--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not how long you live that matters…" description: "\"“It's not how long you live that matters. It's what you live for.”\" — Rick Riordan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd8/rick-riordan-27_long_it-s-not-how-long-you-live-that-matters_680079.jpg" --- # It's not how long you live that matters. It's what you… ![“It's not how long you live that matters. It's what you live for.” quote by Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd8/rick-riordan-27_long_it-s-not-how-long-you-live-that-matters_680079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd8/rick-riordan-27_long_it-s-not-how-long-you-live-that-matters_680079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd8/rick-riordan-27_long_it-s-not-how-long-you-live-that-matters_680079.jpg) > ““It's not how long you live that matters. It's what you live for.”” [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s value is measured by purpose, not lifespan. **In simple terms:** Purpose matters more than length. Key Takeaway Focus on meaningful goals. Themes purpose life meaning legacy Mood inspirational hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - personal projects - volunteering - health decisions Key Concepts existentialism motivation Questions to Reflect On - What purpose drives you daily? - How can you align actions with that purpose? A Different Perspective May downplay health concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“It's not how long you live for that matters. It's what you live for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-s-not-how-long-you-live-for-that-matters-it-s-what-you-live-for/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“It’s not how long you live that matters, it’s how well you live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/it-s-not-how-long-you-live-that-matters-it-s-how-well-you-live/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [It doesn't matter much where you live. It only matters how well you live when you're there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-doesn-t-matter-much-where-you-live-it-only-matters-how-well-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What you believe, what you value, how you live, matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/what-you-believe-what-you-value-how-you-live-matters/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [It is not what you say that matters. It is what you are and how you live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-caddy/it-is-not-what-you-say-that-matters-it-is-what-you-are-and-how-you/) [Eileen Caddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-caddy/) > [Its not what we have in life, but who we have in our live that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ejaz-d-roxtar/its-not-what-we-have-in-life-but-who-we-have-in-our-live-that-matters/) [Ejaz D RoxTar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ejaz-d-roxtar/) > [“The only thing that matters is we are here to live our lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-only-thing-that-matters-is-we-are-here-to-live-our-lives/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“It doesn't matter how old you are," Lila said. "What matters is how you live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anat-talshir/it-doesn-t-matter-how-old-you-are-lila-said-what-matters-is-how-you/) [Anat Talshir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anat-talshir/) > [“I know who I am, and I know who you are, and nothing else matters. it's how we live our life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tal-mcthenia/i-know-who-i-am-and-i-know-who-you-are-and-nothing-else-matters-it-s/) Tal McThenia > [It ain’t dying I’m talking about, it’s living. I doubt it matters where you die, but it matters where you live.” ~spoken by Augustus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/it-ain-t-dying-i-m-talking-about-it-s-living-i-doubt-it-matters-where-2/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [“It ain’t dying I’m talking about, it’s living. 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Love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/oh-dear-hazel-aphrodite-folded-her-fan-such-optimism-yet-you-have/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“He started toward the entrance. Seriously, how could he not? He stopped when he noticed the girl. She was kneeling in her vegetable garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-started-toward-the-entrance-seriously-how-could-he-not-he-stopped/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Hercules used noise! Brass bells! He scared them away with the most horrible sound he could-" said Percy "Percy... Chiron's collection!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hercules-used-noise-brass-bells-he-scared-them-away-with-the-most/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“When you take someone’s hand and lead them to Valhalla, you get a glimpse into their soul.” “Did that happen when you took me?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/when-you-take-someone-s-hand-and-lead-them-to-valhalla-you-get-a/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“he didn’t look as good as Piper had last night after she’d suddenly been transformed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-didn-t-look-as-good-as-piper-had-last-night-after-she-d-suddenly/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [There’s my baby!” I cried, quite carried away. “There’s my Poochiekins!” Ammit ran at me and leaped into my arms, nuzzling me with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/there-s-my-baby-i-cried-quite-carried-away-there-s-my-poochiekins/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Leo plunked the cheese wheel in front of me. "Cut me a wedge of this, my good ma. Chop-chop!" I scowled at him. "Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/leo-plunked-the-cheese-wheel-in-front-of-me-cut-me-a-wedge-of-this-my/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [It's all still about having a good story. You have to have a good story as your anchor, as your main focus. So for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-s-all-still-about-having-a-good-story-you-have-to-have-a-good/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I disobeyed Ra's wishes, and so he ordered my onw father, Shu-" "Hang on," I said. "Shoe?" "S-h-u," she said. "The god of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-disobeyed-ra-s-wishes-and-so-he-ordered-my-onw-father-shu-hang-on-i/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Nico knelt and picked it up. He regarded Jason, as if waiting for an attack. "If the others found out-" "If the others found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/nico-knelt-and-picked-it-up-he-regarded-jason-as-if-waiting-for-an/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/wouldn-t-that-put-a-twist-in-your-toga/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [ \[Hazel\] hissed in frustration. 'I hate eidolons. I thought Piper made them promise to stay away.' 'Oh...' Frank said, like he'd just had his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hazel-hissed-in-frustration-i-hate-eidolons-i-thought-piper-made-them/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) [Explore all 2,993 Rick Riordan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) ## More Long quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [Contradictory precepts that have guided me for as long as I can remember: 1: I will live forever. 2: I will die tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/contradictory-precepts-that-have-guided-me-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) Browse all 39,551 Long quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's not how long you live that matters. 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