--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not afraid of dying I'm afraid of not…" description: "\"I'm not afraid of dying I'm afraid of not trying\" — Jay-Z" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/851/jay-z-713_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-no_172259.png" --- # I'm not afraid of dying I'm afraid of not trying ![“I'm not afraid of dying I'm afraid of not trying” quote by Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/851/jay-z-713_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-no_172259.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/851/jay-z-713_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-no_172259.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/851/jay-z-713_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-no_172259.png) > “I'm not afraid of dying I'm afraid of not trying” [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker fears a life without effort more than death, emphasizing the importance of taking risks and pursuing goals. **In simple terms:** Fear of not trying outweighs fear of death. Key Takeaway Take bold actions despite fear of failure. Themes courage ambition risk legacy motivation Mood determined inspirational reflective Type motivational philosophical personal When to use this quote - Career pursuits - creative projects - personal challenges Key Concepts Existential fear personal growth achievement determination Questions to Reflect On - What would you attempt if fear vanished? - How does fear of inlessness drive you? A Different Perspective Success may still feel empty without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“They were afraid of dying, but they were even more afraid to show it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/they-were-afraid-of-dying-but-they-were-even-more-afraid-to-show-it/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Im not afraid of dying, Im afraid of not trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z-2/im-not-afraid-of-dying-im-afraid-of-not-trying/) [Jay Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z-2/) > [“It’s true, I am afraid of dying. I am afraid of the world moving forward without me, of my absence going unnoticed, or worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/it-s-true-i-am-afraid-of-dying-i-am-afraid-of-the-world-moving/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“The Society wants us to be afraid of dying. But I'm not. I'm only afraid of dying wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/the-society-wants-us-to-be-afraid-of-dying-but-i-m-not-i-m-only/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [I'm not afraid of dying, I'm afraid of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-living/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [I want to live forever, and I know I won't. I'm not afraid of dying. I'm only afraid of one thing: not being able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-want-to-live-forever-and-i-know-i-won-t-i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [“I discovered that people are not really afraid of dying; they're afraid of not ever having lived, nor ever having deeply considered their life's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-jaworski/i-discovered-that-people-are-not-really-afraid-of-dying-they-re/) [Joseph Jaworski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-jaworski/) > [“Doc, I'm not afraid of dying; I'm only afraid of living, and I want to put this bayonet through my stomach,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/doc-i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-only-afraid-of-living-and-i-want-to/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“I'm not afraid of dying. I'm afraid I'll never get a chance to live!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-bell/i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-i-ll-never-get-a-chance-to-live/) [A.A. Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-bell/) > [I am not afraid of dying. I am only afraid of looking back on life and feeling like I haven't lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-not-afraid-of-dying-i-am-only-afraid-of-looking-back-on-life-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you are afraid of dying then you are afraid of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroaki-aoki/if-you-are-afraid-of-dying-then-you-are-afraid-of-living/) Hiroaki Aoki > [I not afraid of dying, I'm afraid of suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-kirlew/i-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-suffering/) Raheem Kirlew > [“Why should we be scared of death? Anyone will die anyway. We should not be afraid of dying. We should be afraid of not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-nas/why-should-we-be-scared-of-death-anyone-will-die-anyway-we-should-not/) [Felipe Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-nas/) > [“I’m not afraid of dying, because I’m more afraid of living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skye-warren/i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-because-i-m-more-afraid-of-living/) [Skye Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skye-warren/) > [“None of us are afraid of dying. We are afraid of living in this kind of oppression.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-denton/none-of-us-are-afraid-of-dying-we-are-afraid-of-living-in-this-kind/) Ann Denton ## More by Jay-Z > [At 42 be better than 24, I carried the 4-5, mastered 48 laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/at-42-be-better-than-24-i-carried-the-4-5-mastered-48-laws/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Wherever I go, I bring the culture with me, so that they can understand that it's attainable. I didn't do it any other way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/wherever-i-go-i-bring-the-culture-with-me-so-that-they-can-understand/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Everyone who makes music is a good collaborator at their foundation because in order to make music, you have to connect to it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/everyone-who-makes-music-is-a-good-collaborator-at-their-foundation/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [New York - I'm connected. This is my core. I feel like if I'm not connected to New York, then I don't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/new-york-i-m-connected-this-is-my-core-i-feel-like-if-i-m-not/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [“THEY NEVER TAUGHT MARCUS GARVEY IN OUR SCHOOL CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS IS THEIR GOLDEN RULE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/they-never-taught-marcus-garvey-in-our-school-christopher-columbus-is/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I'm a person that works off of music. I let the music dictate the direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-a-person-that-works-off-of-music-i-let-the-music-dictate-the/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Tears on the mauseoleum floor. Blood stains the coliseum doors. Lies on the lips of a priest. Thanksgiving disguised as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/tears-on-the-mauseoleum-floor-blood-stains-the-coliseum-doors-lies-on/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Around 20. I'd been trying to transition from the streets to the music business, but I would make demos and then quit for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/around-20-i-d-been-trying-to-transition-from-the-streets-to-the-music/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [There's the gift, there's the spirit, and there's the work-all three have to come together. If one of those things is off, it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/there-s-the-gift-there-s-the-spirit-and-there-s-the-work-all-three/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [All black everything, Ni\*\*a you know my fresh code. Im out here fightin for you, dont increase my stress load.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/all-black-everything-ni-a-you-know-my-fresh-code-im-out-here-fightin/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I couldn't even think about wanting to be something else; I wouldn't let myself visualize another life. But I wrote because I couldn't stop.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-couldn-t-even-think-about-wanting-to-be-something-else-i-wouldn-t/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Lord forgive me I never would've made it without sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/lord-forgive-me-i-never-would-ve-made-it-without-sin/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [In trouble waters I had to learn how to float](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/in-trouble-waters-i-had-to-learn-how-to-float/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Their gunnin' for me, want to see me fall, you know my story, been through it all, times I felt like dyin', but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/their-gunnin-for-me-want-to-see-me-fall-you-know-my-story-been/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) [Explore all 397 Jay-Z quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not afraid of dying I'm afraid of not trying", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jay-Z" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-not-trying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-not-trying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/851/jay-z-713_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-no_172259.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/851/jay-z-713_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-no_172259.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/851/jay-z-713_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-no_172259.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not afraid of dying I'm afraid of not trying” — Jay-Z", "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": "Jay-Z", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not afraid of dying I'm...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-not-trying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-not-afraid-of-dying-i-m-afraid-of-not-trying/#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 } } ] } ```