---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Too often, a man lives as if he will…"
description: "\"“Too often, a man lives as if he will never die.”\" — Lailah Gifty Akita"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/lailah-gifty-akita-11_death_too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-neve_2059959.jpg"
---

#  Too often, a man lives as if he will never die.

![“Too often, a man lives as if he will never die.” quote by Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/lailah-gifty-akita-11_death_too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-neve_2059959.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/lailah-gifty-akita-11_death_too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-neve_2059959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/lailah-gifty-akita-11_death_too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-neve_2059959.jpg)

> ““Too often, a man lives as if he will never die.””

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Life feels fleeting, urging us to act as if mortality is certain.

**In simple terms:** Live as if you will die soon.

Key Takeaway

Act with urgency.

Themes

mortality urgency purpose

Mood

reflective serious

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career decisions
- relationships
- creative projects
- health choices

Key Concepts

existential awareness impermanence

Questions to Reflect On

- How would your priorities shift if you felt time was limited?
- What actions would you take today?

A Different Perspective

Assuming death is distant can lead to complacency.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Reflections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflections/) [Self help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-help/) [Wise words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-words/)

## Related quotes

> [“All times are sacred; good times or bad times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/all-times-are-sacred-good-times-or-bad-times/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“How could we have achieved the set-goal, without endurance to the end?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/how-could-we-have-achieved-the-set-goal-without-endurance-to-the-end/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“What matters is what we make of our existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/what-matters-is-what-we-make-of-our-existence/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Love makes a happy life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/love-makes-a-happy-life/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Man erred in his ways in his neglect of the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/man-erred-in-his-ways-in-his-neglect-of-the-truth/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Thy faith shall be thy solid foundation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/thy-faith-shall-be-thy-solid-foundation/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Every man lives. Not every man truly dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/necro/every-man-lives-not-every-man-truly-dies/)

[Necro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/necro/)

> [Some men storm imaginary Alps all their lives, and die in the foothills cursing difficulties which do not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/some-men-storm-imaginary-alps-all-their-lives-and-die-in-the/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [Men will risk their lives, even die for ribbons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/men-will-risk-their-lives-even-die-for-ribbons/)

[Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/)

> [We are both going to pray that we may live together all our lives and die the same day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-both-going-to-pray-that-we-may-live-together-all-our-lives-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“We’re all dying from the moment we’re born. That’s all we do our entire lives, is die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/we-re-all-dying-from-the-moment-we-re-born-that-s-all-we-do-our/)

[Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/)

> [Whatever lives, lives to die in sorrow. We engage our hearts, and grasp after the things of this world, only to undergo the pang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/whatever-lives-lives-to-die-in-sorrow-we-engage-our-hearts-and-grasp/)

[Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/)

> [The man that runs away lives to die another day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aehousman/the-man-that-runs-away-lives-to-die-another-day/)

AEHousman

> [The things in our lives that die and can't be laid to rest hurt the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-webb/the-things-in-our-lives-that-die-and-can-t-be-laid-to-rest-hurt-the/)

[Haley Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-webb/)

> [Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-know-st-tis-common-all-that-lives-must-die-passing-through/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

## More by Lailah Gifty Akita

> [“What can we do in any hardship? We can hope with prayerful praise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/what-can-we-do-in-any-hardship-we-can-hope-with-prayerful-praise/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Serve in the grace of strength within thy soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/serve-in-the-grace-of-strength-within-thy-soul/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Is there any holy beings like human beings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/is-there-any-holy-beings-like-human-beings/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Great things can be accomplish with passionate enthusiasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/great-things-can-be-accomplish-with-passionate-enthusiasm/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Whoever sees the Saviour, the light of life, shall be satisfied in spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-sees-the-saviour-the-light-of-life-shall-be-satisfied-in/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Sanctification comes from the Holy Spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/sanctification-comes-from-the-holy-spirit/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“The final destination is death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-final-destination-is-death/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“You must enjoy and treasure every moment of your journey on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-must-enjoy-and-treasure-every-moment-of-your-journey-on-earth/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“God is the Wonderful Counselor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/god-is-the-wonderful-counselor/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

[Explore all 4,135 Lailah Gifty Akita quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

## More Death quotes

> [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [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 do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/)

[Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/)

> [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/)

[Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/)

> [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/)

[Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/)

> [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/)

J. Anthony Torino

> [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/)

[Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/)

> [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/)

Alan W. Powers

> [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/)

[Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/)

> [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

> [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/)

[Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/)

> [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/)

[Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/)

[Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Too often, a man lives as if he will never die.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lailah Gifty Akita"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-never-die/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Death"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-never-die/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/lailah-gifty-akita-11_death_too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-neve_2059959.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/lailah-gifty-akita-11_death_too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-neve_2059959.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/lailah-gifty-akita-11_death_too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-neve_2059959.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Too often, a man lives as if he will never die.” — Lailah Gifty Akita",
                "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": "Lailah Gifty Akita",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Too often, a man lives as...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-never-die/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/too-often-a-man-lives-as-if-he-will-never-die/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
