---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing I'm not going to do is chase…"
description: "\"One thing I'm not going to do is chase staying alive. You spend so much time chasing staying alive, you won't live.\" — Patrick Swayze"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/patrick-swayze-10429_alive_one-thing-i-m-not-going-to-do-is-chase-s_2100123.png"
---

#  One thing I'm not going to do is chase staying alive. You…

![“One thing I'm not going to do is chase staying alive. You spend so much time chasing staying alive, you won't live.” quote by Patrick Swayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/patrick-swayze-10429_alive_one-thing-i-m-not-going-to-do-is-chase-s_2100123.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/patrick-swayze-10429_alive_one-thing-i-m-not-going-to-do-is-chase-s_2100123.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/patrick-swayze-10429_alive_one-thing-i-m-not-going-to-do-is-chase-s_2100123.png)

> “One thing I'm not going to do is chase staying alive. You spend so much time chasing staying alive, you won't live.”

[Patrick Swayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-swayze/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He warns that obsessively trying to survive can prevent truly living, urging people to engage fully with life rather than merely existing.

**In simple terms:** Chasing survival stops you from living.

Key Takeaway

Live fully, not just survive.

Themes

life presence priorities

Mood

inspirational cautionary

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- health crises
- career decisions
- personal relationships
- daily routines

Key Concepts

existentialism mindfulness

Questions to Reflect On

- What does "living" mean to you?
- How can you balance safety and vitality?

A Different Perspective

It may overlook practical survival needs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Staying alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying-alive/)

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> [Staying alive is nice, but you can’t do that forever. It’s how you live the life you have while you have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-peretti/staying-alive-is-nice-but-you-can-t-do-that-forever-it-s-how-you-live/)

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[Frank Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bruno/)

## More by Patrick Swayze

> [You can imagine me as a kid growing up in redneck Texas with ballet shoes, tucking the violin under my arm. I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-swayze/you-can-imagine-me-as-a-kid-growing-up-in-redneck-texas-with-ballet/)

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> [To be honest, I've made a game out of trying to live through my James Dean, Janis Joplin, Freddie Prinze, Jim Morrison period, those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-swayze/to-be-honest-i-ve-made-a-game-out-of-trying-to-live-through-my-james/)

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> [The longer your life goes on, the more death you face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-swayze/the-longer-your-life-goes-on-the-more-death-you-face/)

[Patrick Swayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-swayze/)

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[Patrick Swayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-swayze/)

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## More Alive quotes

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[Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/)

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[John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/)

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