--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to do anything, do it now…" description: "\"If you want to do anything, do it now, without compromise or concession, because you have only one life.\" — Gao Xingjian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/gao-xingjian-6987_compromise_if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-wit_896693.jpg" --- # If you want to do anything, do it now, without compromise… ![“If you want to do anything, do it now, without compromise or concession, because you have only one life.” quote by Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/gao-xingjian-6987_compromise_if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-wit_896693.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/gao-xingjian-6987_compromise_if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-wit_896693.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/gao-xingjian-6987_compromise_if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-wit_896693.jpg) > “If you want to do anything, do it now, without compromise or concession, because you have only one life.” [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seize the present without compromise, because life is singular and fleeting. **In simple terms:** Act now, no compromises, life is short. Key Takeaway Live fully in the moment. Themes urgency life decision‑making Mood urgent thoughtful Type existential motivational When to use this quote - career choices - personal relationships - health decisions Key Concepts existentialism carpe diem Questions to Reflect On - What does “without compromise” mean to you? - Which area of life needs your immediate action? A Different Perspective Impulsive actions may lead to regret. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) ## Related quotes > [To obtain a just compromise, concession must not only mutual-it must be equal also…There can be no hope that either will yield more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall/to-obtain-a-just-compromise-concession-must-not-only-mutual-it-must/) [John Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall/) > [I've always said there is a boulevard that exists between compromising your principles and getting everything you want. Now, we should never compromise our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-ve-always-said-there-is-a-boulevard-that-exists-between/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [“Life always gives option to quit. If you want to compromise you always have that option”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-kumar/life-always-gives-option-to-quit-if-you-want-to-compromise-you-always/) [Shiv Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-kumar/) > [I never want to compromise my act just to get a laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/i-never-want-to-compromise-my-act-just-to-get-a-laugh/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [The best advice I could give is be yourself. Before I was on the American Idol show I made goals for myself. I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-rasmusen/the-best-advice-i-could-give-is-be-yourself-before-i-was-on-the/) [Carmen Rasmusen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-rasmusen/) > [I totally understand everyone else's view. They are obviously different to mine and I respect that but what I don't want to do is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-folau/i-totally-understand-everyone-else-s-view-they-are-obviously/) [Israel Folau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-folau/) > [I don't want to compromise on my singing or drop down its level to start acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-randhawa/i-don-t-want-to-compromise-on-my-singing-or-drop-down-its-level-to/) [Guru Randhawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-randhawa/) > [If you have a sense of style and purpose and will you don't want to compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vidal-sassoon/if-you-have-a-sense-of-style-and-purpose-and-will-you-don-t-want-to/) [Vidal Sassoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidal-sassoon/) > [The real two-party system in America is the Meanies and the Weenies. The Meanies want to take away your benefits, and the Weenies want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-grayson/the-real-two-party-system-in-america-is-the-meanies-and-the-weenies/) [Alan Grayson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-grayson/) > [If you want something, go get it. Never compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-something-go-get-it-never-compromise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The way we always want to compromise between everything, I think that's really Belgian. I think I'm really Belgian for that, because I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/the-way-we-always-want-to-compromise-between-everything-i-think-that/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [I want to be as creative as I want. I don't ever want to have to compromise; I don't ever want anybody ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-dash/i-want-to-be-as-creative-as-i-want-i-don-t-ever-want-to-have-to/) [Damon Dash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-dash/) > [I'll admit, sometimes I've paid the bills with acting. You know the phrase, 'It's one for the money, two for the showreel.' I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-considine/i-ll-admit-sometimes-i-ve-paid-the-bills-with-acting-you-know-the/) [Paddy Considine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-considine/) > [There's more than one way to get to the goal that you want to get to, but once you compromise your own principles, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-fauci/there-s-more-than-one-way-to-get-to-the-goal-that-you-want-to-get-to/) [Anthony Fauci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-fauci/) > [“I don’t know who I am anymore, but I do know I don’t want to be this girl. I just want to be me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/i-don-t-know-who-i-am-anymore-but-i-do-know-i-don-t-want-to-be-this/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) ## More by Gao Xingjian > [“When a man gets to middle age shouldn’t he look for a peaceful and stable existence, find a not-too-demanding sort of a job, stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/when-a-man-gets-to-middle-age-shouldn-t-he-look-for-a-peaceful-and/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [Literature transcends national boundaries, racial boundaries. It goes deep into the issues that concern all human beings. That is why, when people read Greek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/literature-transcends-national-boundaries-racial-boundaries-it-goes/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [I hadn't originally intended to do any reading, what if I did read one book more or one book less, whether I read or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/i-hadn-t-originally-intended-to-do-any-reading-what-if-i-did-read-one/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [If you're not perfectly conscious of yourself, that self can be tyrannical; in relationship to others, anyone can become a tyrant. That's why no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/if-you-re-not-perfectly-conscious-of-yourself-that-self-can-be/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [Since childhood, I'd dreamed of making a film, but producers in France and Germany wanted to make commercial films with chinoiserie. I refused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/since-childhood-i-d-dreamed-of-making-a-film-but-producers-in-france/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [Literature hasn't come up with any new themes. The literature of all different times - it's still dealing with how one resolves issues of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/literature-hasn-t-come-up-with-any-new-themes-the-literature-of-all/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [“Yours is much worse than Eastern! You’ve slapped together travel notes, moralistic ramblings, feelings, notes, jottings, untheoretical discussions, unfable-like fables, copied out some folk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/yours-is-much-worse-than-eastern-you-ve-slapped-together-travel-notes/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [The enterprise of describing something in language that has never been described before is a very difficult thing to do. When you decide to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/the-enterprise-of-describing-something-in-language-that-has-never/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [When I completed writing 'Soul Mountain,' I more or less closed the accounts with China for myself. I was 50 years old when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/when-i-completed-writing-soul-mountain-i-more-or-less-closed-the/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [I want to write a novel so profound that it would suffocate a fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/i-want-to-write-a-novel-so-profound-that-it-would-suffocate-a-fly/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [Body odour (known also as scent of the immortals) is a disgusting condition with an awful, nauseating smell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/body-odour-known-also-as-scent-of-the-immortals-is-a-disgusting/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [If, while observing the boundless universe, the writer is able to scrutinise his own self as well as others, the resulting incisiveness of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/if-while-observing-the-boundless-universe-the-writer-is-able-to/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [When God talks to humans he doesn't want humans to hear his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/when-god-talks-to-humans-he-doesn-t-want-humans-to-hear-his-voice/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [“At the height of the Cultural Revolution, rather than risk having to face dire consequences for his accumulated writings, he burned several kilos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/at-the-height-of-the-cultural-revolution-rather-than-risk-having-to/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [Language is inherently not concerned with logic. As an expression of the psychological activities of humankind, it simply follows a linear process as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/language-is-inherently-not-concerned-with-logic-as-an-expression-of/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) [Explore all 91 Gao Xingjian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) ## More Compromise quotes > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/) Ludwig Erhard > [Real love is not based upon romance,candle light,dinner and walk along beach.Infact,It's based on care,compromise,respect and trust..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-love-is-not-based-upon-romance-candle-light-dinner-and-walk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Simple answers, reductionist politics, are the most prone to compromise, to saying we’re addressing the essential issue and all that other stuff can slide.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/simple-answers-reductionist-politics-are-the-most-prone-to-compromise/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“I’m not sure sex qualifies as R and R, but it’s a compromise I can live with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-morgen/i-m-not-sure-sex-qualifies-as-r-and-r-but-it-s-a-compromise-i-can/) Shelby Morgen > [You know what the Englishman's idea of compromise is? He says, Some people say there is a God. Some people say there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/you-know-what-the-englishman-s-idea-of-compromise-is-he-says-some/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [The human spirit will not invest itself in a compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fritz/the-human-spirit-will-not-invest-itself-in-a-compromise/) [Robert Fritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fritz/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“And what would you like, Sharie?" asked Miss Mush. "What do you have?" asked Sharie. "Potato salad". "What else is there?" asked Sharie. "Nothing"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/and-what-would-you-like-sharie-asked-miss-mush-what-do-you-have-asked/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [As a politician - particularly as a politician in a coalition - you quickly realise that compromise is a part of the game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/) [Edward Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-davey/) > [“The fact that I can get away with something is the very reason why I shouldn’t do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-fact-that-i-can-get-away-with-something-is-the-very-reason-why-i/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [There could be some compromise, but I think we have to stick to the provisions of the treaty, and the provisions of the treaty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-santer/there-could-be-some-compromise-but-i-think-we-have-to-stick-to-the/) [Jacques Santer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-santer/) > [Love is not only about romance, candle-lit dinners and walking hand in hand. In fact, real love is about a lifetime of compromise, commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aarti-khurana/love-is-not-only-about-romance-candle-lit-dinners-and-walking-hand-in/) [Aarti Khurana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aarti-khurana/) [Browse all 2,076 Compromise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want to do anything, do it now, without compromise or concession, because you have only one life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gao Xingjian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-without-compromise-or-concession/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compromise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-without-compromise-or-concession/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/gao-xingjian-6987_compromise_if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-wit_896693.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/gao-xingjian-6987_compromise_if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-wit_896693.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/gao-xingjian-6987_compromise_if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-wit_896693.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want to do anything, do it now, without compromise or concession, because you have only one life.” — Gao Xingjian", "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": "Gao Xingjian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want to do anything,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-without-compromise-or-concession/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/if-you-want-to-do-anything-do-it-now-without-compromise-or-concession/#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 } } ] } ```