--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The goal is to live a full, productive…" description: "\"The goal is to live a full, productive life even with all that ambiguity. No matter what happens, whether the cancer never flares up again or whether y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/gilda-radner-11283_ambiguity_the-goal-is-to-live-a-full-productive-li_2824124.jpg" --- # The goal is to live a full, productive life even with all… ![“The goal is to live a full, productive life even with all that ambiguity. No matter what happens, whether the cancer never flares up again or whether you die, the important thing is that the days that you have had you will have lived.” quote by Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/gilda-radner-11283_ambiguity_the-goal-is-to-live-a-full-productive-li_2824124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/gilda-radner-11283_ambiguity_the-goal-is-to-live-a-full-productive-li_2824124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/gilda-radner-11283_ambiguity_the-goal-is-to-live-a-full-productive-li_2824124.jpg) > “The goal is to live a full, productive life even with all that ambiguity. No matter what happens, whether the cancer never flares up again or whether you die, the important thing is that the days that you have had you will have lived.” [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living fully means embracing uncertainty and mortality, valuing each day lived regardless of outcomes. **In simple terms:** Live fully despite uncertainty and death. Key Takeaway Appreciate each day’s existence. Themes mortality fulfillment uncertainty Mood hopeful serene Type motivational existential When to use this quote - patient with - terminal illness - daily routine - caregiver Key Concepts existentialism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What does a “full life” look like for you? - How can you balance acceptance with proactive living? A Different Perspective May overlook planning for future stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambiguity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Productive life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productive-life/) ## Related quotes > [Unlike the ambiguity of life, the ambiguity of language does reach a limit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/unlike-the-ambiguity-of-life-the-ambiguity-of-language-does-reach-a/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [If people see anything I do and the way I live my life, there is no ambiguity about me being a feminist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twinkle-khanna/if-people-see-anything-i-do-and-the-way-i-live-my-life-there-is-no/) [Twinkle Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twinkle-khanna/) > [Hate keeps me from living Fear keeps me from dying And so I lacked From ever attaining a Life From here until ambiguity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kler/hate-keeps-me-from-living-fear-keeps-me-from-dying-and-so-i-lacked/) [Nick Kler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kler/) > [“Unwilling to tolerate life’s ambiguity, its unresolvability, its inevitability, we search for certainty, demanding that someone else must provide it. Stubbornly, relentlessly, we seek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-b-kopp/unwilling-to-tolerate-life-s-ambiguity-its-unresolvability-its/) [Sheldon B. Kopp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-b-kopp/) > [There is no evidence for a god, no coherent definition of a god, no good argument for a god, good positive arguments against a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/there-is-no-evidence-for-a-god-no-coherent-definition-of-a-god-no/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [Having a better and more productive life than my monster father has been my most significant accomplishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/having-a-better-and-more-productive-life-than-my-monster-father-has/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [The purpose of arts education is not to produce more artists, though that is a byproduct. The real purpose of arts education is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gioia/the-purpose-of-arts-education-is-not-to-produce-more-artists-though/) [Dana Gioia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gioia/) > [A good marriage is like an incredible retirement fund. You put everything you have into it during your productive life, and over the years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-scott/a-good-marriage-is-like-an-incredible-retirement-fund-you-put/) [Willard Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-scott/) > [“You can be the most productive person in your area of your calling if you can just isolate yourself and learn to convert your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-can-be-the-most-productive-person-in-your-area-of-your-calling-if/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The ancient Greek view of happiness was really defined by leading a productive life: It's not about how much you have, it's about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-duffy/the-ancient-greek-view-of-happiness-was-really-defined-by-leading-a/) [Karen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-duffy/) > [How can such episodes of such savage cruelty happen? The heart of man is an abyss out of which sometimes emerge plots of unspeakable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/how-can-such-episodes-of-such-savage-cruelty-happen-the-heart-of-man/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Over the course of my life I've had more than my fair share of romantic relationships with wonderful women, many moved on to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/over-the-course-of-my-life-i-ve-had-more-than-my-fair-share-of/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [“Fulfilling purpose is the major key to being productive in life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/fulfilling-purpose-is-the-major-key-to-being-productive-in-life/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [During the year 1957, I experienced, by the grace of God, a spiritual awakening which was to lead me to a richer, fuller, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-coltrane/during-the-year-1957-i-experienced-by-the-grace-of-god-a-spiritual/) [John Coltrane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-coltrane/) > [Everyone has a right to peaceful coexistence, the basic personal freedoms, the alleviation of suffering, and the opportunity to lead a productive life...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/everyone-has-a-right-to-peaceful-coexistence-the-basic-personal/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) ## More by Gilda Radner > [There are those who open their hearts to others...who never think twice about giving of themselves. They are the wonderful warmhearted people who make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/there-are-those-who-open-their-hearts-to-others-who-never-think-twice/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [It's always something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/it-s-always-something/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [It's like my father always said to me, he said to me, he said, Roseanna Roseanadana, it's always something. If it isn't one thing--it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/it-s-like-my-father-always-said-to-me-he-said-to-me-he-said-roseanna/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [ \[Motherhood is\] the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It's huge and scary-it's an act of infinite optimism. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/motherhood-is-the-biggest-gamble-in-the-world-it-is-the-glorious-life/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [Some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle and end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/some-stories-don-t-have-a-clear-beginning-middle-and-end/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [Having cancer gave me membership in an elite club I'd rather not belong to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/having-cancer-gave-me-membership-in-an-elite-club-i-d-rather-not/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [It's such an act of optimism to get through a day and enjoy it and laugh and do all that without thinking about death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/it-s-such-an-act-of-optimism-to-get-through-a-day-and-enjoy-it-and/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [When the journalists asked Gene, 'Why didn't you marry the beautiful girl in 'The Woman in Red'?' he would always reply, 'I did!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/when-the-journalists-asked-gene-why-didn-t-you-marry-the-beautiful/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [I'd much rather be a woman than a man. Women can cry, they can wear cute clothes, and they're the first to be rescued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/i-d-much-rather-be-a-woman-than-a-man-women-can-cry-they-can-wear/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [Humor is just truth, only faster!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/humor-is-just-truth-only-faster/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [I've learned what I can control is whether I am going to live a day in fear and depression and panic, or whether I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/i-ve-learned-what-i-can-control-is-whether-i-am-going-to-live-a-day/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [Fame changes a lot of things, but it can't change a light bulb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/fame-changes-a-lot-of-things-but-it-can-t-change-a-light-bulb/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [I would say that Lucy, 'I Love Lucy,' she was my idol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/i-would-say-that-lucy-i-love-lucy-she-was-my-idol/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [In our show we know, if we're not getting a response, you see it in our face... we either do something to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/in-our-show-we-know-if-we-re-not-getting-a-response-you-see-it-in-our/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [We were married in the south of France because Gene loved France. If he could have been born French, he would have been -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/we-were-married-in-the-south-of-france-because-gene-loved-france-if/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) [Explore all 60 Gilda Radner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) ## More Ambiguity quotes > [The position is clear - there is no ambiguity in Sinn Fein's position. We, along with all the other parties, have signed up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-position-is-clear-there-is-no-ambiguity-in-sinn-fein-s-position/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Ambiguity is necessary in some of my stories, not in all. In those, it certainly contributes to the richness of the story. I doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/ambiguity-is-necessary-in-some-of-my-stories-not-in-all-in-those-it/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [I blame my grandfather 100 percent for his oldest son's death. I don't think there's any ambiguity there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/i-blame-my-grandfather-100-percent-for-his-oldest-son-s-death-i-don-t/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [I think the relationship between social-dominance orientation in people and the extent to which they're made uncomfortable by ambiguity and novelty is really important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/i-think-the-relationship-between-social-dominance-orientation-in/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Yet again, an ancient answer echoes across the centuries: Listen! Listen to stories! For what stories do, above all else, is hold up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-kurtz/yet-again-an-ancient-answer-echoes-across-the-centuries-listen-listen/) [Ernest Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-kurtz/) > [My path to wisdom began when I stopped pretending to know things I didn't know. When I explicitly admitted to the limits of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/my-path-to-wisdom-began-when-i-stopped-pretending-to-know-things-i/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism - the failure to fail, and fail big, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-there-is-a-single-tragic-flaw-that-mars-our-biggest-enterprises-it/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [In order to be as free as I possibly can, in my own imagination, I can't take positions that are closed. Everything I've ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-order-to-be-as-free-as-i-possibly-can-in-my-own-imagination-i-can/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I've always been drawn to ambiguity in pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-ambiguity-in-pop-music/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I am in the utmost perplexity, yand have wished a hundred times, that if there is a A God, nature would manifest him without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/i-am-in-the-utmost-perplexity-yand-have-wished-a-hundred-times-that/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [There's a lot of ambiguity in life, and so often, our art is very neatly wrapped up at the end, when our lives never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-coon/there-s-a-lot-of-ambiguity-in-life-and-so-often-our-art-is-very/) [Carrie Coon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-coon/) > [“Man must not attempt to dispel the ambiguity of his being but, on the contrary, accept the task of realizing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/man-must-not-attempt-to-dispel-the-ambiguity-of-his-being-but-on-the/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) [Browse all 431 Ambiguity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The goal is to live a full, productive life even with all that ambiguity. 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