--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man must live, not only exist; he must…" description: "\"Man must live, not only exist; he must do, not merely be; he must grow, not just vegetate.\" — Spencer W. Kimball" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/801/spencer-w-kimball-1179_grow_man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do_506750.jpg" --- # Man must live, not only exist; he must do, not merely be… ![“Man must live, not only exist; he must do, not merely be; he must grow, not just vegetate.” quote by Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/801/spencer-w-kimball-1179_grow_man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do_506750.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/801/spencer-w-kimball-1179_grow_man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do_506750.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/801/spencer-w-kimball-1179_grow_man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do_506750.jpg) > “Man must live, not only exist; he must do, not merely be; he must grow, not just vegetate.” [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life requires active engagement, purposeful deeds, and continual growth rather than passive existence. **In simple terms:** Live actively, grow, and avoid stagnation. Key Takeaway Pursue meaningful actions and personal development. Themes purpose growth activity Mood motivational inspirational Type philosophical encouragement When to use this quote - career advancement - volunteering - creative projects - health improvement Key Concepts existentialism self‑actualization motivation Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take today to grow? - How do you avoid merely “vegetating” in life? A Different Perspective Passive existence can feel safe but limits potential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Natural health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-health/) [Nutrition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nutrition/) [Probation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probation/) [Wellness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wellness/) ## Related quotes > [The purpose of man is to live, not to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-purpose-of-man-is-to-live-not-to-exist/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The function of man is to live, not to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/the-function-of-man-is-to-live-not-to-exist/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [“Good does not exist. It is merely an absent of evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yona-me/good-does-not-exist-it-is-merely-an-absent-of-evil/) Yona me > [“Centrists do not have to eliminate such flaws, because their pronouncement "Arising from itself does not exist" is merely meant as an invalidation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-brunnholzl/centrists-do-not-have-to-eliminate-such-flaws-because-their/) [Karl Brunnholzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-brunnholzl/) > [Ideals are thoughts. So long as they exist merely as thoughts, the power in them remains ineffective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/ideals-are-thoughts-so-long-as-they-exist-merely-as-thoughts-the/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [The fact we exist merely means we exist. That's all it means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-sawyer/the-fact-we-exist-merely-means-we-exist-that-s-all-it-means/) [Robert J. Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-sawyer/) > [Waste is unjustified, and especially the waste of time limited as that commodity is in our days of probation. One must live, not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/waste-is-unjustified-and-especially-the-waste-of-time-limited-as-that/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [My plea therefore is this: Let us get our instruments tightly strung and our melodies sweetly sung. Let us not die with our music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/my-plea-therefore-is-this-let-us-get-our-instruments-tightly-strung/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [“... love life and live or exist to just survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/love-life-and-live-or-exist-to-just-survive/) [Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/) > [“We're here to live, not exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-bencivenga/we-re-here-to-live-not-exist/) Jacqueline Bencivenga > [I don't understand people who just live to exist, live to be OK. Live to be regular, live to be average. It doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-rockhold/i-don-t-understand-people-who-just-live-to-exist-live-to-be-ok-live/) [Luke Rockhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-rockhold/) > [“We have a choice to live or exist!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/we-have-a-choice-to-live-or-exist/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) > [People always want to feel better and be inspired. Sometimes we need it. I think the conscious rapper will always be able to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/people-always-want-to-feel-better-and-be-inspired-sometimes-we-need/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [We have a choice...To Live or to Exist. -Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-direction/we-have-a-choice-to-live-or-to-exist-harry-styles/) [One Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-direction/) > [We have a choice..To Live or To Exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/we-have-a-choice-to-live-or-to-exist/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) ## More by Spencer W. Kimball > [My plea therefore is this: Let us get our instruments tightly strung and our melodies sweetly sung. Let us not die with our music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/my-plea-therefore-is-this-let-us-get-our-instruments-tightly-strung/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/you-are-unique-and-there-may-be-incidents-in-your-experience-that-are/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [We have a commitment to serve our Lord. We have an assurance that the cause is just and worthy. But, above all, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/we-have-a-commitment-to-serve-our-lord-we-have-an-assurance-that-the/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [“Self-justification is the enemy of repentance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/self-justification-is-the-enemy-of-repentance/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/being-human-we-would-expel-from-our-lives-physical-pain-and-mental/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [“Henry Ward Beecher expressed the thought this way: "I can forgive but I cannot forget is another way of saying I cannot forgive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/henry-ward-beecher-expressed-the-thought-this-way-i-can-forgive-but-i/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [“While addressing the Saints from this pulpit in 1948, the late President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., spoke concerning having a prophet and a listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/while-addressing-the-saints-from-this-pulpit-in-1948-the-late/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [ \[Humility is:\] Greatness in plain clothes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/humility-is-greatness-in-plain-clothes/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [ “There may be some who would disregard \[the family\] and ignore the important things, yet we feel that almost everyone who stops to think… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/there-may-be-some-who-would-disregard-the-family-and-ignore-the/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [Jesus perfected his life and became our Christ. Priceless blood of a god was shed, and he became our Savior; his perfected life was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/jesus-perfected-his-life-and-became-our-christ-priceless-blood-of-a/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [To be sure your life will be full and abundant, you must plan your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/to-be-sure-your-life-will-be-full-and-abundant-you-must-plan-your-life/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [Life gives to all the choice. You can satisfy yourself with mediocrity if you wish. You can be common, ordinary, dull, colorless, or yyou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/life-gives-to-all-the-choice-you-can-satisfy-yourself-with-mediocrity/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [Always keep good company. Never waste an hour with anyone who doesn't lift you up and encourage you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/always-keep-good-company-never-waste-an-hour-with-anyone-who-doesn-t/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [“Honorable, happy, and successful marriage is surely the principal goal of every normal person. Marriage is perhaps the most vital of all the decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/honorable-happy-and-successful-marriage-is-surely-the-principal-goal/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [A dozen times a day we come to a fork in the road and must decide which way we will go. It is important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/a-dozen-times-a-day-we-come-to-a-fork-in-the-road-and-must-decide/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) [Explore all 278 Spencer W. Kimball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) ## More Grow quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [I just want to grow spiritually with the Lord,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/i-just-want-to-grow-spiritually-with-the-lord/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [I've never been one to stay in a complacent place where I just let the grass grow around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-lawrence/i-ve-never-been-one-to-stay-in-a-complacent-place-where-i-just-let/) [Tracy Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-lawrence/) > [As I grow through love, so grows my joy, ever more present, ever more constant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/as-i-grow-through-love-so-grows-my-joy-ever-more-present-ever-more/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [“It is up to you. How far you want to go and how far you want to grow. Do not let that your worries,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yilda-rivera/it-is-up-to-you-how-far-you-want-to-go-and-how-far-you-want-to-grow/) [Yilda Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yilda-rivera/) > [I had to grow up quite fast, trying to cook for myself, trying to make laundry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jannik-sinner/i-had-to-grow-up-quite-fast-trying-to-cook-for-myself-trying-to-make/) [Jannik Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jannik-sinner/) > [“Our first teacher is our own heart. When we begin to tune in and listen to our heart we can bring our thoughts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-l-white/our-first-teacher-is-our-own-heart-when-we-begin-to-tune-in-and/) Victoria L. White > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [I wish I had more hair on my head. Maybe if I sprinkled fertilizer on it, it would grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-bax/i-wish-i-had-more-hair-on-my-head-maybe-if-i-sprinkled-fertilizer-on/) [Kylie Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-bax/) > [I turned to my mom and said, 'I'm going to be a martial arts movie star.' She didn't believe me, and neither did my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-turned-to-my-mom-and-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-martial-arts-movie-star/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) > [The basic idea of retirement income is, to me, to get a check, two checks every month, one from your fixed income and one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-basic-idea-of-retirement-income-is-to-me-to-get-a-check-two/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I want to keep trying something new all the time. It is the only way to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akkineni-nagarjuna/i-want-to-keep-trying-something-new-all-the-time-it-is-the-only-way/) [Akkineni Nagarjuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akkineni-nagarjuna/) > [“Could you tell me how to grow--or is it unconveyed--like Melody--or Witchcraft?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/could-you-tell-me-how-to-grow-or-is-it-unconveyed-like-melody-or/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) Browse all 3,917 Grow quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man must live, not only exist; he must do, not merely be; he must grow, not just vegetate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Spencer W. Kimball" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do-not-merely-be-he-must-grow/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Grow" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do-not-merely-be-he-must-grow/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/801/spencer-w-kimball-1179_grow_man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do_506750.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/801/spencer-w-kimball-1179_grow_man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do_506750.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/801/spencer-w-kimball-1179_grow_man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do_506750.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man must live, not only exist; he must do, not merely be; he must grow, not just vegetate.” — Spencer W. Kimball", "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": "Spencer W. Kimball", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man must live, not only exist;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do-not-merely-be-he-must-grow/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/man-must-live-not-only-exist-he-must-do-not-merely-be-he-must-grow/#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 } } ] } ```