--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Things begin, things decay, and you've…" description: "\"Things begin, things decay, and you've got to find a way to be okay.\" — Jon Brion" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/jon-brion-28876_chaos_things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got_1722188.jpg" --- # Things begin, things decay, and you've got to find a way… ![“Things begin, things decay, and you've got to find a way to be okay.” quote by Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/jon-brion-28876_chaos_things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got_1722188.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/jon-brion-28876_chaos_things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got_1722188.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/jon-brion-28876_chaos_things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got_1722188.jpg) > “Things begin, things decay, and you've got to find a way to be okay.” [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life involves cycles of creation and decline; we must learn resilience to stay emotionally balanced. **In simple terms:** Life has starts and ends; stay okay. Key Takeaway Cultivate adaptability. Themes life resilience change balance Mood hopeful realistic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career setbacks - personal loss - health challenges Key Concepts psychology philosophy well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What helps you stay okay during decay? - How can you embrace beginnings? A Different Perspective May ignore systemic factors influencing wellbeing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin/) [Begin Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin-things-420510/) [Chaos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaos/) [Decay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decay/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [Things Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-begin-385732/) [Things Decay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-decay-1002771/) [Unexpected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpected/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Some things end and some things begin; and some things never change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-things-end-and-some-things-begin-and-some-things-never-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Things begin, things end. Just when we seem to arrive at a quiet place, we are swept up, suddenly, between the body's smoothe, functioning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-shields/things-begin-things-end-just-when-we-seem-to-arrive-at-a-quiet-place/) [Carol Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-shields/) > [Switzerland is a country where very few things begin, but many things end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/switzerland-is-a-country-where-very-few-things-begin-but-many-things/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [All composite things decay. Strive diligently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/all-composite-things-decay-strive-diligently/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [I sorrow that all fair things must decay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fitz-greene-halleck/i-sorrow-that-all-fair-things-must-decay/) [Fitz-Greene Halleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fitz-greene-halleck/) > [Harmony makes small things grow; lack of it makes great things decay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallust/harmony-makes-small-things-grow-lack-of-it-makes-great-things-decay/) [Sallust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallust/) > [“Those who begin things, but never complete them, accomplish nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/those-who-begin-things-but-never-complete-them-accomplish-nothing/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [You aspire to great things? Begin with the little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/you-aspire-to-great-things-begin-with-the-little-ones/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [A mother is always the beggining. She is how things begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/a-mother-is-always-the-beggining-she-is-how-things-begin/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“And then you realize that when you finally meet, when you finally find each other, it doesn’t matter. All the rest of it doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/and-then-you-realize-that-when-you-finally-meet-when-you-finally-find/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [“A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/a-mother-is-always-the-beginning-she-is-how-things-begin/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“In books I mee the dead as if they were alive, in books I see what is yet to come... All things decay and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-books-i-mee-the-dead-as-if-they-were-alive-in-books-i-see-what-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is nothing that doesn't decay. Some things decay more slowly than others, that's all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/there-is-nothing-that-doesn-t-decay-some-things-decay-more-slowly/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Harmony makes small things grow. Lack of it makes big things decay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallust/harmony-makes-small-things-grow-lack-of-it-makes-big-things-decay/) [Sallust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallust/) > [The time to begin most things is ten years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-time-to-begin-most-things-is-ten-years-ago/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) ## More by Jon Brion > [If we're given a number of circumstances to deal with, the brain goes into this mode of trying to find a solution, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/if-we-re-given-a-number-of-circumstances-to-deal-with-the-brain-goes/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [I'd like to think that most of what I do is self-evident if you're listening to it or seeing it. But I don't mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/i-d-like-to-think-that-most-of-what-i-do-is-self-evident-if-you-re/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [The people I choose to work with, I work with because I'm already impressed with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/the-people-i-choose-to-work-with-i-work-with-because-i-m-already/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [As far as I'm concerned, any work you get is because people have heard other work you've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-any-work-you-get-is-because-people-have-heard/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [Music looks very formidable to people outside of it and it looks like it's this realm of spooky genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/music-looks-very-formidable-to-people-outside-of-it-and-it-looks-like/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [If you're recording the song on your four-track in your kitchen, when you finished writing the song, you're recording, and it's cool, and honor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/if-you-re-recording-the-song-on-your-four-track-in-your-kitchen-when/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [The only thing you really have to practice is your ability. And this is something I do all the time. I try to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/the-only-thing-you-really-have-to-practice-is-your-ability-and-this/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [Some people are more fluid than others at just being themselves and recognizing what's good about themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/some-people-are-more-fluid-than-others-at-just-being-themselves-and/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [People's association with improvisation means one person playing an endless stream of notes over something, and it doesn't have to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/people-s-association-with-improvisation-means-one-person-playing-an/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [I've made a point of not being, say what I refer to as a 'careerist' about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/i-ve-made-a-point-of-not-being-say-what-i-refer-to-as-a-careerist/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [There are a lot of producers who basically have their sound, and if the artist works with them, you almost know what the record's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/there-are-a-lot-of-producers-who-basically-have-their-sound-and-if/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [ \[Brion calls his working relationship with West a natural fit.\] His knowledge and understanding of records across the board is great, ... That's the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/brion-calls-his-working-relationship-with-west-a-natural-fit-his/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [When I was younger, I looked at getting older as this process of getting less interested in things and becoming colder, and of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/when-i-was-younger-i-looked-at-getting-older-as-this-process-of/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [Brian Eno developed systems to keep himself on edge and to keep himself in a position where he's generating ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/brian-eno-developed-systems-to-keep-himself-on-edge-and-to-keep/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) > [It was so much fun conducting an orchestra and watching the musicians' faces as some of Kanye's lyrics went by. They couldn't believe what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/it-was-so-much-fun-conducting-an-orchestra-and-watching-the-musicians/) [Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) [Explore all 19 Jon Brion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/) ## More Begin quotes > [If you wanted to put the world to rights, who should you begin with: yourself or others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/if-you-wanted-to-put-the-world-to-rights-who-should-you-begin-with/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Let the motherfucking games begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/let-the-motherfucking-games-begin/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began, and let the Lord be all in all to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/begin-as-you-mean-to-go-on-and-go-on-as-you-began-and-let-the-lord-be/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [The world will only begin to have faith in you when you do too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-world-will-only-begin-to-have-faith-in-you-when-you-do-too/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The idea with a collection is sort of to begin with a kind of bang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/the-idea-with-a-collection-is-sort-of-to-begin-with-a-kind-of-bang/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [“Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you high. People who are gentle, humble and able always have a great ending no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/humble-yourself-before-the-lord-and-he-will-lift-you-high-people-who/) [israelmore ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-don-t-know-the-future-i-didn-t-come-here-to-tell-you-how-this-is/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [The public should begin to understand that there's nothing that comes out of this campaign, or this Obama White House, that they can believe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sununu/the-public-should-begin-to-understand-that-there-s-nothing-that-comes/) [John Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sununu/) > [“A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/a-mother-is-always-the-beginning-she-is-how-things-begin/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [I look forward to the day that a lot of the folks that you all talk about and cover on this network will begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-look-forward-to-the-day-that-a-lot-of-the-folks-that-you-all-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...I'd be interested in any tips you have for somebody starting out.” “Uh-huh,” I said, looking out the window. I decided, as we drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/i-d-be-interested-in-any-tips-you-have-for-somebody-starting-out-uh/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [I'm Irish and always will be, but America has taught me so much. Maybe it's here in the U.S. that we find a healing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fionnula-flanagan/i-m-irish-and-always-will-be-but-america-has-taught-me-so-much-maybe/) [Fionnula Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fionnula-flanagan/) > [Begin where you are. Read every word, every phrase, every paragraph of the mind, as it operates through thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/begin-where-you-are-read-every-word-every-phrase-every-paragraph-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) [Browse all 1,199 Begin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Things begin, things decay, and you've got to find a way to be okay.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jon Brion" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got-to-find-a-way-to-be-okay/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Begin" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got-to-find-a-way-to-be-okay/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/jon-brion-28876_chaos_things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got_1722188.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/jon-brion-28876_chaos_things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got_1722188.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11b/jon-brion-28876_chaos_things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got_1722188.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Things begin, things decay, and you've got to find a way to be okay.” — Jon Brion", "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": "Jon Brion", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Things begin, things decay, and you've...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got-to-find-a-way-to-be-okay/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/things-begin-things-decay-and-you-ve-got-to-find-a-way-to-be-okay/#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 } } ] } ```