--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A life that is planned is a closed life…" description: "\"A life that is planned is a closed life, my friend. It can be endured but it cannot be lived.\" — Robert Donat" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/robert-donat-82563_decision_a-life-that-is-planned-is-a-closed-life_1438980.png" --- # A life that is planned is a closed life, my friend. It can… ![“A life that is planned is a closed life, my friend. It can be endured but it cannot be lived.” quote by Robert Donat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/robert-donat-82563_decision_a-life-that-is-planned-is-a-closed-life_1438980.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/robert-donat-82563_decision_a-life-that-is-planned-is-a-closed-life_1438980.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/robert-donat-82563_decision_a-life-that-is-planned-is-a-closed-life_1438980.png) > “A life that is planned is a closed life, my friend. It can be endured but it cannot be lived.” Robert Donat ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A strictly planned life may be bearable but lacks the vitality of truly living; spontaneity is essential. **In simple terms:** Planned life is safe but not fully lived. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and spontaneity. Themes philosophy life planning spontaneity freedom Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism risk taking authentic living Questions to Reflect On - What risks do you avoid by planning? - How can you balance structure with spontaneity? A Different Perspective Over‑planning can provide security and reduce anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [Life is not just something to be endured. It is to be lived in joy, in a fullness without limit (p.82)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-holmes/life-is-not-just-something-to-be-endured-it-is-to-be-lived-in-joy-in/) [Ernest Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-holmes/) > [Italians have a very closed life. Football is all their life is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianfranco-zola/italians-have-a-very-closed-life-football-is-all-their-life-is/) [Gianfranco Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianfranco-zola/) > [“The point is, live has to be endured, and lived. But how to live it is the problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/the-point-is-live-has-to-be-endured-and-lived-but-how-to-live-it-is/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [You show me a perfect person and I'll show you somebody who has lived a very closed life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/you-show-me-a-perfect-person-and-i-ll-show-you-somebody-who-has-lived/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [“Life is planned with one principle objective to make you do all the particular things you particularly don't want to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/life-is-planned-with-one-principle-objective-to-make-you-do-all-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [No, my entire life is planned. It's called time management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/no-my-entire-life-is-planned-it-s-called-time-management/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I had my whole life planned.. I knew exactly where it was taking me..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/i-had-my-whole-life-planned-i-knew-exactly-where-it-was-taking-me/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Sometimes we have to let go of the life we have planned, to have the life that is waiting for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-we-have-to-let-go-of-the-life-we-have-planned-to-have-the/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Our life may be planned for us, but we are wholly responsible for how that life is lived. Are you going to be angry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-ernst/our-life-may-be-planned-for-us-but-we-are-wholly-responsible-for-how/) Dee Ernst > [“You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/you-must-give-up-the-life-you-planned-in-order-to-have-the-life-that/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [I used to think lif had a plan fo me but then I realized life had to be planned by me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricki-moreno/i-used-to-think-lif-had-a-plan-fo-me-but-then-i-realized-life-had-to/) Ricki Moreno > [God already had your life planned out you just gotta do your part which is walking your journey to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-already-had-your-life-planned-out-you-just-gotta-do-your-part/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every experience I have had in my life has never been one that I have planned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shamita-shetty/every-experience-i-have-had-in-my-life-has-never-been-one-that-i-have/) [Shamita Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shamita-shetty/) > [“Don't live the life you planned. Live the life you never imagined.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/don-t-live-the-life-you-planned-live-the-life-you-never-imagined/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“thirty-three, her big day was almost upon her. In just a couple of days, she too would be a princess; a princess for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-gould/thirty-three-her-big-day-was-almost-upon-her-in-just-a-couple-of-days/) Simon Gould ## More by Robert Donat > [. . . a pity I never had children. But you're wrong. . . . I have . . . thousands of them . . . thousands of them . . . and all boys!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-donat/a-pity-i-never-had-children-but-you-re-wrong-i-have-thousands-of-them/) Robert Donat > [I never had any real security in my life until I found the false security of stardom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-donat/i-never-had-any-real-security-in-my-life-until-i-found-the-false/) Robert Donat Explore all 3 Robert Donat quotes ## More Decision quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) [Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A life that is planned is a closed life, my friend. 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