--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To achieve great things we must live as…" description: "\"To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.\" — Luc de Clapiers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/luc-de-clapiers-2035_achieve_to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as_39765.png" --- # To achieve great things we must live as though we were… ![“To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.” quote by Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/luc-de-clapiers-2035_achieve_to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as_39765.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/luc-de-clapiers-2035_achieve_to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as_39765.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/luc-de-clapiers-2035_achieve_to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as_39765.png) > “To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.” [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embrace urgency and purpose, acting as if mortality were not a limiting factor, to accomplish remarkable goals. **In simple terms:** Live with urgency and purpose. Key Takeaway Act as if death isn’t imminent. Themes urgency purpose mortality achievement mindset Mood determined inspired hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career ambition - creative projects - personal growth - leadership challenges - entrepreneurial ventures Key Concepts impermanence motivation legacy Practical Applications - goal setting - productivity strategies Questions to Reflect On - What would you pursue if you felt limitless? - How does awareness of mortality shape your priorities? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) ## Related quotes > [Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/learn-as-if-you-were-going-to-live-forever-live-as-if-you-were-going/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What you don't want is always going to be with you What you want is never going to be with you Where you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/what-you-don-t-want-is-always-going-to-be-with-you-what-you-want-is/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [To achieve great things, we must first dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-chanel/to-achieve-great-things-we-must-first-dream/) [Coco Chanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-chanel/) > [I don't look for people who have achieved great things; I look for people who will achieve great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urijah-faber/i-don-t-look-for-people-who-have-achieved-great-things-i-look-for/) [Urijah Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urijah-faber/) > [Without mysticism man can achieve nothing great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/without-mysticism-man-can-achieve-nothing-great/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“You're going to make it; You're going to be at peace; You're going to create, and love, and laugh, and live; You're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/you-re-going-to-make-it-you-re-going-to-be-at-peace-you-re-going-to/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Live and learn, then learn to live, keep going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/live-and-learn-then-learn-to-live-keep-going/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Honestly, I'm not perfect & I don't pretend to be. But I only have one life to live & I'm going to take every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/honestly-i-m-not-perfect-i-don-t-pretend-to-be-but-i-only-have-one/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“You'd better start rocking that boat right now or else your live is going to pass you by before you even start living it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/you-d-better-start-rocking-that-boat-right-now-or-else-your-live-is/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [YOLO you only live once. We going so hard my nigga, I swear homie. Everyday's another opportunity to reach that goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/yolo-you-only-live-once-we-going-so-hard-my-nigga-i-swear-homie/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [So with imagination, ingenuity and audacity, explore, discover, change the world. And have fun while you're at it. Always take time out to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goldin/so-with-imagination-ingenuity-and-audacity-explore-discover-change/) [Daniel Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goldin/) > [Every second that you live you are never going to get back. You are never going to get to change what you said, didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-second-that-you-live-you-are-never-going-to-get-back-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All I do is work, so I eat to live and to keep going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/all-i-do-is-work-so-i-eat-to-live-and-to-keep-going/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The live thing is separate from the record for me. I have to figure out a way to make the songs work live. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eef-barzelay/the-live-thing-is-separate-from-the-record-for-me-i-have-to-figure/) [Eef Barzelay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eef-barzelay/) > [If you become famous and don't have a live show to back it up, they're not going to pay you any money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/if-you-become-famous-and-don-t-have-a-live-show-to-back-it-up-they-re/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) ## More by Luc de Clapiers > [Great men undertake great things because they are great; fools, because they think them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/great-men-undertake-great-things-because-they-are-great-fools-because/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [You must rouse into people's consciousness their own prudence and strength, if you want to raise their character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/you-must-rouse-into-people-s-consciousness-their-own-prudence-and/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Excessive distrust is not less hurtfJul than its opposite. Most men become useless to him who is unwilling to risk being deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/excessive-distrust-is-not-less-hurtfjul-than-its-opposite-most-men/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [There are those who are so scrupulously afraid of doing wrong that they seldom venture to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/there-are-those-who-are-so-scrupulously-afraid-of-doing-wrong-that/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-most-absurd-and-reckless-aspirations-have-sometimes-led-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [We are very wrong to think that some fault or other can exclude virtue, or to consider the alliance of good and evil as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/we-are-very-wrong-to-think-that-some-fault-or-other-can-exclude/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men are not to be judged by what they do not know, but by what they know, and by the manner in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-are-not-to-be-judged-by-what-they-do-not-know-but-by-what-they/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Men dissimulate their dearest, most constant, and most virtuous inclination from weakness and a fear of being condemned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/men-dissimulate-their-dearest-most-constant-and-most-virtuous/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [To withdraw ourselves from the law of the strong, we have found ourselves obliged to submit to justice. Justice or might, we must choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-withdraw-ourselves-from-the-law-of-the-strong-we-have-found/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [None are more liable to mistakes than those who act only on second thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/none-are-more-liable-to-mistakes-than-those-who-act-only-on-second/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [The mind is the soul's eye, not its source of power. That lies in the heart, in other words, in the passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-mind-is-the-soul-s-eye-not-its-source-of-power-that-lies-in-the/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is easier to say new things than to reconcile those which have already been said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-easier-to-say-new-things-than-to-reconcile-those-which-have/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Those who can bear all can dare all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/those-who-can-bear-all-can-dare-all/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [It is of no use to possess a lively wit if it is not of the right proportion: the perfection of a clock is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/it-is-of-no-use-to-possess-a-lively-wit-if-it-is-not-of-the-right/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Magnanimity will not consider the prudence of its motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/magnanimity-will-not-consider-the-prudence-of-its-motives/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) [Explore all 190 Luc de Clapiers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) ## More Achieve quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/) Deon Taylor > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/) [Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/) Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Luc de Clapiers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as-though-we-were-never-going-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achieve" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as-though-we-were-never-going-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/luc-de-clapiers-2035_achieve_to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as_39765.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/luc-de-clapiers-2035_achieve_to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as_39765.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/luc-de-clapiers-2035_achieve_to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as_39765.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To achieve great things we must live as though we were never going to die.” — Luc de Clapiers", "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": "Luc de Clapiers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To achieve great things we must...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as-though-we-were-never-going-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/to-achieve-great-things-we-must-live-as-though-we-were-never-going-to/#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 } } ] } ```