--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is like a maze in which you try to…" description: "\"Life is like a maze in which you try to avoid the exit.\" — Roger von Oech" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/roger-von-oech-19159_exit_life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to_1652595.jpg" --- # Life is like a maze in which you try to avoid the exit. ![“Life is like a maze in which you try to avoid the exit.” quote by Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/roger-von-oech-19159_exit_life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to_1652595.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/roger-von-oech-19159_exit_life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to_1652595.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/roger-von-oech-19159_exit_life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to_1652595.jpg) > “Life is like a maze in which you try to avoid the exit.” [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is presented as a maze where the goal is to avoid the exit, suggesting we often fear reaching conclusions or endings. **In simple terms:** Life feels like a maze where we avoid endings. Key Takeaway Embrace endings as part of growth. Themes fear avoidance life journey Mood anxious reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationship endings - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts psychology existentialism paradox Questions to Reflect On - What exits are you avoiding? - How might embracing an ending open new possibilities? A Different Perspective Avoiding exits can stall progress and cause stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoid Exit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-exit-668792/) [Exit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exit/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Life is like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-like/) [Like Maze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-maze-598075/) [Maze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maze/) [Maze Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maze-try-668793/) [Mazes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mazes/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [When I was in New York it was like a maze, a rat maze, going from one little box to another little box and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-conner/when-i-was-in-new-york-it-was-like-a-maze-a-rat-maze-going-from-one/) [Bruce Conner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-conner/) > [I always find myself gravitating to the analogy of a maze. Think of film noir and if you picture the story as a maze,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/i-always-find-myself-gravitating-to-the-analogy-of-a-maze-think-of/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [Life is like a maze, you have to go through different things to get to where you want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-a-maze-you-have-to-go-through-different-things-to-get-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is like a maze we have the same goal to get the way out, but we have different struggles and ways to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-malabago/life-is-like-a-maze-we-have-the-same-goal-to-get-the-way-out-but-we/) [Regina Malabago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-malabago/) > [Life is like a maze. There's a start and a finish you just have to find your way out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-a-maze-there-s-a-start-and-a-finish-you-just-have-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love Is Like A Maze , You Make Right Turns & You Make Wrong Turns But At The End Of The Day You Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teejay-coleman/love-is-like-a-maze-you-make-right-turns-you-make-wrong-turns-but-at/) [TeeJay Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teejay-coleman/) > [Love is like a maze: Confusing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-a-maze-confusing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My life is like a maze inside an empty square.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-t-hincks/my-life-is-like-a-maze-inside-an-empty-square/) [Anthony T. Hincks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-t-hincks/) > [“Life is like a maze of doors and then all open on the side you're on. Just keep on pushing hard, boy, try as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/life-is-like-a-maze-of-doors-and-then-all-open-on-the-side-you-re-on/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [Life is like a maze in a corn field. You can see how to get out from the top view. But while you're in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keshia-m-williams/life-is-like-a-maze-in-a-corn-field-you-can-see-how-to-get-out-from/) [Keshia M Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keshia-m-williams/) > [Feels like I'm in a maze, every time I turn a corner & think it's almost over, I run into a wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/feels-like-i-m-in-a-maze-every-time-i-turn-a-corner-think-it-s-almost/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [Life is a maze of doors and they all open from the side you're on. Just keep on pushing hard boy, try as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/life-is-a-maze-of-doors-and-they-all-open-from-the-side-you-re-on/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [There are so many things hinted at that will be fun to reveal in depth. For years, fans have made it abundantly and enthusiastically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/there-are-so-many-things-hinted-at-that-will-be-fun-to-reveal-in/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [A mighty maze! But not without a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/a-mighty-maze-but-not-without-a-plan/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) ## More by Roger von Oech > [Either you let your life slip away by not doing the things you want to do, or you get up & do them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/either-you-let-your-life-slip-away-by-not-doing-the-things-you-want/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [Most brilliance arises from ordinary people working together in extraordinary ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/most-brilliance-arises-from-ordinary-people-working-together-in/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [Open your mind up to things that have no connection with the problem you're trying to solve: subscribe to an unusual magazine; spend a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/open-your-mind-up-to-things-that-have-no-connection-with-the-problem/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [Remember the two benefits of failure. First, if you do fail, you learn what doesn't work; and second, the failure gives you the opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/remember-the-two-benefits-of-failure-first-if-you-do-fail-you-learn/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [If you fall in love with an idea, you won't see the merits of alternative approaches-and will probably miss an opportunity or two. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/if-you-fall-in-love-with-an-idea-you-won-t-see-the-merits-of/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [Take advantage of the ambiguity in the world. Look at something and think what else it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/take-advantage-of-the-ambiguity-in-the-world-look-at-something-and/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [Knowledge is the stuff from which new ideas are made. Thus, the real key to being creative lies in what you do with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/knowledge-is-the-stuff-from-which-new-ideas-are-made-thus-the-real/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [We grow up thinking that the best answer is in someone else's brain. Much of our education is an elaborate game of 'guess what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/we-grow-up-thinking-that-the-best-answer-is-in-someone-else-s-brain/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [The hallmark of creative people is their mental flexibility... Sometimes they are open and probing, at others they're playful and off-the-wall. At still other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/the-hallmark-of-creative-people-is-their-mental-flexibility-sometimes/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [Most burning issues generate far more heat than light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/most-burning-issues-generate-far-more-heat-than-light/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [Look for the second right answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/look-for-the-second-right-answer/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [“There are two kinds of people in this world: those who divide everything into two groups, and those who don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-this-world-those-who-divide/) [Roger Von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [If you make an error, use it as a stepping stone to a new idea you might not have otherwise discovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/if-you-make-an-error-use-it-as-a-stepping-stone-to-a-new-idea-you/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [It's difficult to get your creative juices flowing if you're always being practical, following rules, afraid to make mistakes, not looking into outside areas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/it-s-difficult-to-get-your-creative-juices-flowing-if-you-re-always/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [Here's my advice: Go ahead and be whacky. Get into a crazy frame of mind and ask what's funny about what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/here-s-my-advice-go-ahead-and-be-whacky-get-into-a-crazy-frame-of/) [Roger Von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) [Explore all 33 Roger von Oech quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) ## More Exit quotes > [Pentagon records show that at least 8,000 members of the all-volunteer U.S. Army have deserted since the Iraq war began. Hey, at least somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/pentagon-records-show-that-at-least-8-000-members-of-the-all/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [We will finally complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system, which we need desperately. For years Congress has required biometric entry-exit visa tracking systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-will-finally-complete-the-biometric-entry-exit-visa-tracking/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I would just like to point something out to you: the exit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/i-would-just-like-to-point-something-out-to-you-the-exit/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Now it is autumn and the falling fruit and the long journey towards oblivion. The apples falling like great drops of dew to bruise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/now-it-is-autumn-and-the-falling-fruit-and-the-long-journey-towards/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [Scotland forms a crucial part of our Armed Forces which should not be jeopardised by rushed cuts or a rush to the exit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/scotland-forms-a-crucial-part-of-our-armed-forces-which-should-not-be/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [We will finally complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system which we need desperately. For years Congress has required biometric entry-exit visa tracking systems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-will-finally-complete-the-biometric-entry-exit-visa-tracking-2/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The exit polls suggest that after a relatively disappointing first term, Obama managed to reassemble almost all of his 2008 electorate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/the-exit-polls-suggest-that-after-a-relatively-disappointing-first/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Young women who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking face an incredible climb as they try and exit the commercial sex industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-ellis/young-women-who-have-experienced-commercial-sexual-exploitation-and/) [Stephanie Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-ellis/) > [Our training pushes us to develop a new set of instincts: instead of reacting to danger with a fight-or-flight adrenaline rush, we're trained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/our-training-pushes-us-to-develop-a-new-set-of-instincts-instead-of/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [Well, just remember--all your misery will be waiting for you at the door upon your exit, should you care to pick it up again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/well-just-remember-all-your-misery-will-be-waiting-for-you-at-the/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Every second and every minute of the clock, we are getting closer and closer to our various destinations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/every-second-and-every-minute-of-the-clock-we-are-getting-closer-and/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I would never kill myself intentionally. I couldn't do that to my family, my friends ... But to have fate step in and give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/i-would-never-kill-myself-intentionally-i-couldn-t-do-that-to-my/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [As we exit the E.U., there must be a new approach to immigration that has the consent of the British people and is managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keir-starmer/as-we-exit-the-e-u-there-must-be-a-new-approach-to-immigration-that/) [Keir Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keir-starmer/) > [I have no intention of uttering my last words on the stage. Room service and a couple of depraved young women will do me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-toole/i-have-no-intention-of-uttering-my-last-words-on-the-stage-room/) [Peter O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-toole/) > [In one way an oil boom is a mighty bad thing, because it gets into your blood and almost becomes an obsession. Booms are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-sanders/in-one-way-an-oil-boom-is-a-mighty-bad-thing-because-it-gets-into/) [Sue Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-sanders/) [Browse all 483 Exit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is like a maze in which you try to avoid the exit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger von Oech" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to-avoid-the-exit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Exit" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to-avoid-the-exit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/roger-von-oech-19159_exit_life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to_1652595.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/roger-von-oech-19159_exit_life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to_1652595.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/roger-von-oech-19159_exit_life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to_1652595.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life is like a maze in which you try to avoid the exit.” — Roger von Oech", "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": "Roger von Oech", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Life is like a maze in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to-avoid-the-exit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/life-is-like-a-maze-in-which-you-try-to-avoid-the-exit/#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 } } ] } ```