--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never heard anyone say This is it…" description: "\"I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now is the high point of my life. It will never get any better. Only in retrospect do we recogni..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jonathan-carroll-4590_best-time_i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it_59909.png" --- # I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now… ![“I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now is the high point of my life. It will never get any better. Only in retrospect do we recognize the best times and of course then it is too late.” quote by Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jonathan-carroll-4590_best-time_i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it_59909.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jonathan-carroll-4590_best-time_i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it_59909.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jonathan-carroll-4590_best-time_i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it_59909.png) > “I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now is the high point of my life. It will never get any better. Only in retrospect do we recognize the best times and of course then it is too late.” [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We often mistake the present for the pinnacle of our lives, only realizing later that true fulfillment is a retrospective insight, not a momentary claim. **In simple terms:** Present feels like the peak, but hindsight reveals true highs. Key Takeaway Current moments aren't necessarily life's apex. Themes perception time nostalgia self-awareness growth Mood contemplative melancholic thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - career achievement - relationship milestone - personal crisis - major life transition Key Concepts subjectivity reflection expectation Practical Applications - coaching - personal development Questions to Reflect On - How does this belief affect long‑term planning? - What habits help you appreciate present moments without over‑valuing them? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-time/) [Best times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-times/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-better-265743/) [Retrospect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retrospect/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) ## Related quotes > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) > [If I were to make a list, I would include the interceptions, the sacks, the really painful losses. Those times when I've been down,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-favre/if-i-were-to-make-a-list-i-would-include-the-interceptions-the-sacks/) [Brett Favre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-favre/) > [His smile brought back the best times, sweet memories of nights together... stirring up those old feelings that got me thinkin' bout forever..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ann-womack/his-smile-brought-back-the-best-times-sweet-memories-of-nights/) [Lee Ann Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ann-womack/) > [I've had terrible, terrible, terrible shows where I just thought, "That was off-key" or I forgot lines or I thought I looked like an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babatunde-adebimpe/i-ve-had-terrible-terrible-terrible-shows-where-i-just-thought-that/) [Babatunde Adebimpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babatunde-adebimpe/) > [We who are born from above testify to the change that God has wrought in our hearts. Perhaps the best time for you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-reidhead/we-who-are-born-from-above-testify-to-the-change-that-god-has-wrought/) [Paris Reidhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-reidhead/) > [Find your best time of the day for writing and write. Don't let anything else interfere. Afterwards it won't matter to you that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-freud/find-your-best-time-of-the-day-for-writing-and-write-don-t-let/) [Esther Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-freud/) > [All the kids in the cast tell me they hated high school, but I had the best time. I guess I was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-morrison/all-the-kids-in-the-cast-tell-me-they-hated-high-school-but-i-had-the/) [Matthew Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-morrison/) > [If you are posing as religious and are not living the life as stressed by God, you should wake up. It is wrong to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/if-you-are-posing-as-religious-and-are-not-living-the-life-as/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [With stage, you feel completely like you're just in a bubble. I love not being able to see anything. I love coming out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/with-stage-you-feel-completely-like-you-re-just-in-a-bubble-i-love/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [For us, the best time is always yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatyana-tolstaya/for-us-the-best-time-is-always-yesterday/) [Tatyana Tolstaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatyana-tolstaya/) > [I decided to start anew-to strip away what I had been taught, to accept as true my own thinking. This was one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-decided-to-start-anew-to-strip-away-what-i-had-been-taught-to/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I always think I should get on it if I want to have kids. Because once you hit thirty it can be difficult to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah/i-always-think-i-should-get-on-it-if-i-want-to-have-kids-because-once/) [Sarah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah/) > [Don't stop moving - the best time of your life is just around the corner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/don-t-stop-moving-the-best-time-of-your-life-is-just-around-the-corner/) [Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/) > [The best time to write is when your life is in the toilet. Writing offers an escape from your problems, so if you force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/the-best-time-to-write-is-when-your-life-is-in-the-toilet-writing/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [Most established novelists are writing books informed by experiences gained in their youth. Middle age is not the best time to be changing smartphones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/most-established-novelists-are-writing-books-informed-by-experiences/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) ## More by Jonathan Carroll > [Eating is sex for old people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/eating-is-sex-for-old-people/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Ive never seen myself as a fantasy writer-ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/ive-never-seen-myself-as-a-fantasy-writer-ever/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [“One of the most terrible losses man endures in his lifetime is not even noticed by most people, much less mourned. Which is astonishing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/one-of-the-most-terrible-losses-man-endures-in-his-lifetime-is-not/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Everything you want in life has teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/everything-you-want-in-life-has-teeth/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Sometimes it is the smallest thing that saves us: the weather growing cold, a child's smile, and a cup of excellent coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/sometimes-it-is-the-smallest-thing-that-saves-us-the-weather-growing/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [“One of the reasons why I liked living in Manhattan was that the city would share your mood the moment you walked out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/one-of-the-reasons-why-i-liked-living-in-manhattan-was-that-the-city/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Old people are often impatient, but for what?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/old-people-are-often-impatient-but-for-what/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Kids own nothing. Everything is either promised, borrowed, longed for or exaggerated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/kids-own-nothing-everything-is-either-promised-borrowed-longed-for-or/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Real love is always chaotic. You lose control; you lose perspective. You lose the ability to protect yourself. The greater the love, the greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/real-love-is-always-chaotic-you-lose-control-you-lose-perspective-you/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Everyone coming out of a perfume store is smelling the back of their hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/everyone-coming-out-of-a-perfume-store-is-smelling-the-back-of-their/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Buying a pair of shoes is one of the most optimistic acts I know, next to falling in love. I like nothing better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/buying-a-pair-of-shoes-is-one-of-the-most-optimistic-acts-i-know-next/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Dogs are here to remind us life really is a simple thing. You eat, sleep, take walks, and pee when you must. That's about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/dogs-are-here-to-remind-us-life-really-is-a-simple-thing-you-eat/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [“ Cza­sem li­nia męskiego kar­ku może zmienić całe two­je życie. Sposób, w ja­ki sięga on do kie­sze­ni po drob­ne, po­wodu­je skur­cz ser­ca i chłód…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/cza-sem-li-nia-m-skiego-kar-ku-mo-e-zmieni-ca-e-two-je-ycie-spos-b-w/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Salzburg... is a mountain town with a rushing river running right through the center, everything in the rain various shades of green and brown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/salzburg-is-a-mountain-town-with-a-rushing-river-running-right/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [If you are a success in life, there are places you must go and pay to be humiliated. It is an unwritten law that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/if-you-are-a-success-in-life-there-are-places-you-must-go-and-pay-to/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) [Explore all 104 Jonathan Carroll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) ## More Best time quotes > [I say this about everything: when I was on 'Neighbours,' I said, 'These are the best years of my life!' When I was filming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/i-say-this-about-everything-when-i-was-on-neighbours-i-said-these-are/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) > [A Relationship Doesnt Shine By Just Shaking Hands In Best Times.. But, It Blossoms By Holding Hands Firmly In Critical Times..!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-relationship-doesnt-shine-by-just-shaking-hands-in-best-times-but/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“My favorite unit of time is the hour, because I collect them and store as many as 10 new and unused ones each night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/my-favorite-unit-of-time-is-the-hour-because-i-collect-them-and-store/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Being close to my friends. I like to spend time alone as well, but the best time is with friends around when you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chace-crawford/being-close-to-my-friends-i-like-to-spend-time-alone-as-well-but-the/) [Chace Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chace-crawford/) > [“Wintertime is the best time of the year to get really fat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/wintertime-is-the-best-time-of-the-year-to-get-really-fat/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [The best time to write is when your life is in the toilet. Writing offers an escape from your problems, so if you force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/the-best-time-to-write-is-when-your-life-is-in-the-toilet-writing/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [Some other people are very lucky and always get in to the very best teams at the very best times and therefore go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leslie/some-other-people-are-very-lucky-and-always-get-in-to-the-very-best/) [David Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leslie/) > [“My studio team and I approached the creation of this series with enthusiasm, wit, sincerity and sometimes more than a dash of humour. Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waswo-x-waswo-2/my-studio-team-and-i-approached-the-creation-of-this-series-with/) [Waswo X Waswo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waswo-x-waswo-2/) > [Don't stop moving - the best time of your life is just around the corner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/don-t-stop-moving-the-best-time-of-your-life-is-just-around-the-corner/) [Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/) > [The best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago. The second-best time to plant a tree is today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliud-kipchoge/the-best-time-to-plant-a-tree-was-25-years-ago-the-second-best-time/) [Eliud Kipchoge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliud-kipchoge/) > [From my point of view, this is the best time of the year. I don't love heat. I'm a winter guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/from-my-point-of-view-this-is-the-best-time-of-the-year-i-don-t-love/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [Even the best of us are at least part-time bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/even-the-best-of-us-are-at-least-part-time-bastards/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) > [Roger Federer certainly is my claim to be the best of all time - if there is such a thing. With Rafael Nadal not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-laver/roger-federer-certainly-is-my-claim-to-be-the-best-of-all-time-if/) [Rod Laver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-laver/) [Browse all 568 Best time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-time/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now is the high point of my life. It will never get any better. Only in retrospect do we recognize the best times and of course then it is too late.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Carroll" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it-i-know-right-now-is-the-high/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best time" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it-i-know-right-now-is-the-high/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jonathan-carroll-4590_best-time_i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it_59909.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jonathan-carroll-4590_best-time_i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it_59909.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/jonathan-carroll-4590_best-time_i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it_59909.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now is the high point of my life. It will never get…” — Jonathan Carroll", "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": "Jonathan Carroll", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have never heard anyone say...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it-i-know-right-now-is-the-high/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it-i-know-right-now-is-the-high/#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 } } ] } ```