other-a-hand-when-we-re-falling-perhaps-that-s-the-only/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [The good news is that more than ever, value accrues to those that show up, those that make a difference, those that do work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-good-news-is-that-more-than-ever-value-accrues-to-those-that-show/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [What really matters is the work. And what matters to me is doing the work. I'm not looking at the back end: "What am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/what-really-matters-is-the-work-and-what-matters-to-me-is-doing-the/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [“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/) > [How hard you work matters more than how much you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/how-hard-you-work-matters-more-than-how-much-you-make/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## 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 Clock quotes > [Even Einstein had to rely for his time on his clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/even-einstein-had-to-rely-for-his-time-on-his-clock/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [“Time was never neutral and often felt dangerous. We either think we have all the time in the world or time moves too fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-reay/time-was-never-neutral-and-often-felt-dangerous-we-either-think-we/) [Katherine Reay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-reay/) > [Before a clock was in the tower, Or e'er a watch was worn; I knew of night the passing hour, And prophesied the morn;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-a-clock-was-in-the-tower-or-e-er-a-watch-was-worn-i-knew-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [“Time is, to put it in its most impressive and some might say poncy-sounding form, my domain. I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) Levi Keely > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our lives have a countdown clock that we can't see. 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