--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I had to come back in life, I'd come…" description: "\"If I had to come back in life, I'd come back as a dolphin... they're always smiling; they're always playing.\" — Nathan Phillips" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/nathan-phillips-24670_always_if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-b_2078338.jpg" --- # If I had to come back in life, I'd come back as a… ![“If I had to come back in life, I'd come back as a dolphin... they're always smiling; they're always playing.” quote by Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/nathan-phillips-24670_always_if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-b_2078338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/nathan-phillips-24670_always_if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-b_2078338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/nathan-phillips-24670_always_if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-b_2078338.jpg) > “If I had to come back in life, I'd come back as a dolphin... they're always smiling; they're always playing.” [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker imagines rebirth as a dolphin to embody perpetual joy and playfulness, contrasting human seriousness. **In simple terms:** Desire to live as a carefree, always happy creature. Key Takeaway Embrace playfulness in daily life. Themes joy playfulness escape freedom Mood lighthearted optimistic Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - childhood games - team sports - creative hobbies - relaxation techniques - mindful laughter Key Concepts imagination reincarnation happiness Questions to Reflect On - What would you change if you adopted a dolphin’s outlook? - How can you bring more play into work? A Different Perspective Idealizing animals may ignore real challenges of human responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Come Dolphin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-dolphin-4046222/) [Dolphin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dolphin/) [Dolphin Smiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dolphin-smiling-4046221/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Smiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiling/) [Smiling Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiling-playing-2269265/) ## Related quotes > [“Maybe you should just admit that you're crazy about me," he said, leaning in to kiss her again. "And why would you want me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-mathewson/maybe-you-should-just-admit-that-you-re-crazy-about-me-he-said/) [R.L. Mathewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-mathewson/) > [“The dolphin is a mammal, but it can’t walk. However, it can hitchhike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-dolphin-is-a-mammal-but-it-can-t-walk-however-it-can-hitchhike/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I pitched the idea that SpongeBob and Patrick learn a swearword. Everyone said no. I couldn't even use a bleep. So I used a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/i-pitched-the-idea-that-spongebob-and-patrick-learn-a-swearword/) [Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/) > [My first payback to society in life, was The Dolphin Project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-danko/my-first-payback-to-society-in-life-was-the-dolphin-project/) [Rick Danko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-danko/) > [“Just before it was dark, as they passed a great island of Sargasso weed that heaved and swung in the light sea as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/just-before-it-was-dark-as-they-passed-a-great-island-of-sargasso/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [You can't get a dolphin. What are you gonna do, like, put it in your pool?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/you-can-t-get-a-dolphin-what-are-you-gonna-do-like-put-it-in-your-pool/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The last ever dolphin message was misinterpreted as a surprisingly sophisticated attempt to do a double-backwards-somersault through a hoop whilst whistling the 'Star Spangled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-last-ever-dolphin-message-was-misinterpreted-as-a-surprisingly/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I'd love to sponsor a dolphin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/i-d-love-to-sponsor-a-dolphin/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [Ere the dolphin dies Its hues are brightest. Like an infant's breath Are tropic winds before the voice of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fitz-greene-halleck/ere-the-dolphin-dies-its-hues-are-brightest-like-an-infant-s-breath/) [Fitz-Greene Halleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fitz-greene-halleck/) > [DID YOU SEE THE DOLPHIN ? :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhat/did-you-see-the-dolphin/) [Zhat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhat/) > [I've been a Dolphin for 17 years, and I'll be a Dolphin for the rest of my life. That will never change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-marino/i-ve-been-a-dolphin-for-17-years-and-i-ll-be-a-dolphin-for-the-rest/) [Dan Marino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-marino/) > [“Don't be stupid and awkward," the dolphin says. "You want to walk together or not?" "You are a stupid piece of shit. Go away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/don-t-be-stupid-and-awkward-the-dolphin-says-you-want-to-walk/) [tao lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I've never had any intimate relationships with a dolphin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-ve-never-had-any-intimate-relationships-with-a-dolphin/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [Context is to data what water is to a dolphin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/context-is-to-data-what-water-is-to-a-dolphin/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In due course I would learn how to cover up for this event, but on that awful day I knew of nothing to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/in-due-course-i-would-learn-how-to-cover-up-for-this-event-but-on/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) ## More by Nathan Phillips > [I'm still very much plugging away. But if I can build my career, I'll do it like Eric Bana. He has a family; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/i-m-still-very-much-plugging-away-but-if-i-can-build-my-career-i-ll/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [I have always spent my time more preciously than my money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/i-have-always-spent-my-time-more-preciously-than-my-money/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [I live on the beach, and I always will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/i-live-on-the-beach-and-i-always-will/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [Love is a strong, strong thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/love-is-a-strong-strong-thing/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [I'm a child of the Earth, postcode unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/i-m-a-child-of-the-earth-postcode-unknown/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [I need to have the soul bank full as well as pay the credit cards and have a roof over my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/i-need-to-have-the-soul-bank-full-as-well-as-pay-the-credit-cards-and/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [It's quite frustrating taking a back seat in films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/it-s-quite-frustrating-taking-a-back-seat-in-films/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [Not all of us are born with the same role models and grasp things the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/not-all-of-us-are-born-with-the-same-role-models-and-grasp-things-the/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [If you are in a beautiful place where you can enjoy sunrise and sunset, then you are living like a lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/if-you-are-in-a-beautiful-place-where-you-can-enjoy-sunrise-and/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [Very happily, I am very fortunate to be able to be where the wind takes me, where the work takes me, and where I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/very-happily-i-am-very-fortunate-to-be-able-to-be-where-the-wind/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > ['Australian Rules' was such a beautiful film - it was art for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/australian-rules-was-such-a-beautiful-film-it-was-art-for-me/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [It's very important to lead your own story: to not be acting as much as you are living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/it-s-very-important-to-lead-your-own-story-to-not-be-acting-as-much/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [It makes me sick to my stomach what Australia Day has become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/it-makes-me-sick-to-my-stomach-what-australia-day-has-become/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [Life's harsh. You can't escape what you are and what you project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/life-s-harsh-you-can-t-escape-what-you-are-and-what-you-project/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [I think Australia is pretty much living the last day on Earth in a lot of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/i-think-australia-is-pretty-much-living-the-last-day-on-earth-in-a/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) [Explore all 24 Nathan Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I had to come back in life, I'd come back as a dolphin... they're always smiling; they're always playing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathan Phillips" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-back-as-a-dolphin-they-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-back-as-a-dolphin-they-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/nathan-phillips-24670_always_if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-b_2078338.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/nathan-phillips-24670_always_if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-b_2078338.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/nathan-phillips-24670_always_if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-b_2078338.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I had to come back in life, I'd come back as a dolphin... they're always smiling; they're always playing.” — Nathan Phillips", "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": "Nathan Phillips", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I had to come back...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-back-as-a-dolphin-they-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/if-i-had-to-come-back-in-life-i-d-come-back-as-a-dolphin-they-re/#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 } } ] } ```