--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the time comes for you to leave this…" description: "\"“When the time comes for you to leave this earth, if it doesn’t become a lesser place with your absence, then you have wasted your life.”\" — Shaun Hick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/shaun-hick-17521_absence_when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-thi_2848037.jpg" --- # When the time comes for you to leave this earth, if it… ![“When the time comes for you to leave this earth, if it doesn’t become a lesser place with your absence, then you have wasted your life.” quote by Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/shaun-hick-17521_absence_when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-thi_2848037.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/shaun-hick-17521_absence_when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-thi_2848037.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/shaun-hick-17521_absence_when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-thi_2848037.jpg) > ““When the time comes for you to leave this earth, if it doesn’t become a lesser place with your absence, then you have wasted your life.”” [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) ## 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 the positive impact left behind; mere existence isn’t enough. **In simple terms:** Leave a better world behind. Key Takeaway Make lasting contributions. Themes legacy purpose impact Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career choices - volunteering - environmental activism Key Concepts existentialism ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How will you know you’ve made a difference? - What small actions build a lasting legacy? A Different Perspective Impact can be hard to gauge, leading to doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living life to the fullest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-life-to-the-fullest/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Waste of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste-of-life/) [Wasted life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasted-life/) [Wasting time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasting-time/) ## Related quotes > [Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/why-should-we-live-with-such-hurry-and-waste-of-life-we-are/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Because it was all I wanted to fucking know. It was all I wanted to know in this fucking world: where did the beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-cowell/because-it-was-all-i-wanted-to-fucking-know-it-was-all-i-wanted-to/) [Brendan Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-cowell/) > [“Today is a new day and it brings with it a new set of opportunities for me to act on. I am attentive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-koyenikan/today-is-a-new-day-and-it-brings-with-it-a-new-set-of-opportunities/) [Idowu Koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/) > [Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/don-t-let-the-noise-of-others-opinions-drown-out-your-own-inner-voice/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Stop wasting your life and discover who you are”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/stop-wasting-your-life-and-discover-who-you-are/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The waste of life occasioned by trying to do too many things at once is appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-waste-of-life-occasioned-by-trying-to-do-too-many-things-at-once/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“When school vacates, your life vacates alongside. What a tragedy! What a waste of life!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-school-vacates-your-life-vacates-alongside-what-a-tragedy-what-a/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The existence of very pious feelings, in conjunction with intolerance, cruelty, and selfish policy, has never ceased to surprise and perplex those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-m-child/the-existence-of-very-pious-feelings-in-conjunction-with-intolerance/) [Lydia M. Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-m-child/) > [Life is a waste of time and time is a waste of life, so let's all get wasted and have the time of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/life-is-a-waste-of-time-and-time-is-a-waste-of-life-so-let-s-all-get/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. It would be a waste of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-mclaren/to-do-something-well-is-so-worthwhile-that-to-die-trying-to-do-it/) Bruce McLaren > [The longer I am in this work, the more I realize that intellectual struggles are merely the hazardous waste of life, blocking the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/the-longer-i-am-in-this-work-the-more-i-realize-that-intellectual/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [No Ideas original - there is nothing new under the sun...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/no-ideas-original-there-is-nothing-new-under-the-sun/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [It looks like a waste of life, that mowing down of our best years by a relentless passion which itself falls dead on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cholmondeley/it-looks-like-a-waste-of-life-that-mowing-down-of-our-best-years-by-a/) [Mary Cholmondeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cholmondeley/) > [All should be taught that the highest ambition is to be happy, and to add to the well-being of others; that place and power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-should-be-taught-that-the-highest-ambition-is-to-be-happy-and-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no reason for believing that any sort of gods exist, and quite good reasons for believing that they do not exist and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/there-is-no-reason-for-believing-that-any-sort-of-gods-exist-and/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More by Shaun Hick > [“Inspiration is the timid beast that comes to your open hand once you’ve fallen asleep having given up trying to coax it from its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/inspiration-is-the-timid-beast-that-comes-to-your-open-hand-once-you/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“Time spent doing whatever it is you do to escape your daily life would be better spent acquiring a life that needs no escape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/time-spent-doing-whatever-it-is-you-do-to-escape-your-daily-life/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“You smile and draw me near and whisper, "Do as dreamers do." I lean to you and whisper in your ear, "I cannot dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/you-smile-and-draw-me-near-and-whisper-do-as-dreamers-do-i-lean-to/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“Eyes so young, so full of pain ... Two lonely drops of winter rain ... And no tear could these eyes sustain ... For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/eyes-so-young-so-full-of-pain-two-lonely-drops-of-winter-rain-and-no/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“This is for you, for your breath, whose absence would lessen a greater world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/this-is-for-you-for-your-breath-whose-absence-would-lessen-a-greater/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“I saw you before. All your flaws, your imperfections. Your body’s going to a lot of trouble to hide something, something inside of you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/i-saw-you-before-all-your-flaws-your-imperfections-your-body-s-going/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“If you concentrate on small, manageable steps you can cross unimaginable distances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/if-you-concentrate-on-small-manageable-steps-you-can-cross/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“Pencil. Paper. Forget the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/pencil-paper-forget-the-world/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“... being different, being unique ... that afforded me a life, a journey that I am now so thankful for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/being-different-being-unique-that-afforded-me-a-life-a-journey-that-i/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“I hasten to sleep so that I might dream and colour my mind with a myriad of things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/i-hasten-to-sleep-so-that-i-might-dream-and-colour-my-mind-with-a/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/you-need-to-spend-time-crawling-alone-through-shadows-to-truly/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“It's sad that in a world of billions, people can still feel isolated and alone. Sometimes all it takes to brighten up someone's day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/it-s-sad-that-in-a-world-of-billions-people-can-still-feel-isolated/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“We are pushed towards eternal silence from the moment we are born. So when sadness tries to stifle us, we must not give in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/we-are-pushed-towards-eternal-silence-from-the-moment-we-are-born-so/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“Nothing listens as well as a blank page.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/nothing-listens-as-well-as-a-blank-page/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [“Instead of blaming yourself for something you cannot undo, let it define you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/instead-of-blaming-yourself-for-something-you-cannot-undo-let-it/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) [Explore all 37 Shaun Hick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) ## More Absence quotes > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [Total depravity means the entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin. A totally depraved man is not as bad as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/total-depravity-means-the-entire-absence-of-holiness-not-the-highest/) [William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/every-person-needs-to-take-one-day-away-a-day-in-which-one/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“I was thinking how most people don't make you feel much of anything at all. Don't make you feel like time spent with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/i-was-thinking-how-most-people-don-t-make-you-feel-much-of-anything/) [Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/) > [Cooperation isn't the absence of conflict but a means of managing conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/cooperation-isn-t-the-absence-of-conflict-but-a-means-of-managing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [We must begin by acknowledging that there is a complete absence of two things in Indian Society. One of these is equality. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/we-must-begin-by-acknowledging-that-there-is-a-complete-absence-of/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) [Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When the time comes for you to leave this earth, if it doesn’t become a lesser place with your absence, then you have wasted your life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shaun Hick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-this-earth-if-it-doesn-t-become/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-this-earth-if-it-doesn-t-become/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/shaun-hick-17521_absence_when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-thi_2848037.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/shaun-hick-17521_absence_when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-thi_2848037.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/shaun-hick-17521_absence_when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-thi_2848037.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When the time comes for you to leave this earth, if it doesn’t become a lesser place with your absence, then…” — Shaun Hick", "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": "Shaun Hick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When the time comes for you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-this-earth-if-it-doesn-t-become/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-leave-this-earth-if-it-doesn-t-become/#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 } } ] } ```