--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One never finds life worth living. One…" description: "\"One never finds life worth living. One always has to make it work living.\" — Harry Emerson Fosdick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/harry-emerson-fosdick-3672_life_one-never-finds-life-worth-living-one-al_1738977.png" --- # One never finds life worth living. One always has to make… ![“One never finds life worth living. One always has to make it work living.” quote by Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/harry-emerson-fosdick-3672_life_one-never-finds-life-worth-living-one-al_1738977.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/harry-emerson-fosdick-3672_life_one-never-finds-life-worth-living-one-al_1738977.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/harry-emerson-fosdick-3672_life_one-never-finds-life-worth-living-one-al_1738977.png) > “One never finds life worth living. One always has to make it work living.” [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life lacks inherent meaning; individuals must create purpose through effort and attitude. **In simple terms:** Life isn’t given meaning; we must make it meaningful. Key Takeaway Actively shape your life’s purpose. Themes purpose existence effort Mood motivational thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career - relationships - health - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism agency Questions to Reflect On - What actions give your life meaning? - How do you sustain purpose? A Different Perspective Creating meaning can be exhausting and uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finds Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finds-life-1502258/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-worth/) [Life worth living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-worth-living/) [Work Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-living-571296/) [Worth living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-living/) ## Related quotes > [No one finds life worth living; he must make it worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin/no-one-finds-life-worth-living-he-must-make-it-worth-living/) [Alvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin/) > [...because a life without meaning, without drive or focus, without dreams or goals, isn't a life worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/because-a-life-without-meaning-without-drive-or-focus-without-dreams/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." 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I'm just a girl from New York City who decided to do this, after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/everyone-can-access-the-parts-of-themselves-that-are-great-i-m-just-a/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [“If Bobby can get a place to live, I think, then I can get a life worth living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/if-bobby-can-get-a-place-to-live-i-think-then-i-can-get-a-life-worth/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-for-a-human-being/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Between the marketplace and government there exists all of that which makes life worth living-family life, spiritual life, the art and culture that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/between-the-marketplace-and-government-there-exists-all-of-that-which/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“I don’t want safety or guarantees— I want a life worth living. 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Better surely, to yield to the stain of suicide blood in me and seek forgetfulness in the embrace of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/what-makes-life-worth-living-better-surely-to-yield-to-the-stain-of/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [A life worth living might be measured in many ways, but the one way that stands above all others is living a life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-life-worth-living-might-be-measured-in-many-ways-but-the-one-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Make your life worth living for, by living for the One who values it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anya-vonderluft/make-your-life-worth-living-for-by-living-for-the-one-who-values-it/) [Anya vonderLuft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anya-vonderluft/) > [Is life worth living? This is a question for an embryo not for a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/is-life-worth-living-this-is-a-question-for-an-embryo-not-for-a-man/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## More by Harry Emerson Fosdick > [Nothing in human life, least of all in religion, is ever right until it is beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/nothing-in-human-life-least-of-all-in-religion-is-ever-right-until-it/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [Life asks not merely what you can do; it asks how much can you endure and not be spoiled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/life-asks-not-merely-what-you-can-do-it-asks-how-much-can-you-endure/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [It is cynicism and fear that freeze life; it is faith that thaws it out, releases it, sets it free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/it-is-cynicism-and-fear-that-freeze-life-it-is-faith-that-thaws-it/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [“Whatever the situation and however disheartening it may be, it is a great hour when a man ceases adopting difficulties as an excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/whatever-the-situation-and-however-disheartening-it-may-be-it-is-a/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [The all but unanimous judgment seems to be that we, the democracies, are just as responsible for the rise of the dictators as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/the-all-but-unanimous-judgment-seems-to-be-that-we-the-democracies/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [Atheism is a theoretical formulation of the discouraged life...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/atheism-is-a-theoretical-formulation-of-the-discouraged-life/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [The most extraordinary thing about the oyster is this. Irritations set into his shell. He does not like them. But when he cannot get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/the-most-extraordinary-thing-about-the-oyster-is-this-irritations-set/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [The tragedy of war is that it uses man's best to do man's worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/the-tragedy-of-war-is-that-it-uses-man-s-best-to-do-man-s-worst/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [No one can be wrong with man and right with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/no-one-can-be-wrong-with-man-and-right-with-god/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [No man need stay the way he is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/no-man-need-stay-the-way-he-is/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [Preaching is personal counseling on a group basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/preaching-is-personal-counseling-on-a-group-basis/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [Every year the inventions of science weave more inextricably the web that binds man to man, group to group, nation to nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/every-year-the-inventions-of-science-weave-more-inextricably-the-web/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [He who cannot rest, cannot work; he who cannot let go, cannot hold on; he who cannot find footing, cannot go forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/he-who-cannot-rest-cannot-work-he-who-cannot-let-go-cannot-hold-on-he/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [It is not marriage that fails; it is people that fail. All that marriage does is to show people up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/it-is-not-marriage-that-fails-it-is-people-that-fail-all-that/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [Hold a picture of yourself long and steadily enough in your mind's eye and you will be drawn toward it. Picture yourself vividly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/hold-a-picture-of-yourself-long-and-steadily-enough-in-your-mind-s/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) [Explore all 123 Harry Emerson Fosdick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One never finds life worth living. 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