---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I will go, he said to himself. Before I…"
description: "\"“I will go, he said to himself. Before I die I'll see Mars.”\" — Philip K. Dick"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/add/philip-k-dick-502_mars_i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-di_2374189.jpg"
---

#  I will go, he said to himself. Before I die I'll see Mars.

![“I will go, he said to himself. Before I die I'll see Mars.” quote by Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/add/philip-k-dick-502_mars_i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-di_2374189.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/add/philip-k-dick-502_mars_i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-di_2374189.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/add/philip-k-dick-502_mars_i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-di_2374189.jpg)

> ““I will go, he said to himself. Before I die I'll see Mars.””

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

## About This Quote

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

A desire for exploration persists even in the face of death, driving one to seek the unknown.

**In simple terms:** Seek the unknown even when dying.

Key Takeaway

Pursue curiosity despite fear.

Themes

exploration mortality determination

Mood

introspective determined

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- space travel
- personal ambition
- final moments

Key Concepts

existentialism adventure science fiction

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives you to seek beyond limits?
- Is it healthy to chase dreams at life’s end?

A Different Perspective

Obsessive pursuit can ignore present responsibilities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ll Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ll-mars-5858094/) [Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mars/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-die-500333/)

## Related quotes

> [“So you want to have gone to Mars. Very good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/so-you-want-to-have-gone-to-mars-very-good/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [Okay,So I went to someone,trying to get help with my cutting and this guy said ''My support is keep cutting your life is shit!''…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/okay-so-i-went-to-someone-trying-to-get-help-with-my-cutting-and-this/)

[Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/)

> [“I wouldn't have left you like that. Not like she did to me." I swallow hard. "She always said I'd die without her and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-summers/i-wouldn-t-have-left-you-like-that-not-like-she-did-to-me-i-swallow/)

[Courtney Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-summers/)

> [When we were together, you always said you'd die for me. Now that we broke up I think it's time you kept your promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-were-together-you-always-said-you-d-die-for-me-now-that-we/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“When I said I should die in your service with pleasure, I intended to live in it many long years; since, to tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-gregory-lewis/when-i-said-i-should-die-in-your-service-with-pleasure-i-intended-to/)

[Matthew Gregory Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-gregory-lewis/)

> [As Beckett said, it's not enough to die, one has to be forgotten as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/as-beckett-said-it-s-not-enough-to-die-one-has-to-be-forgotten-as-well/)

[John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/)

> [How did the hearing go?” she asked. “We won, sort of,” Kaldar said. “We die at dawn.” “The court gave the Sheeriles twenty-four hours,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/how-did-the-hearing-go-she-asked-we-won-sort-of-kaldar-said-we-die-at/)

[Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/)

> [“I said, “Show me what to do.” He said, Die. I said, “The water has turned into oil.” He said, Die. I said, “I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-said-show-me-what-to-do-he-said-die-i-said-the-water-has-turned/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [“I asked Phil Prentiss what he would do if they never got a baby and he said they’d die with a lot of excess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/i-asked-phil-prentiss-what-he-would-do-if-they-never-got-a-baby-and/)

[Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/)

> [“You know," my father said sprinkling nutmeg on his brandy Alexander, "if you sniff too much nutmeg, you could die." "You can die from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/you-know-my-father-said-sprinkling-nutmeg-on-his-brandy-alexander-if/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [“You don't think well of any of us, do you?" Harry said. "I'd die for you, for any one of you. Isn't that enough?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rieger/you-don-t-think-well-of-any-of-us-do-you-harry-said-i-d-die-for-you/)

[Susan Rieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rieger/)

> [Me and my gun took and oath together. Said I would never die, if we both together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/me-and-my-gun-took-and-oath-together-said-i-would-never-die-if-we/)

[Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/)

> [I want to live," he said, "So I have to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-want-to-live-he-said-so-i-have-to-die/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“We have still not had a death. A person does not belong to a place until there is someone dead under the ground." he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/we-have-still-not-had-a-death-a-person-does-not-belong-to-a-place/)

[Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/)

> [When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-i-said-i-would-die-a-bachelor-i-did-not-think-i-should-live-till/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

## More by Philip K. Dick

> [So we and our elaborately evolving computers may meet each other halfway. Someday a human being, named perhaps Fred White, may shoot a robot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/so-we-and-our-elaborately-evolving-computers-may-meet-each-other/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [Even if all life on our planet is destroyed, there must be other life somewhere which we know nothing of. It is impossible that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/even-if-all-life-on-our-planet-is-destroyed-there-must-be-other-life/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [“That is not how you do it; you do not solve one problem with another, greater problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/that-is-not-how-you-do-it-you-do-not-solve-one-problem-with-another/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [For each person there is a sentence—a series of words—which has the power to destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/for-each-person-there-is-a-sentence-a-series-of-words-which-has-the/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [I want to write about people I love, and put them into a fictional world spun out of my own mind, not the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-want-to-write-about-people-i-love-and-put-them-into-a-fictional/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [Why does a man cry? he wondered. Not like a woman; not for that. Not for sentiment. A man cries over the loss of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/why-does-a-man-cry-he-wondered-not-like-a-woman-not-for-that-not-for/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [The day came. The wrath descended. Sin, guilt, and retribution? The manic psychoses of those entities we referred to as states, institutions, systems -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-day-came-the-wrath-descended-sin-guilt-and-retribution-the-manic/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [The church of my choice is the free, open world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-church-of-my-choice-is-the-free-open-world/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [“I see,' Rick said. He felt numb. Completely. Throughout his entire body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-see-rick-said-he-felt-numb-completely-throughout-his-entire-body/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [“What is identity? he asked himself. Where does the act end? Nobody knows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-is-identity-he-asked-himself-where-does-the-act-end-nobody-knows/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [You're killing yourself with cynicism. Your idols got taken away from you one by one and now you have nothing to give your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-re-killing-yourself-with-cynicism-your-idols-got-taken-away-from/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [What scared me the most was when my father would put on the gasmask. His face would disappear... This was not a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-scared-me-the-most-was-when-my-father-would-put-on-the-gasmask/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [“A man is an angel that has become deranged, Joe Fernwright thought. Once they – all of them – had been genuine angels, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/a-man-is-an-angel-that-has-become-deranged-joe-fernwright-thought/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [“When do I see a photograph, when a reflection?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/when-do-i-see-a-photograph-when-a-reflection/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [My major preoccupation is the question, 'What is reality?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/my-major-preoccupation-is-the-question-what-is-reality/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

[Explore all 489 Philip K. Dick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

## More Mars quotes

> [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [“Mars looks like Vegas without the casinos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-neill/mars-looks-like-vegas-without-the-casinos/)

[Sam Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-neill/)

> [We do need different types of propulsion to get to Mars. I wrote one of the first Ph.D. theses on that in the 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-do-need-different-types-of-propulsion-to-get-to-mars-i-wrote-one/)

[Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/)

> [Evil may mar the divine image and cloud its brilliance, but it cannot destroy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/evil-may-mar-the-divine-image-and-cloud-its-brilliance-but-it-cannot/)

[R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/)

> [3 people get stranded on a remote Island A Banker, a Daily Mail reader &amp; an Asylum seeker All they have to eat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-brookmyre/3-people-get-stranded-on-a-remote-island-a-banker-a-daily-mail-reader/)

[Christopher Brookmyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-brookmyre/)

> [In our time, we have sifted the sands of Mars, we have established a presence there, we have fulfilled a century of dreams!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/in-our-time-we-have-sifted-the-sands-of-mars-we-have-established-a/)

[Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/)

> [I'm absolutely compelled for NASA to send international astronauts to Mars to find out if Mars ever harbored life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-grunsfeld/i-m-absolutely-compelled-for-nasa-to-send-international-astronauts-to/)

[John M. Grunsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-grunsfeld/)

> [Whether Earth was deliberately terraformed, in other words, or whether it was seeded with the spores of life from crashed comets or whether, indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hancock/whether-earth-was-deliberately-terraformed-in-other-words-or-whether/)

[Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hancock/)

> [I would suspect strongly that over a period of time, if we put our mind to going to Mars, it will be a consortium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lovell/i-would-suspect-strongly-that-over-a-period-of-time-if-we-put-our/)

[Jim Lovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lovell/)

> [Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids, in fact it's cold as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/mars-ain-t-the-kind-of-place-to-raise-your-kids-in-fact-it-s-cold-as/)

[Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/)

> [Atheism can benefit no class of people; neither the unfortunate, whom it bereaves of hope, nor the prosperous, whose joys it renders insipid, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-ois-ren-de-chateaubriand/atheism-can-benefit-no-class-of-people-neither-the-unfortunate-whom/)

[François-René de Chateaubriand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-ois-ren-de-chateaubriand/)

> [The story seems to be that almost every star has a planetary system... and, also, the definition of 'habitable zone' has expanded. In our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-drake/the-story-seems-to-be-that-almost-every-star-has-a-planetary-system/)

[Frank Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-drake/)

> [ \[On President Bush's plan to get to Mars in 10 years\] Stupid. Robots would do a better job and be much cheaper because you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/on-president-bush-s-plan-to-get-to-mars-in-10-years-stupid-robots/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [A mystery is a problem that encroaches upon itself because the questioner becomes the object of the question. Getting to Mars is a problem.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-marcel/a-mystery-is-a-problem-that-encroaches-upon-itself-because-the/)

[Gabriel Marcel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-marcel/)

> [Malaria is a disease that kills one to three million people a year. 300 to 500 million cases are reported. It's estimated that Africa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/malaria-is-a-disease-that-kills-one-to-three-million-people-a-year/)

[Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/)

[Browse all 878 Mars quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mars/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I will go, he said to himself. Before I die I'll see Mars.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Philip K. Dick"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-die-i-ll-see-mars/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Mars"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-die-i-ll-see-mars/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/add/philip-k-dick-502_mars_i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-di_2374189.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/add/philip-k-dick-502_mars_i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-di_2374189.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/add/philip-k-dick-502_mars_i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-di_2374189.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I will go, he said to himself. Before I die I'll see Mars.” — Philip K. Dick",
                "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": "Philip K. Dick",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I will go, he said to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-die-i-ll-see-mars/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-will-go-he-said-to-himself-before-i-die-i-ll-see-mars/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
