--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're going to while away the years…" description: "\"If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog, and I believe # running helps you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/haruki-murakami-21_alive_if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years_518289.jpg" --- # If you're going to while away the years, it's far better… ![“If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog, and I believe # running helps you to do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life,” quote by Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/haruki-murakami-21_alive_if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years_518289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/haruki-murakami-21_alive_if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years_518289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/haruki-murakami-21_alive_if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years_518289.jpg) > “If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog, and I believe # running helps you to do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life,” [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living with purpose and intensity is preferable to drifting aimlessly; running exemplifies disciplined effort within personal limits. **In simple terms:** Live purposefully, not aimlessly. Key Takeaway Pursue clear goals and full effort. Themes purpose discipline mindfulness health metaphor Mood determined reflective inspired Type philosophical motivational wellness When to use this quote - training - career planning - personal development - fitness routines - mental health Key Concepts Existentialism flow self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What goals give your life direction? - How can you balance effort with rest? A Different Perspective May overlook the need for rest and recovery, leading to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Fog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fog/) [Fully Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fully-alive/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor/) [Motivational running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-running/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Runners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/runners/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [“People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they’ll go to any length to live longer. But I don’t think that’s the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/people-sometimes-sneer-at-those-who-run-every-day-claiming-they-ll-go-2/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you’re going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/most-runners-run-not-because-they-want-to-live-longer-but-because-2/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/exerting-yourself-to-the-fullest-within-your-individual-limits-that-s/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that’s the essence of running, and a metaphor for life—-and for me, for writing as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/exerting-yourself-to-the-fullest-within-your-individual-limits-that-s-2/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I don't believe I should be out running for another office instead of running my office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-bondi/i-don-t-believe-i-should-be-out-running-for-another-office-instead-of/) [Pam Bondi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-bondi/) > [I believe in running through the rain and crashing into the person you love and having your lips bleed on each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-believe-in-running-through-the-rain-and-crashing-into-the-person/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I believe in a running back by committee. Always have. Always been taught that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dorsey/i-believe-in-a-running-back-by-committee-always-have-always-been/) [John Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dorsey/) > [People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they'll go to any length to live longer. But don't think that's the reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/people-sometimes-sneer-at-those-who-run-every-day-claiming-they-ll-go/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I go for a 20-minute jog every day. I find I am much happier when I exercise. Running helps me debrief and work out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samara-weaving/i-go-for-a-20-minute-jog-every-day-i-find-i-am-much-happier-when-i/) [Samara Weaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samara-weaving/) > [Besides being good for our body, running helps us to focus and throw away negative energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-taslim/besides-being-good-for-our-body-running-helps-us-to-focus-and-throw/) [Joe Taslim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-taslim/) > [“The running helps. It gives me something, or maybe more accurately, it takes something away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katja-millay/the-running-helps-it-gives-me-something-or-maybe-more-accurately-it/) [Katja Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katja-millay/) > [Running helps me stay on an even keel and in an optimistic frame of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/running-helps-me-stay-on-an-even-keel-and-in-an-optimistic-frame-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think when you run by someone and there's a thumbs up or encouragement, that's something that I really love. It's a brotherhood, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/i-think-when-you-run-by-someone-and-there-s-a-thumbs-up-or/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [The five S's of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-doherty/the-five-s-s-of-sports-training-are-stamina-speed-strength-skill-and/) [Ken Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-doherty/) > [Stadiums are for spectators. We runners have Nature, and that is much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juha-vaatainen/stadiums-are-for-spectators-we-runners-have-nature-and-that-is-much/) Juha Vaatainen ## More by Haruki Murakami > [I always feel like I'm struggling to become someone else. Like I'm trying to find a new place, grab hold of a new life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-always-feel-like-i-m-struggling-to-become-someone-else-like-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more like planting a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-writing-novels-is-like-planting-a-forest-then-writing-short/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“The sad truth is that what I could recall in five seconds all too soon needed ten, then thirty, thena full minute...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-sad-truth-is-that-what-i-could-recall-in-five-seconds-all-too/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Intelligent teenage girls were often instinctively theatrical, purposely eccentric, mouthing highly suggestive words to confuse people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/intelligent-teenage-girls-were-often-instinctively-theatrical/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Memory is like fiction; or else it's fiction that's like memory. This really came home to me once I started writing fiction, that memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/memory-is-like-fiction-or-else-it-s-fiction-that-s-like-memory-this/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [If you listen to the radio for a whole hour there's maybe one decent song. The rest is mass-produced garbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-listen-to-the-radio-for-a-whole-hour-there-s-maybe-one-decent/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“that one of our problems was our inability to recognize and accept our own deformities”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/that-one-of-our-problems-was-our-inability-to-recognize-and-accept/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“When I look back at myself at age twenty, what I remember most is being alone and lonely. I had no girlfriend to warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-look-back-at-myself-at-age-twenty-what-i-remember-most-is/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“One by one, I'll face the tasks before me and complete them as best I can. Focusing on each stride forward, but at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/one-by-one-i-ll-face-the-tasks-before-me-and-complete-them-as-best-i/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Eleven o'clock had come and gone. I had to find a way to bring this conversation to a successful conclusion and get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/eleven-o-clock-had-come-and-gone-i-had-to-find-a-way-to-bring-this/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Some people get a kick out of reading railway timetables and that's all they do all day. Some people make huge model boats out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/some-people-get-a-kick-out-of-reading-railway-timetables-and-that-s/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“When the time comes, everybody’s got to end up where they belong. Only me, I didn’t have a place to call my own. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-the-time-comes-everybody-s-got-to-end-up-where-they-belong-only/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“You let something out of the bag before yourself knew what it was all about”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/you-let-something-out-of-the-bag-before-yourself-knew-what-it-was-all/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) [Explore all 2,928 Haruki Murakami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog, and I believe # running helps you to do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life,", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Haruki Murakami" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years-it-s-far-better-to-live-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years-it-s-far-better-to-live-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/haruki-murakami-21_alive_if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years_518289.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/haruki-murakami-21_alive_if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years_518289.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/haruki-murakami-21_alive_if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years_518289.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then…” — Haruki Murakami", "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": "Haruki Murakami", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you're going to while away...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years-it-s-far-better-to-live-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-re-going-to-while-away-the-years-it-s-far-better-to-live-them/#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 } } ] } ```