--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I knew that my life needed a change, but…" description: "\"I knew that my life needed a change, but I must admit there's nothing like a good brush with death.\" — John Popper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-popper-4917_change_i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but_521281.jpg" --- # I knew that my life needed a change, but I must admit… ![“I knew that my life needed a change, but I must admit there's nothing like a good brush with death.” quote by John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-popper-4917_change_i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but_521281.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-popper-4917_change_i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but_521281.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-popper-4917_change_i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but_521281.jpg) > “I knew that my life needed a change, but I must admit there's nothing like a good brush with death.” [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing mortality can sharpen the desire for change, making life feel urgent and meaningful. **In simple terms:** Death makes you value change. Key Takeaway Embrace urgency, act on needed changes. Themes mortality urgency personal growth Mood reflective serious Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career shift - health decisions - relationship changes - creative projects Key Concepts existential reflection psychology Questions to Reflect On - What change would you make if you felt time was limited? - How does confronting mortality affect your priorities? A Different Perspective Fear of death can paralyze rather than motivate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Needed change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-change/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) ## Related quotes > [“I felt my life needed a shake-up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/i-felt-my-life-needed-a-shake-up/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [A comfortable and regulated life is needed for fastest pace of evolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/a-comfortable-and-regulated-life-is-needed-for-fastest-pace-of/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [Most of my life I have needed more time to be on my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/most-of-my-life-i-have-needed-more-time-to-be-on-my-own/) [P. 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Humans were figures in a world they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ordinary-language-was-a-form-of-life-that-needed-and-permitted/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Popper > [When you're at a concert and you hear someone improvise well, that's special; it puts you in the moment and takes you someplace. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/when-you-re-at-a-concert-and-you-hear-someone-improvise-well-that-s/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [You know, technology caught up with precisely what was wrong with the way that I used food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/you-know-technology-caught-up-with-precisely-what-was-wrong-with-the/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [The idea is that we're always going to have a good live show, and we love to pay our music and write well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/the-idea-is-that-we-re-always-going-to-have-a-good-live-show-and-we/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [If you're going to be creative, you ultimately have to be in different ways because if you're going to be in the same ways,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/if-you-re-going-to-be-creative-you-ultimately-have-to-be-in-different/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [You know, Blues Traveler is its own thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/you-know-blues-traveler-is-its-own-thing/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [Throughout history, musicians have never counted on intellectual property really getting them rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/throughout-history-musicians-have-never-counted-on-intellectual/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [For those of us who have had the good fortune of a career in music, we feel an obligation to speak out for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/for-those-of-us-who-have-had-the-good-fortune-of-a-career-in-music-we/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [Working with Secondhand Serenade, I just felt like a songwriter, you know, working with another songwriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/working-with-secondhand-serenade-i-just-felt-like-a-songwriter-you/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [You have a right to love firearms. And you also have a right to hate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/you-have-a-right-to-love-firearms-and-you-also-have-a-right-to-hate/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [There are plenty of very different sounding bands that could be H.O.R.D.E. bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/there-are-plenty-of-very-different-sounding-bands-that-could-be-h-o-r/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [We don't sound like a Mississippi Delta band, but we play what we mean, and that's the spirit of the blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/we-don-t-sound-like-a-mississippi-delta-band-but-we-play-what-we-mean/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [Yeah, some people said I tried to rip off Cat Stevens and Stevie Wonder. Oh, well. I've always admired those guys. But for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/yeah-some-people-said-i-tried-to-rip-off-cat-stevens-and-stevie/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [I fainted in airports twice on different occasions, because I didn't get my food right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/i-fainted-in-airports-twice-on-different-occasions-because-i-didn-t/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [There's a certain kind of confidence that comes with being older that you can't fake when you're young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/there-s-a-certain-kind-of-confidence-that-comes-with-being-older-that/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [I'm just funny enough as a comedian to know I'm not good enough to be a comedian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/i-m-just-funny-enough-as-a-comedian-to-know-i-m-not-good-enough-to-be/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) [Explore all 105 John Popper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [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/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I knew that my life needed a change, but I must admit there's nothing like a good brush with death.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Popper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but-i-must-admit-there-s-nothing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but-i-must-admit-there-s-nothing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-popper-4917_change_i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but_521281.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-popper-4917_change_i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but_521281.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/john-popper-4917_change_i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but_521281.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I knew that my life needed a change, but I must admit there's nothing like a good brush with death.” — John Popper", "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": "John Popper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I knew that my life needed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but-i-must-admit-there-s-nothing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/i-knew-that-my-life-needed-a-change-but-i-must-admit-there-s-nothing/#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 } } ] } ```