--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One only dies once, and if one does not…" description: "\"One only dies once, and if one does not die well, a good opportunity is lost and will not present itself again.\" — Jose Rizal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/jos-rizal-2452_dies_one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-d_2190844.png" --- # One only dies once, and if one does not die well, a good… ![“One only dies once, and if one does not die well, a good opportunity is lost and will not present itself again.” quote by Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/jos-rizal-2452_dies_one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-d_2190844.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/jos-rizal-2452_dies_one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-d_2190844.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/jos-rizal-2452_dies_one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-d_2190844.png) > “One only dies once, and if one does not die well, a good opportunity is lost and will not present itself again.” [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living fully means confronting mortality; a life not lived well wastes unique chances. **In simple terms:** Die well or miss opportunities. Key Takeaway Live boldly and purposefully. Themes mortality purpose opportunity legacy Mood thoughtful motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - personal projects - health decisions Key Concepts existentialism carpe diem risk Questions to Reflect On - What does a "good death" look like for you? - How can you seize chances now? A Different Perspective Fear of death can paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-opportunity/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) ## Related quotes > [At this point in history when all things which concern man and the structure and elements of history itself are suddenly revealed to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-mannheim/at-this-point-in-history-when-all-things-which-concern-man-and-the/) [Karl Mannheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-mannheim/) > [What if someone dies? Then does the pain last forever? HMM I Have a lot of questions then...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-if-someone-dies-then-does-the-pain-last-forever-hmm-i-have-a-lot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When a man dies, he does not just die of the disease he has: he dies of his whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-peguy/when-a-man-dies-he-does-not-just-die-of-the-disease-he-has-he-dies-of/) [Charles Peguy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-peguy/) > [Energy can't be destroyed, only converted into something different. So when a person dies, where does that energy go?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/energy-can-t-be-destroyed-only-converted-into-something-different-so/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [When the love of your life dies, the problem is not that some part of you dies too, which it does, but that some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kay/when-the-love-of-your-life-dies-the-problem-is-not-that-some-part-of/) [Jackie Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kay/) > [“Everyone dies, but does everyone really live?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-coetzer/everyone-dies-but-does-everyone-really-live/) [Johan Coetzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-coetzer/) > [He who dies before he dies does not die when he dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/he-who-dies-before-he-dies-does-not-die-when-he-dies/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [If the body dies, it does no harm to the mind, but if the mind dies, one can no longer act as a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-shoin/if-the-body-dies-it-does-no-harm-to-the-mind-but-if-the-mind-dies-one/) [Yoshida Shoin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-shoin/) > [“And when you give up your dreams, an important part of who you are dies with them, and so does that which makes you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-o-leary/and-when-you-give-up-your-dreams-an-important-part-of-who-you-are/) [Jeff O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-o-leary/) > [The mind of the writer does indeed do something before it dies, and so does its owner, but I would be hard put to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/the-mind-of-the-writer-does-indeed-do-something-before-it-dies-and-so/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“Your first impressions will often occur within a limited window of opportunity—and if you blow it— the opportunity may be lost forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/your-first-impressions-will-often-occur-within-a-limited-window-of/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [Through indecision opportunity is often lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/through-indecision-opportunity-is-often-lost/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Opportunity is never lost... it simply moves on to someone else if you don't seize it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-garst/opportunity-is-never-lost-it-simply-moves-on-to-someone-else-if-you/) [Kim Garst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-garst/) > [“I should not have minded that, if they would only have left me alone. But they wouldn't leave me alone. They seemed to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-should-not-have-minded-that-if-they-would-only-have-left-me-alone/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [While we are making up our minds as to when we shall begin. the opportunity is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/while-we-are-making-up-our-minds-as-to-when-we-shall-begin-the/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) ## More by Jose Rizal > [“What said those two souls communicating through the language of the eyes, more perfect than that of the lips, the language given to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/what-said-those-two-souls-communicating-through-the-language-of-the/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [“What was exchanged in the language of their eyes, more perfect than their lips, the language afforded the soul so that no sound disturbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/what-was-exchanged-in-the-language-of-their-eyes-more-perfect-than/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [The Filipino embraces civilization and lives and thrives in every clime, in contact with every people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/the-filipino-embraces-civilization-and-lives-and-thrives-in-every/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [He who does not know how to look back at where he came from will never get to his destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/he-who-does-not-know-how-to-look-back-at-where-he-came-from-will/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [He who does not love his own language is worse than an animal and smelly fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/he-who-does-not-love-his-own-language-is-worse-than-an-animal-and/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [“Walang mang-aalipin kung walang paaalipin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/walang-mang-aalipin-kung-walang-paaalipin/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [“He would have admired one of those fantastic visions, those magic apparitions one sometimes sees in the great theaters of Europe, in which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/he-would-have-admired-one-of-those-fantastic-visions-those-magic/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [“The glory of saving a country doesn't mean having to use the measures that contributed to its ruin!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/the-glory-of-saving-a-country-doesn-t-mean-having-to-use-the-measures/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [Your enemies hate you more than they hate your ideas. Should you want a project to be undone propose it. Even if it were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/your-enemies-hate-you-more-than-they-hate-your-ideas-should-you-want/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [“When a people holds onto its language, it holds onto a semblance of freedom, like a man who holds onto his independence when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/when-a-people-holds-onto-its-language-it-holds-onto-a-semblance-of/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [“Countrymen: I have given proofs, as well as the best of you, of desiring liberty for our country, and I continue to desire it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/countrymen-i-have-given-proofs-as-well-as-the-best-of-you-of-desiring/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [“In the Philippines you are not considered to be honorable unless you have been to jail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/in-the-philippines-you-are-not-considered-to-be-honorable-unless-you/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [There now exists a factor which was formerly lacking - the spirit of the nation has been aroused, and a common misfortune, a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/there-now-exists-a-factor-which-was-formerly-lacking-the-spirit-of/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [I can concede that the government has no knowledge of the people, but I believe the people know less of the government. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/i-can-concede-that-the-government-has-no-knowledge-of-the-people-but/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. It is like a stone wasted on the field without becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/it-is-a-useless-life-that-is-not-consecrated-to-a-great-ideal-it-is/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) [Explore all 144 Jose Rizal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) ## More Dies quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Don't even think for a moment that you are not going to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/don-t-even-think-for-a-moment-that-you-are-not-going-to-die/) [Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Violence is not necessary to destroy a civilization. Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/certainly-it-is-love-is-love-and-loss-is-loss-we-all-love-and-we-all/) [Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/) > [“When he stops giving you butterflies, Love dies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-blanchard/when-he-stops-giving-you-butterflies-love-dies/) Michelle Blanchard > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [I don't want to just die a normal death, I wanna be killed twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-don-t-want-to-just-die-a-normal-death-i-wanna-be-killed-twice/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [My father thrives on fear. You know that prayer If I should die before I wake? I had sheets that said that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/my-father-thrives-on-fear-you-know-that-prayer-if-i-should-die-before/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [This mind is a prison. It cannot find any freedom anywhere. It must die before freedom comes to you. But we have taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/this-mind-is-a-prison-it-cannot-find-any-freedom-anywhere-it-must-die/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [If you’re going to die on screen, you’ve got to be strong and in good health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-you-re-going-to-die-on-screen-you-ve-got-to-be-strong-and-in-good/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) Browse all 7,484 Dies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One only dies once, and if one does not die well, a good opportunity is lost and will not present itself again.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jose Rizal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-die-well-a-good-opportunity-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-die-well-a-good-opportunity-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/jos-rizal-2452_dies_one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-d_2190844.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/jos-rizal-2452_dies_one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-d_2190844.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/jos-rizal-2452_dies_one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-d_2190844.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One only dies once, and if one does not die well, a good opportunity is lost and will not present itself…” — Jose Rizal", "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": "Jose Rizal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One only dies once, and if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-die-well-a-good-opportunity-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/one-only-dies-once-and-if-one-does-not-die-well-a-good-opportunity-is/#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 } } ] } ```