--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a coward, I didn't want to die." description: "\"I'm a coward, I didn't want to die.\" — Patty Hearst" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/patty-hearst-17302_coward_i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die-391966_391966.jpg" --- # I'm a coward, I didn't want to die. ![“I'm a coward, I didn't want to die.” quote by Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/patty-hearst-17302_coward_i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die-391966_391966.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/patty-hearst-17302_coward_i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die-391966_391966.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/patty-hearst-17302_coward_i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die-391966_391966.jpg) > “I'm a coward, I didn't want to die.” [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear can dominate decisions, leading to avoidance of risk. **In simple terms:** Fear stops action. Key Takeaway Acknowledge fear, act despite it. Themes courage fear decision-making survival Mood anxious determined Type motivational cautionary When to use this quote - emergency situations - personal growth - leadership challenges Key Concepts psychology self-preservation risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What fear holds you back? - When has fear saved you? A Different Perspective Fear can also protect from harmful choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Three-quarters of people say they want to die at home, but only a quarter of people actually do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/three-quarters-of-people-say-they-want-to-die-at-home-but-only-a/) [Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/) > [If you feel like you want to die, it's time to sit down and make a list of all the things you haven't done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deacon-jones/if-you-feel-like-you-want-to-die-it-s-time-to-sit-down-and-make-a/) [Deacon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deacon-jones/) > [I don't want to die without knowing who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/i-don-t-want-to-die-without-knowing-who-i-am/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [He who does not want to die should not want to live. For life is tendered to us with the proviso of death. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-does-not-want-to-die-should-not-want-to-live-for-life-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I don't want to die. I think death is a greatly overrated experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/i-don-t-want-to-die-i-think-death-is-a-greatly-overrated-experience/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [“You, sir, are not only a selfish asshole, but you're a coward. You didn't have the balls to stand and fight for what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wynters/you-sir-are-not-only-a-selfish-asshole-but-you-re-a-coward-you-didn-t/) [Rose Wynters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wynters/) > [“I was a coward. I said it aloud to myself: you are a coward. I didn’t care. It was better to be a live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/i-was-a-coward-i-said-it-aloud-to-myself-you-are-a-coward-i-didn-t/) [John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/) > [Because it's still a heartache. And nothing makes you want to die more than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-nichols/because-it-s-still-a-heartache-and-nothing-makes-you-want-to-die-more/) [Lee Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-nichols/) > [What people don't understand when you've already been a suicide and pulled through is that after the sadness comes fear: Where is my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-forrest/what-people-don-t-understand-when-you-ve-already-been-a-suicide-and/) [Emma Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-forrest/) > [I know what it's like to have a bunch of material that's working that you don't care about. You want to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-know-what-it-s-like-to-have-a-bunch-of-material-that-s-working-that/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [The first time I ever saw platform shoes in the '70s, I knew they'd been revived from the '40s, and I felt sickened. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/the-first-time-i-ever-saw-platform-shoes-in-the-70s-i-knew-they-d/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Yes -- or rather, it's not so much that I want to die as that I'm tired of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-nosuke-akutagawa/yes-or-rather-it-s-not-so-much-that-i-want-to-die-as-that-i-m-tired/) [Ryūnosuke Akutagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-nosuke-akutagawa/) > [I don't want to die leaving the world as it is right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-olsen/i-don-t-want-to-die-leaving-the-world-as-it-is-right-now/) [Tillie Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-olsen/) > [I want to live but I want to die. What do I do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/i-want-to-live-but-i-want-to-die-what-do-i-do/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## More by Patty Hearst > [I was not inside the bank. But I am still not the only witness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-was-not-inside-the-bank-but-i-am-still-not-the-only-witness/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [Even to me, as I was trying to tell the government what had happened, it just didn't seem to matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/even-to-me-as-i-was-trying-to-tell-the-government-what-had-happened/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [I got hit in the face with a gun. I'm not very fragile at all. It makes me think maybe things would be easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-got-hit-in-the-face-with-a-gun-i-m-not-very-fragile-at-all-it-makes/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [Well, you know, it's really been, you know, quite a trip for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/well-you-know-it-s-really-been-you-know-quite-a-trip-for-me/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [Well, you know, one lawyer says I'm the only witness and I'm not credible. Another lawyer says this witness - there's tons of evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/well-you-know-one-lawyer-says-i-m-the-only-witness-and-i-m-not/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [I think Charles Manson was a hair's breath away from just being a terrorist. He wanted to start a war, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-think-charles-manson-was-a-hair-s-breath-away-from-just-being-a/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [There is - you know, there's receipts for rented cars and license plates and guns and hand prints and palm prints and fingerprints. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/there-is-you-know-there-s-receipts-for-rented-cars-and-license-plates/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [You have to go hunting to know the excitement of seeing someone get their first deer. It's a thrill for them. It is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/you-have-to-go-hunting-to-know-the-excitement-of-seeing-someone-get/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [You know, sitting in the car when they got back in and - first of all, it was relief. I was not - there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/you-know-sitting-in-the-car-when-they-got-back-in-and-first-of-all-it/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [Well, you know, they were - they were a terrorist group. They - when I was kidnapped they published all of their statements about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/well-you-know-they-were-they-were-a-terrorist-group-they-when-i-was/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [And, quite frankly, I fully expected to be charged with murder, because they weren't charging anybody. I did it in terms of, I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/and-quite-frankly-i-fully-expected-to-be-charged-with-murder-because/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [Is it reasonable to assume that someone who has been locked in a closet for 57 days after being kidnapped and brutalized, raped, abused,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/is-it-reasonable-to-assume-that-someone-who-has-been-locked-in-a/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [Through my mind, is just the horror of these people. I had been held by them, I knew how violent they were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/through-my-mind-is-just-the-horror-of-these-people-i-had-been-held-by/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [My daughters have grown up knowing all about my kidnapping and the case and what happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/my-daughters-have-grown-up-knowing-all-about-my-kidnapping-and-the/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [I do remember that I was very relieved that I did not have to go into a bank with them. I had, as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-do-remember-that-i-was-very-relieved-that-i-did-not-have-to-go-into/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) [Explore all 37 Patty Hearst quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) ## More Coward quotes > [Only a coward will use a gun to protect and get respect for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-jal/only-a-coward-will-use-a-gun-to-protect-and-get-respect-for-themselves/) [Emmanuel Jal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-jal/) > [“The Coward will run away from danger, only to strike in the dark. The Heroine will run through the dark, even though she knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-cleinman/the-coward-will-run-away-from-danger-only-to-strike-in-the-dark-the/) David A. Cleinman > [“A thousand times a coward and not once a dead man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suad-amiry/a-thousand-times-a-coward-and-not-once-a-dead-man/) Suad Amiry > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“It is true that only a coward can be brave, as a man who feels no fear has conquered nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-david-iggulden/it-is-true-that-only-a-coward-can-be-brave-as-a-man-who-feels-no-fear/) Conn & David Iggulden > [If you're a generous person, when you get money and fame, you're going to be more generous. If you're a sharer, you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/if-you-re-a-generous-person-when-you-get-money-and-fame-you-re-going/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [Where is the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land as Scotland?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/where-is-the-coward-that-would-not-dare-to-fight-for-such-a-land-as/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [“To stand at the very moment when all seems lost is the point of insanity for the coward, but it is the home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-stand-at-the-very-moment-when-all-seems-lost-is-the-point-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [My advice to you, if you should ever be in a hold up, is to line up with the cowards and save your bravery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-henry/my-advice-to-you-if-you-should-ever-be-in-a-hold-up-is-to-line-up/) [O. Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-henry/) > [People who keep dogs are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/people-who-keep-dogs-are-cowards-who-haven-t-got-the-guts-to-bite/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is the disease of cowards, who do not have the courage to speak upfront and so talk behind one's back... Watch out against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/it-is-the-disease-of-cowards-who-do-not-have-the-courage-to-speak/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [If our principles are right, why should we be cowards?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretia-mott/if-our-principles-are-right-why-should-we-be-cowards/) [Lucretia Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretia-mott/) > [I found from working on the film that I am a bigot, at times. And that I am also a coward, at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-howard/i-found-from-working-on-the-film-that-i-am-a-bigot-at-times-and-that/) [Terrence Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-howard/) > [A coward is the kindest animal; 'Tis the most forgiving creature in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/a-coward-is-the-kindest-animal-tis-the-most-forgiving-creature-in-a/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) Browse all 1,331 Coward quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a coward, I didn't want to die.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patty Hearst" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coward" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/patty-hearst-17302_coward_i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die-391966_391966.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/patty-hearst-17302_coward_i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die-391966_391966.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/patty-hearst-17302_coward_i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die-391966_391966.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a coward, I didn't want to die.” — Patty Hearst", "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": "Patty Hearst", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm a coward, I didn't want...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/i-m-a-coward-i-didn-t-want-to-die/#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 } } ] } ```