--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is too short not to create something…" description: "\"Life is too short not to create something with every breath we draw.\" — Maynard James Keenan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/maynard-james-keenan-3839_breath_life-is-too-short-not-to-create-somethin_2101673.png" --- # Life is too short not to create something with every… ![“Life is too short not to create something with every breath we draw.” quote by Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/maynard-james-keenan-3839_breath_life-is-too-short-not-to-create-somethin_2101673.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/maynard-james-keenan-3839_breath_life-is-too-short-not-to-create-somethin_2101673.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/maynard-james-keenan-3839_breath_life-is-too-short-not-to-create-somethin_2101673.png) > “Life is too short not to create something with every breath we draw.” [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is fleeting, so we should constantly produce something meaningful. **In simple terms:** Create constantly. Key Takeaway Make art always. Themes creativity impermanence productivity Mood inspirational urgent Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - daily journaling - musical composition - visual art - community projects Key Concepts existentialism self‑expression Questions to Reflect On - What will you create today? - How does urgency shape your work? A Different Perspective Creative burnout can diminish quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breath/) [Breaths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaths/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [You have to treat yourself. Life is too short to deprive yourself of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalie-emmanuel/you-have-to-treat-yourself-life-is-too-short-to-deprive-yourself-of/) [Nathalie Emmanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalie-emmanuel/) > [Life is too short for men to take it seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/life-is-too-short-for-men-to-take-it-seriously/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Art is too long, and life is too short,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/art-is-too-long-and-life-is-too-short/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [I think life is too short not to be doing something which you really believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mccurry/i-think-life-is-too-short-not-to-be-doing-something-which-you-really/) [Steve McCurry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mccurry/) > [You gotta just laugh at yourself and let it go and not take things too seriously because life is too short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-hilfiger/you-gotta-just-laugh-at-yourself-and-let-it-go-and-not-take-things/) [Ally Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-hilfiger/) > [Life is too short to spend your precious time trying to convince the person who wants to live in gloom and doom otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/life-is-too-short-to-spend-your-precious-time-trying-to-convince-the/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Life is too short. It's too precious. We have to live in this world, but we don't have to wallow in it. We don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/life-is-too-short-it-s-too-precious-we-have-to-live-in-this-world-but/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [Life is too short to wonder where you hid your waffle maker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-deen/life-is-too-short-to-wonder-where-you-hid-your-waffle-maker/) [Paula Deen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-deen/) > [Life is too short to waste. Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/life-is-too-short-to-waste-dreams-are-fulfilled-only-through-action/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [the fact is, that life is too short to be occupied by aught but the present - hope and remembrance are equally a waste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/the-fact-is-that-life-is-too-short-to-be-occupied-by-aught-but-the/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [Life is too short, so love the one you got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-too-short-so-love-the-one-you-got/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is too short to be unhappy in business. If business were not a part of the joy of living, we might almost say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-l-brown/life-is-too-short-to-be-unhappy-in-business-if-business-were-not-a/) George L. Brown > [What I've learned is that life is too short and movies are too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/what-i-ve-learned-is-that-life-is-too-short-and-movies-are-too-long/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [Life is too short for a half-rack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/life-is-too-short-for-a-half-rack/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Remember my friend to enjoy your planning as well as your accomplishment, for life is too short for negative energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/remember-my-friend-to-enjoy-your-planning-as-well-as-your/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) ## More by Maynard James Keenan > [I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-can-t-be-a-legend-yet-i-m-not-dead/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [We are eternal. All this pain is an illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/we-are-eternal-all-this-pain-is-an-illusion/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability To lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/repugnant-is-a-creature-who-would-squander-the-ability-to-lift-an-eye/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Why did Father give these humans free will? Now they're all confused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/why-did-father-give-these-humans-free-will-now-they-re-all-confused/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [The process that we go through in recording with Tool is very organic, but at the same time it is very thought out. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/the-process-that-we-go-through-in-recording-with-tool-is-very-organic/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Just in general, any government throughout history hasn't really wanted its people to be educated, because then they couldn't control them as easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/just-in-general-any-government-throughout-history-hasn-t-really/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [The trick is to use the drugs once to get there, and maybe spend the next ten years trying to get back there without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/the-trick-is-to-use-the-drugs-once-to-get-there-and-maybe-spend-the/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [“If I let you, you would make me destroy myself. in order to survive you, I must first survive myself. I can sink no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/if-i-let-you-you-would-make-me-destroy-myself-in-order-to-survive-you/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [All I can do is say I smell a rat. I don't know where it is or what kind of rat it is, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/all-i-can-do-is-say-i-smell-a-rat-i-don-t-know-where-it-is-or-what/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [I believe that music is a force in itself. It is there and it needs an outlet, a medium. In a way, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-believe-that-music-is-a-force-in-itself-it-is-there-and-it-needs-an/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [I want to find a genie in a bottle that can grant me three wishes. I want to be able to speak, read, write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-want-to-find-a-genie-in-a-bottle-that-can-grant-me-three-wishes-i/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [I think psychedelics play a major part in what we do, but having said that, I feel that if somebody's going to experiment with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-psychedelics-play-a-major-part-in-what-we-do-but-having-said/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [I'm a pessimist. But I'm a pessimist with a sense of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-a-pessimist-but-i-m-a-pessimist-with-a-sense-of-responsibility/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Explore all 121 Maynard James Keenan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) ## More Breath quotes > [“The days may last forever, but the years pass by in a blink; the secret to survival is actually remembering to take a deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-smokler/the-days-may-last-forever-but-the-years-pass-by-in-a-blink-the-secret/) [Jill Smokler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-smokler/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [Take a deep breath. It,s just a bad day not a bad life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-a-deep-breath-it-s-just-a-bad-day-not-a-bad-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I stopped loving you today, But OMG..., Seeing your Body takes my breath away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/i-stopped-loving-you-today-but-omg-seeing-your-body-takes-my-breath/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [So we must do our very best Whatever life may bring And look beyond the winter chill To smell the breath of spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-we-must-do-our-very-best-whatever-life-may-bring-and-look-beyond/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poetry should be vital--either stirring our blood by its divine movements or snatching our breath by its divine perfection. To do both is supreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-birrell/poetry-should-be-vital-either-stirring-our-blood-by-its-divine/) [Augustine Birrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-birrell/) > [“The first step in awareness is to be watchful of your body. Slowly,slowly one becomes alert about each gesture,each movement. And as you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-first-step-in-awareness-is-to-be-watchful-of-your-body-slowly/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [Tic Tacs are the maracas of breath mints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/tic-tacs-are-the-maracas-of-breath-mints/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [“To control your life, control your mind. To control your mind, control your breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/to-control-your-life-control-your-mind-to-control-your-mind-control/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“He’s sitting so close, I can feel his breath on my cheek. My stomach flip-flops again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-s-sitting-so-close-i-can-feel-his-breath-on-my-cheek-my-stomach/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My heart is your heart," she whispers, and wow that takes my breath away, this line from my childhood that she always used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/my-heart-is-your-heart-she-whispers-and-wow-that-takes-my-breath-away/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [Good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/good-manners-and-bad-breath-will-get-you-nowhere/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [“Being able to be myself was like being able to exhale for the first time after holding my breath for years. It’s only when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/404-ink/being-able-to-be-myself-was-like-being-able-to-exhale-for-the-first/) 404 Ink [Browse all 1,839 Breath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breath/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is too short not to create something with every breath we draw.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maynard James Keenan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/life-is-too-short-not-to-create-something-with-every-breath-we-draw/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breath" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/life-is-too-short-not-to-create-something-with-every-breath-we-draw/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/maynard-james-keenan-3839_breath_life-is-too-short-not-to-create-somethin_2101673.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/maynard-james-keenan-3839_breath_life-is-too-short-not-to-create-somethin_2101673.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/maynard-james-keenan-3839_breath_life-is-too-short-not-to-create-somethin_2101673.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life is too short not to create something with every breath we draw.” — Maynard James Keenan", "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": "Maynard James Keenan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Life is too short not to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/life-is-too-short-not-to-create-something-with-every-breath-we-draw/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/life-is-too-short-not-to-create-something-with-every-breath-we-draw/#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 } } ] } ```