--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I choose to live until death, not spend…" description: "\"I choose to live until death, not spend the time dying until death occurs.\" — Mattie Stepanek" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/mattie-stepanek-15384_choose_i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-t_26684.jpg" --- # I choose to live until death, not spend the time dying… ![“I choose to live until death, not spend the time dying until death occurs.” quote by Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/mattie-stepanek-15384_choose_i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-t_26684.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/mattie-stepanek-15384_choose_i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-t_26684.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/mattie-stepanek-15384_choose_i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-t_26684.jpg) > “I choose to live until death, not spend the time dying until death occurs.” [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates embracing life fully rather than merely existing while waiting for death. **In simple terms:** Live fully now, not passively awaiting death. Key Takeaway Life is for living, not for waiting. Themes Carpe diem Existentialism Mindfulness Purpose Motivation Mood Inspired Reflective Determined Type Philosophical Motivational Inspirational When to use this quote - Facing a midlife crisis - Recovering from a depressive episode - Starting a new career after retirement - Dealing with chronic illness - Contemplating mortality Key Concepts Life vs. death Temporal awareness Active living Practical Applications - Life coaching - Therapeutic counseling Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to truly live? - How can you shift from passive waiting to active engagement? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know why you don't live it up all the time when's dying's just around the corner, but you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moriarty/i-don-t-know-why-you-don-t-live-it-up-all-the-time-when-s-dying-s/) [Michael Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moriarty/) > [“Nothing significant in the kingdom of God happens unless death occurs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-demuth/nothing-significant-in-the-kingdom-of-god-happens-unless-death-occurs/) [Mary DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-demuth/) > [“The most common descriptions I have found of the moment when death occurs is that there is a feeling of coldness and then suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-cannon/the-most-common-descriptions-i-have-found-of-the-moment-when-death/) [Dolores Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-cannon/) > [“The only real death that ever occurs is when a dream we cherish dies”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-m-h-atwater/the-only-real-death-that-ever-occurs-is-when-a-dream-we-cherish-dies/) [P.M.H. Atwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-m-h-atwater/) > [“But I do think that when we choose the easy path, where people or society reward us for being what they want us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/but-i-do-think-that-when-we-choose-the-easy-path-where-people-or/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [The earth doesn’t care where death occurs. ...It’s the artist, by coming in and writing about it or painting it or taking a photograph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-mann/the-earth-doesn-t-care-where-death-occurs-it-s-the-artist-by-coming/) [Sally Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-mann/) > [When death occurs, death as you know it, the universe embraces you and takes you to its heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-altea/when-death-occurs-death-as-you-know-it-the-universe-embraces-you-and/) [Rosemary Altea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-altea/) > [To live is to be born every minute. Death occurs when birth stops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/to-live-is-to-be-born-every-minute-death-occurs-when-birth-stops/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Vanity occurs when we think we are invincible. Death occurs to tell us we are not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinita-kinra/vanity-occurs-when-we-think-we-are-invincible-death-occurs-to-tell-us/) [Vinita Kinra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinita-kinra/) > [You must pardon me, gentlemen, for being a most unconscionable time a-dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ii-of-england/you-must-pardon-me-gentlemen-for-being-a-most-unconscionable-time-a/) Charles II of England > [When I read obituaries I always note the age of the deceased. Automatically I relate this figure to my own age. Four years to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/when-i-read-obituaries-i-always-note-the-age-of-the-deceased/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I'm not afraid of turning 80 and I have lots of things to do. I don't have time for dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingvar-kamprad/i-m-not-afraid-of-turning-80-and-i-have-lots-of-things-to-do-i-don-t/) [Ingvar Kamprad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingvar-kamprad/) > [“Trudy, there is no such thing as time. Dying is like walking from the living room into the dining room, there are no beginnings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudy-harris/trudy-there-is-no-such-thing-as-time-dying-is-like-walking-from-the/) Trudy Harris > [Love is alive when it has time. It is dying when it's hurried. It is dead when it cannot wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-alive-when-it-has-time-it-is-dying-when-it-s-hurried-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Because to tell you the truth, most of the time dying seems pretty much like my only means of escape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/because-to-tell-you-the-truth-most-of-the-time-dying-seems-pretty/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) ## More by Mattie Stepanek > [I would not have lasted a minute, literally a minute, on this Earth without God and angels by my side, because I was born.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-would-not-have-lasted-a-minute-literally-a-minute-on-this-earth/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [I feel that God has given me a very special opportunity that I should not let go to waste. I use the gift he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-feel-that-god-has-given-me-a-very-special-opportunity-that-i-should/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Sunset is still my favorite color, and rainbow is second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/sunset-is-still-my-favorite-color-and-rainbow-is-second/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [My life mission is to spread peace to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/my-life-mission-is-to-spread-peace-to-the-world/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Expressing my feelings and then the opportunity to share it with others is just such a gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/expressing-my-feelings-and-then-the-opportunity-to-share-it-with/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/unity-is-strength-when-there-is-teamwork-and-collaboration-wonderful/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [God gives me hope that there is something greater than us, something better and bigger than the here and now, that can help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/god-gives-me-hope-that-there-is-something-greater-than-us-something/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [I have a song deep in my heart, And only I can hear it. If I close my eyes and sit very still ...It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-have-a-song-deep-in-my-heart-and-only-i-can-hear-it-if-i-close-my/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Sometimes my body wakes me up and says 'Hey, you haven't had pain in a while. How about pain?' And sometimes I can't breathe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/sometimes-my-body-wakes-me-up-and-says-hey-you-haven-t-had-pain-in-a/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [I write to express my thoughts, my feelings. I want people to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-write-to-express-my-thoughts-my-feelings-i-want-people-to-think/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [It's the song in your heart that wants you to help make yourself a better person, and to help other people do the same.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/it-s-the-song-in-your-heart-that-wants-you-to-help-make-yourself-a/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [I think I may have to grow up without growing old. I think we're going to have to define differently what I'm going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-think-i-may-have-to-grow-up-without-growing-old-i-think-we-re-going/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [We're divorced from my father because he did some mean and scary things to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/we-re-divorced-from-my-father-because-he-did-some-mean-and-scary/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Every year, once a year, in Maryland, I go for a week and overnight camp with about 50 to 60 kids with muscular dystrophy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/every-year-once-a-year-in-maryland-i-go-for-a-week-and-overnight-camp/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Remember to look at your glass half full and not half empty. A lot of my strength comes from God. God has given me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/remember-to-look-at-your-glass-half-full-and-not-half-empty-a-lot-of/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) [Explore all 43 Mattie Stepanek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) ## More Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/) [Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) RoderickTheFirst > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I choose to live until death, not spend the time dying until death occurs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mattie Stepanek" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-the-time-dying-until-death/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choose" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-the-time-dying-until-death/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/mattie-stepanek-15384_choose_i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-t_26684.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/mattie-stepanek-15384_choose_i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-t_26684.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ed/mattie-stepanek-15384_choose_i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-t_26684.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I choose to live until death, not spend the time dying until death occurs.” — Mattie Stepanek", "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": "Mattie Stepanek", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I choose to live until death,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-the-time-dying-until-death/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-choose-to-live-until-death-not-spend-the-time-dying-until-death/#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 } } ] } ```