--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They live ill who expect to live always." description: "\"They live ill who expect to live always.\" — Publilius Syrus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3a/publilius-syrus-594_expect_they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always_3201299.png" --- # They live ill who expect to live always. ![“They live ill who expect to live always.” quote by Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3a/publilius-syrus-594_expect_they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always_3201299.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3a/publilius-syrus-594_expect_they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always_3201299.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3a/publilius-syrus-594_expect_they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always_3201299.png) > “They live ill who expect to live always.” [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. People who constantly anticipate a perfect future neglect present reality and risk unhappiness. **In simple terms:** Expecting always leads to misery. Key Takeaway Live in the present, accept imperfection. Themes expectations contentment mindfulness Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - daily decisions - career planning - relationship expectations - health goals Key Concepts Stoicism fate human nature Questions to Reflect On - What expectations are you holding that cause stress? - How can you balance hope with realistic planning? A Different Perspective Over‑optimism can cause disappointment when reality falls short. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Life and death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-and-death/) ## Related quotes > [“You can live here as you expect to live there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/you-can-live-here-as-you-expect-to-live-there/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [He will live ill who does not know how to die well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-will-live-ill-who-does-not-know-how-to-die-well/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I can't really find a way to live with myself, I can't expect anyone else to live with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/if-i-can-t-really-find-a-way-to-live-with-myself-i-can-t-expect/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [You will die not because you're ill, but because you're alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/you-will-die-not-because-you-re-ill-but-because-you-re-alive/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [God grant that by my persevering labours I may bring a little stone to the frail and ill-assured edifice of our knowledge of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-pasteur/god-grant-that-by-my-persevering-labours-i-may-bring-a-little-stone/) [Louis Pasteur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-pasteur/) > [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/) > [“When I was young” … “Before I was twenty, I mean, I used to think that life was a thing that kept gaining impetus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/when-i-was-young-before-i-was-twenty-i-mean-i-used-to-think-that-life/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) > [“I assure you; while I look like a ghost, I'm no spirit or demon. I'm nothing but a girl struggling to make her way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanna-renee-hieber/i-assure-you-while-i-look-like-a-ghost-i-m-no-spirit-or-demon-i-m/) [Leanna Renee Hieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanna-renee-hieber/) > [I was born in Tyrone, 1956, for something I didn't do. I was innocent. But they gave me life. I still remember the midwife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcaleer/i-was-born-in-tyrone-1956-for-something-i-didn-t-do-i-was-innocent/) Kevin McAleer > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Wise people are able to give themselves gracefully to seemingly contradictory experiences, because they know that they belong to different seasons of life, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/wise-people-are-able-to-give-themselves-gracefully-to-seemingly/) [Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/) > [“So many people die with their dreams in their hands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rogers/so-many-people-die-with-their-dreams-in-their-hands/) [Alex Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rogers/) > [The eternal principle, which never was born, never will die: it is in all things: it is in you now. You are the wave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-eternal-principle-which-never-was-born-never-will-die-it-is-in/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/life-and-death-are-illusions-we-are-in-a-constant-state-of/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Life and death were so unpredictable. So close to each other. We existed moment to moment, never knowing who would be the next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/life-and-death-were-so-unpredictable-so-close-to-each-other-we/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## 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 Expect quotes > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you expect the worst from a person you can never be disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/if-you-expect-the-worst-from-a-person-you-can-never-be-disappointed/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [Beare with evill, and expect good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/beare-with-evill-and-expect-good/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/therefore-you-also-must-be-ready-for-the-son-of-man-is-coming-at-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People expect more and more every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-boosie/people-expect-more-and-more-every-time/) [Lil Boosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-boosie/) > [“Love is promising to give someone everything and not expect anything in return.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hart/love-is-promising-to-give-someone-everything-and-not-expect-anything/) [Emma Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hart/) > [I wanted to make a place for filmmakers and artists to come and 'do their stuff,' but I didn't expect it to have had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-anderson/i-wanted-to-make-a-place-for-filmmakers-and-artists-to-come-and-do/) [Tom Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-anderson/) > [Parents should have perfect control over their own spirits, and with mildness and yet firmness bend the will of the child until it shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/parents-should-have-perfect-control-over-their-own-spirits-and-with/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [“When you have a relationship with Jesus, you learn to expect something different everyday of your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mlungisi-simelane/when-you-have-a-relationship-with-jesus-you-learn-to-expect-something/) [Mlungisi Simelane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mlungisi-simelane/) > [I didn't expect I will get the Arjuna at 18 years. I thought 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/i-didn-t-expect-i-will-get-the-arjuna-at-18-years-i-thought-19/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Sometimes when you least expect it, hope wiggles into your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-plourde/sometimes-when-you-least-expect-it-hope-wiggles-into-your-heart/) [Lynn Plourde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-plourde/) > [I laid my life on the line, so I expect nothing less from you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-day-to-remember/i-laid-my-life-on-the-line-so-i-expect-nothing-less-from-you/) [A Day To Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-day-to-remember/) Browse all 2,143 Expect quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They live ill who expect to live always.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Publilius Syrus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Expect" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3a/publilius-syrus-594_expect_they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always_3201299.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3a/publilius-syrus-594_expect_they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always_3201299.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3a/publilius-syrus-594_expect_they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always_3201299.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They live ill who expect to live always.” — 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": "They live ill who expect to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/they-live-ill-who-expect-to-live-always/#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 } } ] } ```