--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What counts in life is not the mere fact…" description: "\"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the signific..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/nelson-mandela-248_determine_what-counts-in-life-is-not-the-mere-fact_1847443.jpg" --- # What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have… ![“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/nelson-mandela-248_determine_what-counts-in-life-is-not-the-mere-fact_1847443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/nelson-mandela-248_determine_what-counts-in-life-is-not-the-mere-fact_1847443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/nelson-mandela-248_determine_what-counts-in-life-is-not-the-mere-fact_1847443.jpg) > “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True significance comes from the positive impact we have on others, not merely from existing. **In simple terms:** Impact matters more than existence. Key Takeaway Seek to help others and leave a legacy. Themes legacy impact service meaning humanity Mood reflective inspirational thoughtful Type ethical philosophical motivational When to use this quote - volunteering - leadership - education - community service Key Concepts Altruism social contribution purpose Questions to Reflect On - What difference have you made today? - How will you ensure your actions benefit others? A Different Perspective Measuring impact can be subjective and hard to quantify. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lives of others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-of-others/) [Making a difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-difference/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) ## Related quotes > [More than anything else, I believe it's our decisions, not the conditions of our lives that determine our destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/more-than-anything-else-i-believe-it-s-our-decisions-not-the/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [It’s not about making money for themselves or the company, but making a difference in the lives of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-yaeger/it-s-not-about-making-money-for-themselves-or-the-company-but-making/) [Don Yaeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-yaeger/) > [Whether we're a preschooler or a young teen, a graduating college senior or a retired person, we human beings all want to know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/whether-we-re-a-preschooler-or-a-young-teen-a-graduating-college/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Making a difference in a few lives is entirely possible and usually fairly easy. You just have to focus on one person at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/making-a-difference-in-a-few-lives-is-entirely-possible-and-usually/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Even if the person doesn't know what the internet can do, we can bring it to them and show how it can make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-joyner-kersee/even-if-the-person-doesn-t-know-what-the-internet-can-do-we-can-bring/) [Jackie Joyner-Kersee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-joyner-kersee/) > [“When you have discovered your significance, your life will now begin to move towards making a difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-you-have-discovered-your-significance-your-life-will-now-begin/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [All that counts in life is intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/all-that-counts-in-life-is-intention/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [Remember, it’s the finish, not the start, that counts the most in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/remember-it-s-the-finish-not-the-start-that-counts-the-most-in-life-2/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [It's not about how much you do, but how much love you put into what you do that counts. Life isn't worth living, unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/it-s-not-about-how-much-you-do-but-how-much-love-you-put-into-what/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [“In the end, it's not the years in your life that counts. It's the life in your years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-the-end-it-s-not-the-years-in-your-life-that-counts-it-s-the-life/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Only one thing counts in this life - get them to sign on the line that is dotted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/only-one-thing-counts-in-this-life-get-them-to-sign-on-the-line-that/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [Remember, itÂ’s the finish, not the start, that counts the most in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/remember-it-s-the-finish-not-the-start-that-counts-the-most-in-life/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [What counts for you in life? The world of fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-di-canio/what-counts-for-you-in-life-the-world-of-fact/) [Paolo di Canio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-di-canio/) > [... what counts in life usually cannot be counted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gordis/what-counts-in-life-usually-cannot-be-counted/) [Robert Gordis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gordis/) > [It's not the men in my life that counts--it's the life in my men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/it-s-not-the-men-in-my-life-that-counts-it-s-the-life-in-my-men/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Determine 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/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [The wisdom of our actions in the first three years of peace will determine the course of world history for half a century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-wallace/the-wisdom-of-our-actions-in-the-first-three-years-of-peace-will/) [Henry A. Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-wallace/) > [Thought determines action. Do not let your whole life be a reaction to the things that happen around you each day. Let your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/thought-determines-action-do-not-let-your-whole-life-be-a-reaction-to/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [Determine to do some thinking for yourself. Don't live entirely upon the thoughts of others. Don't be an automaton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cash-penney/determine-to-do-some-thinking-for-yourself-don-t-live-entirely-upon/) [James Cash Penney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cash-penney/) > [Choices determine character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/choices-determine-character/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [We must recognize that every nation determines its policies in terms of its own interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-must-recognize-that-every-nation-determines-its-policies-in-terms/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [All writers are forced to live within deadlines, and deadlines determine how good they can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/all-writers-are-forced-to-live-within-deadlines-and-deadlines/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Alfred Nobel stipulated that no distinction of race or colour will determine who received of his generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdus-salam/alfred-nobel-stipulated-that-no-distinction-of-race-or-colour-will/) [Abdus Salam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdus-salam/) > [The enmity of such a party towards Socialism does not mean that the members are only prejudiced against it because they do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-radek/the-enmity-of-such-a-party-towards-socialism-does-not-mean-that-the/) [Karl Radek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-radek/) > [It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/it-is-not-the-consciousness-of-men-that-determines-their-being-but-on/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Running gives freedom. When you run you can determine your own tempo. You can choose your own course and think whatever you want. Nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-kuscsik/running-gives-freedom-when-you-run-you-can-determine-your-own-tempo/) [Nina Kuscsik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-kuscsik/) > [I've ultimately decided that I will not play this NBA season. I'm going to take the remainder of this season, as well as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-allen/i-ve-ultimately-decided-that-i-will-not-play-this-nba-season-i-m/) [Ray Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-allen/) > [The things you do determine the way people perceive you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-things-you-do-determine-the-way-people-perceive-you/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) Browse all 2,194 Determine quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. 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