--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One's real life is often the life that…" description: "\"One's real life is often the life that one does not lead\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/oscar-wilde-16_dreams_one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-o_2276461.jpg" --- # One's real life is often the life that one does not lead ![“One's real life is often the life that one does not lead” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/oscar-wilde-16_dreams_one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-o_2276461.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/oscar-wilde-16_dreams_one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-o_2276461.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/oscar-wilde-16_dreams_one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-o_2276461.jpg) > “One's real life is often the life that one does not lead” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We often imagine an ideal life we never actually pursue, missing authentic experience. **In simple terms:** We miss real life by not living it. Key Takeaway Live the life you truly want. Themes identity authenticity choice Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - creative pursuits - health choices Key Concepts existentialism self-actualization Questions to Reflect On - What life are you avoiding? - How can you align actions with true desires? A Different Perspective Idealizing alternatives can cause regret. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-does/) [Life life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-life/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) ## Related quotes > [Death is a part of life ... and that part of life needs everything that the rest of life does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jok-church/death-is-a-part-of-life-and-that-part-of-life-needs-everything-that/) [Jok Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jok-church/) > [One's real life is so often the life that one does not lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-s-real-life-is-so-often-the-life-that-one-does-not-lead/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Life! Life! Don't let us go to life for our fulfilment or our experience. Life makes us pay too high a price for its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/life-life-don-t-let-us-go-to-life-for-our-fulfilment-or-our/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The Hour-Hand of Life --- Life consists of rare, isolated moments of the greatest significance, and of innumerably many intervals, during which at best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-hour-hand-of-life-life-consists-of-rare-isolated-moments-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [A well-thought-out story doesn’t need to resemble real life. Life itself tries with all its might to resemble a well-crafted story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-babel/a-well-thought-out-story-doesn-t-need-to-resemble-real-life-life/) [Isaac Babel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-babel/) > [Dreams are what keep us going when real life lets us down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/dreams-are-what-keep-us-going-when-real-life-lets-us-down/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [He who sees his soul is more than his life does not confuse the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/he-who-sees-his-soul-is-more-than-his-life-does-not-confuse-the-two/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [If I'm going to fuck up my life, does it really matter which way I do it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-m-going-to-fuck-up-my-life-does-it-really-matter-which-way-i-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life does'nt give you anything, Its god who does everything!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atif-streros/life-does-nt-give-you-anything-its-god-who-does-everything/) [Atif Streros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atif-streros/) > [If you want to go out and have fun, then do it. Control your own life before someone else does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/if-you-want-to-go-out-and-have-fun-then-do-it-control-your-own-life/) [Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/) > [No one hits as hard as life does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/no-one-hits-as-hard-as-life-does/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [It is life that does the thinking all around us, forming with playful ease the connections our reason can only laboriously patch together piecemeal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/it-is-life-that-does-the-thinking-all-around-us-forming-with-playful/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly ofthe storm of thought that is forever flowing through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/life-does-not-consist-mainly-or-even-largely-of-facts-and-happenings/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Everyone in Life does Exactly what they Know How to Do Given the Conditions of their Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/everyone-in-life-does-exactly-what-they-know-how-to-do-given-the/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Life does not owe me a shred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/life-does-not-owe-me-a-shred/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Dreams quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [“Now you’re wet. You’re so wet you’re leaking down your ass. You’re soaking my pillow. I don’t think I’m ever washing it. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stoker/now-you-re-wet-you-re-so-wet-you-re-leaking-down-your-ass-you-re/) [Susan Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stoker/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 40,599 Dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One's real life is often the life that one does not lead", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-one-does-not-lead/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dreams" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-one-does-not-lead/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/oscar-wilde-16_dreams_one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-o_2276461.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/oscar-wilde-16_dreams_one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-o_2276461.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/oscar-wilde-16_dreams_one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-o_2276461.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One's real life is often the life that one does not lead” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One's real life is often the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-one-does-not-lead/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-s-real-life-is-often-the-life-that-one-does-not-lead/#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 } } ] } ```