--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It matters not how long you live, but how…" description: "\"It matters not how long you live, but how well.\" — Publilius Syrus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/publilius-syrus-594_life_it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how_2134603.png" --- # It matters not how long you live, but how well. ![“It matters not how long you live, but how well.” quote by Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/publilius-syrus-594_life_it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how_2134603.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/publilius-syrus-594_life_it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how_2134603.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/publilius-syrus-594_life_it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how_2134603.png) > “It matters not how long you live, but how well.” [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Quality of life matters more than its length, emphasizing virtue over longevity. **In simple terms:** Live well, not long. Key Takeaway Focus on meaningful actions. Themes virtue legacy life purpose Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal health - career impact - relationships - community service Key Concepts ethics human flourishing Questions to Reflect On - How can you measure a well-lived life? - What actions reflect a good life? A Different Perspective Longevity can still matter for experience and mentorship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-live/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters/) [Matters Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters-long-882026/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [It matters not how long we live but how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/it-matters-not-how-long-we-live-but-how/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [In the great scheme of things, what matters is not how long you live but why you live, what you stand for and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/in-the-great-scheme-of-things-what-matters-is-not-how-long-you-live/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I have been sitting around waiting for an opportunity to get to do something that matters for so long. Not just that matters in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-paulson/i-have-been-sitting-around-waiting-for-an-opportunity-to-get-to-do/) [Sarah Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-paulson/) > [Really, what matters in the long run is sticking with things and working daily to get better at them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/really-what-matters-in-the-long-run-is-sticking-with-things-and/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [We each have our lives... What matters is not how long those lives last, but what we do with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/we-each-have-our-lives-what-matters-is-not-how-long-those-lives-last/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [Nothing else matters so much as long as you can come home and be with your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dempsey/nothing-else-matters-so-much-as-long-as-you-can-come-home-and-be-with/) [Patrick Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dempsey/) > [The day is committed to error and floundering; success and achievement are matters of long range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-day-is-committed-to-error-and-floundering-success-and-achievement/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [As it is with a play, so it is with life, what matters is not how long the acting lasts, but how good it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-it-is-with-a-play-so-it-is-with-life-what-matters-is-not-how-long/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing matters as long as you are kind and authentic. If you are, then you did your best, and that is all you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-forbes/nothing-matters-as-long-as-you-are-kind-and-authentic-if-you-are-then/) [China Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-forbes/) > [Castles may crumble. Dreams may not come true. But none of it matters as long as I'm with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/castles-may-crumble-dreams-may-not-come-true-but-none-of-it-matters/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The will is what matters---as long as you have that, you are safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/the-will-is-what-matters-as-long-as-you-have-that-you-are-safe/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [“It's not how long you live that matters. It's what you live for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-s-not-how-long-you-live-that-matters-it-s-what-you-live-for/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I realized pretty much everything I did wrong with 'Long Live the Kane' and went right back in and did 'It's a Big Daddy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-daddy-kane/i-realized-pretty-much-everything-i-did-wrong-with-long-live-the-kane/) [Big Daddy Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-daddy-kane/) > [In doubtful matters boldness is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/in-doubtful-matters-boldness-is-everything/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [To give importance to trifling matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/to-give-importance-to-trifling-matters/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) ## More by Publilius Syrus > [Even speed, when we are anxious, seems like delay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/even-speed-when-we-are-anxious-seems-like-delay/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The coward regards himself as cautious, the miser as thrifty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-coward-regards-himself-as-cautious-the-miser-as-thrifty/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [It is his nature, not his standing, that makes the good man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-his-nature-not-his-standing-that-makes-the-good-man/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [It is more tolerable to be refused than deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-more-tolerable-to-be-refused-than-deceived/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Modesty once lost, never returns into favour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/modesty-once-lost-never-returns-into-favour/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [One ungrateful person does an injury to all needy people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/one-ungrateful-person-does-an-injury-to-all-needy-people/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [He has existed only, not lived, who lacks wisdom in old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/he-has-existed-only-not-lived-who-lacks-wisdom-in-old-age/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Any plan is bad which is incapable of modification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/any-plan-is-bad-which-is-incapable-of-modification/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The evil you do to others you may expect in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-evil-you-do-to-others-you-may-expect-in-return/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The power of habit is very strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-power-of-habit-is-very-strong/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Take care that no one hates you justly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/take-care-that-no-one-hates-you-justly/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Poverty wants much; but avarice, everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/poverty-wants-much-but-avarice-everything/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [He who has plenty of pepper will pepper his cabbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/he-who-has-plenty-of-pepper-will-pepper-his-cabbage/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Hasty conclusions lead to speedy repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/hasty-conclusions-lead-to-speedy-repentance/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [When reason rules, money is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/when-reason-rules-money-is-a-blessing/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) [Explore all 455 Publilius Syrus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It matters not how long you live, but how well.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Publilius Syrus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/publilius-syrus-594_life_it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how_2134603.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/publilius-syrus-594_life_it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how_2134603.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cf/publilius-syrus-594_life_it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how_2134603.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It matters not how long you live, but how well.” — Publilius Syrus", "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": "Publilius Syrus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It matters not how long you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-matters-not-how-long-you-live-but-how-well/#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 } } ] } ```