--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We ought to live each day as though it…" description: "\"“We ought to live each day as though it were our last day here below. But if I did, alas, I know it would have killed me long ago.”\" — Piet Hein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/piet-hein-26749_foresight_we-ought-to-live-each-day-as-though-it-w_14071.jpg" --- # We ought to live each day as though it were our last day… ![“We ought to live each day as though it were our last day here below. But if I did, alas, I know it would have killed me long ago.” quote by Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/piet-hein-26749_foresight_we-ought-to-live-each-day-as-though-it-w_14071.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/piet-hein-26749_foresight_we-ought-to-live-each-day-as-though-it-w_14071.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/piet-hein-26749_foresight_we-ought-to-live-each-day-as-though-it-w_14071.jpg) > ““We ought to live each day as though it were our last day here below. But if I did, alas, I know it would have killed me long ago.”” [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A paradoxical reflection on the tension between living fully in the present and the self-preserving instinct that prevents us from fully embracing mortality. **In simple terms:** Living fully vs. self‑preservation Key Takeaway Balance urgency with survival Themes mortality mindfulness paradox human nature existentialism Mood thoughtful melancholic reflective Type aphorism philosophical quote When to use this quote - contemplating daily purpose - risk‑taking decisions - overcoming fear of death Key Concepts present‑moment awareness psychological resilience life urgency Practical Applications - motivational coaching - philosophical writing Questions to Reflect On - How does fear of death shape daily choices? - Can urgency be cultivated without self‑destruction? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Foresight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foresight/) [Killed Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killed-long-376351/) [Know Killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-killed-376352/) [Last day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-day/) [Live Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-day/) [Live each day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-each-day/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Ought Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-live-376350/) ## Related quotes > [Do your best every day. Live each day as if it's your masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/do-your-best-every-day-live-each-day-as-if-it-s-your-masterpiece/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [I don't have any regrets because I'm very optimistic, and live each day as though it's the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-don-t-have-any-regrets-because-i-m-very-optimistic-and-live-each/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [“Live each day as if it is your last. Most days you will be wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/live-each-day-as-if-it-is-your-last-most-days-you-will-be-wrong/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Live each day as if it were the last day of your life because, so far, it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/live-each-day-as-if-it-were-the-last-day-of-your-life-because-so-far/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [Live each day as if was your last, not in the future, not in the past. You may not get what you want, but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/live-each-day-as-if-was-your-last-not-in-the-future-not-in-the-past/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [Live each day like it's a new challenge, don't let the obstacles of yesterday stop you from moving forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/live-each-day-like-it-s-a-new-challenge-don-t-let-the-obstacles-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Live each day as if it were your last, for one day, you're sure to be right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-g-ross/live-each-day-as-if-it-were-your-last-for-one-day-you-re-sure-to-be/) [Kenneth G. Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-g-ross/) > [Winners live each day as if their last. Not in the future, nor in the past, and someday . . . becomes now!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/winners-live-each-day-as-if-their-last-not-in-the-future-nor-in-the/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [Live! Don't just Exist!!! Don't drag through Life...Live each day as a Celebration.-RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/live-don-t-just-exist-don-t-drag-through-life-live-each-day-as-a/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [“Live each day and close your eyes each night with the knowledge that you’ve spent the hours well. That’s all any of us can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-sherrard/live-each-day-and-close-your-eyes-each-night-with-the-knowledge-that/) [Valerie Sherrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-sherrard/) > [Live for the moment not by the past Homie live each day like it's your last](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/live-for-the-moment-not-by-the-past-homie-live-each-day-like-it-s/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [“Live each day as if it were the first day of marriage and the last day of vacation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknown-author-47/live-each-day-as-if-it-were-the-first-day-of-marriage-and-the-last/) [Unknown Author 47](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknown-author-47/) > [Live each day like its your last don't take anything for granted because you never know when God decides it's your time. You only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/live-each-day-like-its-your-last-don-t-take-anything-for-granted/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Live each day as if it were your last, and you’ll develop a keen respect for opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/live-each-day-as-if-it-were-your-last-and-you-ll-develop-a-keen/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“live each day as if it were my last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/live-each-day-as-if-it-were-my-last/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More by Piet Hein > [“After all, what is art? Art is the creative process and it goes through all fields. Einstein’s theory of relativity – now that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/after-all-what-is-art-art-is-the-creative-process-and-it-goes-through/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [Nature, our father and mother, gave us all we have got. The state, our elder brother, swipes the lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/nature-our-father-and-mother-gave-us-all-we-have-got-the-state-our/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“Nobody can be lucky all the time, so when your luck deserts you in some fashion don't think you've been abandoned in your prime,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/nobody-can-be-lucky-all-the-time-so-when-your-luck-deserts-you-in/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“Losing one glove is certainly painful, but nothing compared to the pain, of losing one, throwing away the other, and finding the first one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/losing-one-glove-is-certainly-painful-but-nothing-compared-to-the/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“Put up in a place where it is easy to see the cryptic admonishment T.T.T When you feel how depressingly slowly you climb it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/put-up-in-a-place-where-it-is-easy-to-see-the-cryptic-admonishment-t/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“It isn't enough to exasperate others. You have to remember to gladden yourself!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/it-isn-t-enough-to-exasperate-others-you-have-to-remember-to-gladden/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“MEETING THE EYE You'll probably find that it suits your book to be a bit cleverer than you look. Observe that the easiest method…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/meeting-the-eye-you-ll-probably-find-that-it-suits-your-book-to-be-a/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“A WORD TO THE WISE Let the world pass in its time-ridden race; never get caught in its snare. Remember, the only acceptable case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/a-word-to-the-wise-let-the-world-pass-in-its-time-ridden-race-never/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“I'd like to know what this whole show is all about before it's out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/i-d-like-to-know-what-this-whole-show-is-all-about-before-it-s-out/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“TIMING TOAST Grook on how to char for yourself There's an art of knowing when. Never try to guess. Toast until it smokes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/timing-toast-grook-on-how-to-char-for-yourself-there-s-an-art-of/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“It ought to be plain how little you gain by getting excited and vexed. You'll always be late for the previous train, and always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/it-ought-to-be-plain-how-little-you-gain-by-getting-excited-and-vexed/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“Knowing what Thou knowest not Is in a sense Omniscience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/knowing-what-thou-knowest-not-is-in-a-sense-omniscience/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“Hvis man regner med belønning for sin godhed, er det ikke godhed, men beregning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/hvis-man-regner-med-bel-nning-for-sin-godhed-er-det-ikke-godhed-men/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“MAKING AN EFFORT Our so-called limitations, I believe, apply to faculties we don't apply. We don't discover what we can't achieve until we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/making-an-effort-our-so-called-limitations-i-believe-apply-to/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [“Art is solving problems that cannot be formulated before they have been solved. The shaping of the question is part of the answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/art-is-solving-problems-that-cannot-be-formulated-before-they-have/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) [Explore all 21 Piet Hein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) ## More Foresight quotes > [Often a certain abdication of prudence and foresight is an element of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/often-a-certain-abdication-of-prudence-and-foresight-is-an-element-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-superpowers-often-behave-like-two-heavily-armed-blind-men-feeling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Visionary companies make some of their best moves by experimentation, trial and error, opportunism, and—quite literally—accident. What looks in retrospect like brilliant foresight and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-collins/visionary-companies-make-some-of-their-best-moves-by-experimentation/) [Jim Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-collins/) > [Through my time in the military and my deployments, I have recognized the importance of having a Commander in Chief who will not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/through-my-time-in-the-military-and-my-deployments-i-have-recognized/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [“Systemic disruption requires us to accept that there may be no measurable data to fully substantiate our understanding of those disruptions. Imaging and exploring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spitz/systemic-disruption-requires-us-to-accept-that-there-may-be-no/) [Roger Spitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spitz/) > [One way of building private foresight out of public data is looking where others aren't ... if you want to see the future, go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/one-way-of-building-private-foresight-out-of-public-data-is-looking/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [One can have only as much preparation as he has foresight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/one-can-have-only-as-much-preparation-as-he-has-foresight/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [What a curious picture it is to find man, homo sapiens, of divine origin, we are told, seriously considering going underground to escape the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/what-a-curious-picture-it-is-to-find-man-homo-sapiens-of-divine/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [We can predict the present without having to know everything about the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-barrow/we-can-predict-the-present-without-having-to-know-everything-about/) [John D. Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-barrow/) > [“Vision is the foresight or forecast or insight into the future. Vision is the picture of one's destiny or accomplishment, or simply what a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/vision-is-the-foresight-or-forecast-or-insight-into-the-future-vision/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“I can foreseen the fulfillment of my the visions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/i-can-foreseen-the-fulfillment-of-my-the-visions/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Reality looks much more obvious in hindsight than in foresight. People who experience hindsight bias misapply current hindsight to past foresight. They perceive events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hersh-shefrin/reality-looks-much-more-obvious-in-hindsight-than-in-foresight-people/) [Hersh Shefrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hersh-shefrin/) > [This antitrust thing will blow over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/this-antitrust-thing-will-blow-over/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“Where is the good of planning upon an "if?" To trust is to get ready, uncle says. Trust is better than foresight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/where-is-the-good-of-planning-upon-an-if-to-trust-is-to-get-ready/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In respect to foresight and firmness, the people are more prudent, more stable, and have better judgement than princes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/in-respect-to-foresight-and-firmness-the-people-are-more-prudent-more/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) [Browse all 252 Foresight quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foresight/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We ought to live each day as though it were our last day here below. 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