--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To live our lives fully, to work whole…" description: "\"To live our lives fully, to work whole heartily, to refuse directly what we can't swallow, to accepts the mystery in all matters of meaning- this is th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/peter-block-15492_accepting_to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-he_1268016.jpg" --- # To live our lives fully, to work whole heartily, to refuse… ![“To live our lives fully, to work whole heartily, to refuse directly what we can't swallow, to accepts the mystery in all matters of meaning- this is the ultimate adventure.” quote by Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/peter-block-15492_accepting_to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-he_1268016.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/peter-block-15492_accepting_to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-he_1268016.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/peter-block-15492_accepting_to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-he_1268016.jpg) > “To live our lives fully, to work whole heartily, to refuse directly what we can't swallow, to accepts the mystery in all matters of meaning- this is the ultimate adventure.” [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages living fully, working wholeheartedly, embracing mystery, and seeing life as an adventure. **In simple terms:** Live fully, work wholeheartedly, accept mystery as adventure. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and wholehearted effort. Themes fulfillment adventure mindfulness Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - creative projects - spiritual practice Key Concepts meaning-making existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What mysteries in your life invite exploration? - How does wholehearted work shape your purpose? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on adventure may ignore practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) ## Related quotes > [Life is the ultimate adventure, and Death, the prize that awaits us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-claremont/life-is-the-ultimate-adventure-and-death-the-prize-that-awaits-us-all/) [Chris Claremont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-claremont/) > [I've always been in love with the stars and view the cosmos as the ultimate adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/i-ve-always-been-in-love-with-the-stars-and-view-the-cosmos-as-the/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [“The typical human life seems to be quite unplanned, undirected, unlived, and unsavored. Only those who consciously think about the adventure of living as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-albrecht/the-typical-human-life-seems-to-be-quite-unplanned-undirected-unlived/) [Karl Albrecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-albrecht/) > [It's too bad we only had the courage to live our lives fully in dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-too-bad-we-only-had-the-courage-to-live-our-lives-fully-in-dreams/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe that if we have lived our lives fully and well, and have accomplished, at least in part, the things we were put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-young/i-believe-that-if-we-have-lived-our-lives-fully-and-well-and-have/) [Loretta Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-young/) > [Photography, for me, is something I can control fully. It's wholly my own expressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/photography-for-me-is-something-i-can-control-fully-it-s-wholly-my/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [We find ourselves heading fully into an era of mass extinction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/severn-cullis-suzuki/we-find-ourselves-heading-fully-into-an-era-of-mass-extinction/) [Severn Cullis-Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/severn-cullis-suzuki/) > [Joy is being fully aware of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/joy-is-being-fully-aware-of-reality/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [In fiction, imaginary people become realer to us than any named celebrity glimpsed in a series of rumored events, whose causes and subtler ramifications…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/in-fiction-imaginary-people-become-realer-to-us-than-any-named/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [The activities that went on at Camp King between 1946 and the late 1950s have never been fully accounted for by either the Department…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/the-activities-that-went-on-at-camp-king-between-1946-and-the-late/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [Don't get me wrong, some of the mis-informed articles I have read over the last few weeks have been incredibly frustrating, but for my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rickitt/don-t-get-me-wrong-some-of-the-mis-informed-articles-i-have-read-over/) [Adam Rickitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rickitt/) > [I vow to live fully in each moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/i-vow-to-live-fully-in-each-moment/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [I'm fully English, but Portugal is my home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-dier/i-m-fully-english-but-portugal-is-my-home/) [Eric Dier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-dier/) > [With almost no exceptions, art by men is much more expensive than art by women. Even great women artists, like Louise Bourgeois and Lee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/with-almost-no-exceptions-art-by-men-is-much-more-expensive-than-art/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [I always was kind of on the edge of the church when I was fully in it , cos I was always asking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/i-always-was-kind-of-on-the-edge-of-the-church-when-i-was-fully-in-it/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) ## More by Peter Block > [We have banished our artists to the fringe of society and tell them to eat cake. It is our artists who choose freedom over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/we-have-banished-our-artists-to-the-fringe-of-society-and-tell-them/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [The goal is to balance a life that works with a life that counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/the-goal-is-to-balance-a-life-that-works-with-a-life-that-counts/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [How many times have we brought in an outsider to tell us what we already knew?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/how-many-times-have-we-brought-in-an-outsider-to-tell-us-what-we/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [Questions draw us together. Answers push us apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/questions-draw-us-together-answers-push-us-apart/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [Good questions work on us, we don't work on them. They are not a project to be completed but a doorway opening onto greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/good-questions-work-on-us-we-don-t-work-on-them-they-are-not-a/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [The world does not need a better definition of issues, or better planning or project management. It needs the issues and the plans to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/the-world-does-not-need-a-better-definition-of-issues-or-better/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [Dissent is the cousin of diversity; the respect for a wide range of beliefs. This begins by allowing people the space to say "no".…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/dissent-is-the-cousin-of-diversity-the-respect-for-a-wide-range-of/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [If you believe that saying no will get you shot, well, what a fine way to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/if-you-believe-that-saying-no-will-get-you-shot-well-what-a-fine-way/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [We get the leaders we create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/we-get-the-leaders-we-create/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [If we believe something does not exist unless we measure it, then we put aside: love, feeling, intuition, art and philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/if-we-believe-something-does-not-exist-unless-we-measure-it-then-we/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [What worked yesterday is the gilded cage of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/what-worked-yesterday-is-the-gilded-cage-of-tomorrow/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [It is hard to learn when we think we know something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/it-is-hard-to-learn-when-we-think-we-know-something/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [Advice is unfriendly to learning, especially when it is sought. Most of the time when people seek advice, they just want to be heard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/advice-is-unfriendly-to-learning-especially-when-it-is-sought-most-of/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [If you need ownership and responsibility from core workers, patriarchy can't get you there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/if-you-need-ownership-and-responsibility-from-core-workers-patriarchy/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) > [We must establish a personal connection with each other. Connection before content. Without relatedness, no work can occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/we-must-establish-a-personal-connection-with-each-other-connection/) [Peter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) [Explore all 43 Peter Block quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To live our lives fully, to work whole heartily, to refuse directly what we can't swallow, to accepts the mystery in all matters of meaning- this is the ultimate adventure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Block" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-heartily-to-refuse-directly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-heartily-to-refuse-directly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/peter-block-15492_accepting_to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-he_1268016.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/peter-block-15492_accepting_to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-he_1268016.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/peter-block-15492_accepting_to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-he_1268016.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To live our lives fully, to work whole heartily, to refuse directly what we can't swallow, to accepts the…” — Peter Block", "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": "Peter Block", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-block/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To live our lives fully, to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-heartily-to-refuse-directly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-block/to-live-our-lives-fully-to-work-whole-heartily-to-refuse-directly/#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 } } ] } ```