--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't live to work. I work to live…" description: "\"“I don't live to work. I work to live. Before I die, I know I lived.”\" — Jill Telford" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58f/jill-telford-18944_alive_i-don-t-live-to-work-i-work-to-live-befo_1383690.jpg" --- # I don't live to work. I work to live. Before I die, I know… ![“I don't live to work. I work to live. Before I die, I know I lived.” quote by Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58f/jill-telford-18944_alive_i-don-t-live-to-work-i-work-to-live-befo_1383690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58f/jill-telford-18944_alive_i-don-t-live-to-work-i-work-to-live-befo_1383690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58f/jill-telford-18944_alive_i-don-t-live-to-work-i-work-to-live-befo_1383690.jpg) > ““I don't live to work. I work to live. Before I die, I know I lived.”” [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life should be about enjoying existence, not being consumed by work; fulfillment comes from living fully before death. **In simple terms:** Work to live, not live to work; live fully before dying. Key Takeaway Prioritize life experiences over work. Themes life work purpose Mood reflective motivational Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - retirement - personal goals Key Concepts work-life balance existential fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What does a fulfilling life look like for you? - How can you balance work and living? A Different Perspective Risk of neglecting responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [If I fall if I die know I lived it till the fullest if I fall if I die know I lived and missed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/if-i-fall-if-i-die-know-i-lived-it-till-the-fullest-if-i-fall-if-i/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [When they die, no one will ever know that they lived on this earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheldon/when-they-die-no-one-will-ever-know-that-they-lived-on-this-earth/) [Sidney Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheldon/) > [When they die no one will ever know that once they lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheldon/when-they-die-no-one-will-ever-know-that-once-they-lived/) [Sidney Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheldon/) > [If I fall if I die know I lived it to the fullest, if I fall if I die know I lived and missed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/if-i-fall-if-i-die-know-i-lived-it-to-the-fullest-if-i-fall-if-i-die/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [If I fall if I die know I lived to the fullest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel/if-i-fall-if-i-die-know-i-lived-to-the-fullest/) [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel/) > [How can we live and die and never know the difference?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyfford-still/how-can-we-live-and-die-and-never-know-the-difference/) Clyfford Still > [Work as though you would live forever, and live as though you would die today. Go another mile!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/work-as-though-you-would-live-forever-and-live-as-though-you-would/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [“but what I did know was that I lived in a world that at any moment could erupt into fire. It was the sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-what-i-did-know-was-that-i-lived-in-a-world-that-at-any-moment/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let us not judge others, because we simply don't know that had we lived their life, we might be exactly the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/let-us-not-judge-others-because-we-simply-don-t-know-that-had-we/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [“If we are to live,’ Rake went on, ‘we must take risks. Else our lives become deaths in all but name. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/if-we-are-to-live-rake-went-on-we-must-take-risks-else-our-lives/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Five minutes after you die you'll know how you should have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/five-minutes-after-you-die-you-ll-know-how-you-should-have-lived/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [I know that I have lived because I have felt, and, feeling giving me the knowledge of my existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/i-know-that-i-have-lived-because-i-have-felt-and-feeling-giving-me/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming, for even should we fail - should we fall - we will know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/there-is-no-struggle-too-vast-no-odds-too-overwhelming-for-even/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [“Regardless of the outcome, I needed to know that I lived my life the way I felt was right and just. I needed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-northup/regardless-of-the-outcome-i-needed-to-know-that-i-lived-my-life-the/) [J M Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-northup/) > [“I don’t need a thousand people to know I existed. I just want someone to know I lived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-barbetti/i-don-t-need-a-thousand-people-to-know-i-existed-i-just-want-someone/) [Whitney Barbetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-barbetti/) ## More by Jill Telford > [“Don't live the life you planned. Live the life you never imagined.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/don-t-live-the-life-you-planned-live-the-life-you-never-imagined/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Be simple. Be direct. Be clear. Don't worry about being correct. Worry about being real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/be-simple-be-direct-be-clear-don-t-worry-about-being-correct-worry/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Running my fastest not from my past. Running from those who have hurt me in it. And, they can't catch me anymore. I escaped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/running-my-fastest-not-from-my-past-running-from-those-who-have-hurt/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“There is no way to clearly capture or sum up life...when fully lived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/there-is-no-way-to-clearly-capture-or-sum-up-life-when-fully-lived/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Some say they stand on the shoulders of giants. True. But have they ever tried walking like one?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/some-say-they-stand-on-the-shoulders-of-giants-true-but-have-they/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Don't just read to read. Read to understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/don-t-just-read-to-read-read-to-understand/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“The only thing we should scream into the world is love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/the-only-thing-we-should-scream-into-the-world-is-love/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Most often it is in heartache that we love more boldly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/most-often-it-is-in-heartache-that-we-love-more-boldly/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“People say they walk on the shoulders of giants. True, but have you ever walked like one?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/people-say-they-walk-on-the-shoulders-of-giants-true-but-have-you/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Education is not filling up a box but seeing what you can create with one and don't you ever forget that!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/education-is-not-filling-up-a-box-but-seeing-what-you-can-create-with/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“I just need to find a new road to take. Not the road everyone else is taking. I need to take one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/i-just-need-to-find-a-new-road-to-take-not-the-road-everyone-else-is/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Live well. There is no such thing as death. Eternity is found beyond seconds and minutes. A life well lived is never fully finished.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/live-well-there-is-no-such-thing-as-death-eternity-is-found-beyond/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Just do what makes sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/just-do-what-makes-sense/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Don't ask me what it means; ask me what it felt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/don-t-ask-me-what-it-means-ask-me-what-it-felt/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Change? Start by keeping a small promise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/change-start-by-keeping-a-small-promise/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) [Explore all 33 Jill Telford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) ## 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": "“I don't live to work. I work to live. 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