--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the…" description: "\"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/steve-jobs-307_choices_remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-th_1108366.jpg" --- # Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important… ![“Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what…” quote by Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/steve-jobs-307_choices_remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-th_1108366.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/steve-jobs-307_choices_remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-th_1108366.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/steve-jobs-307_choices_remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-th_1108366.jpg) > “Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.” [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Contemplating mortality strips away superficial concerns, revealing true priorities for decisive life choices. **In simple terms:** Thinking of death clarifies what truly matters. Key Takeaway Live with purpose, ignore trivialities. Themes mortality priorities decision making Mood inspirational serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationship choices - personal goals Key Concepts existential awareness value alignment Questions to Reflect On - What would you change if you had limited time? - Which expectations would you discard? A Different Perspective Focusing on death may cause anxiety or nihilism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Choices In Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-in-life/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Embarrassment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassment/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Inspirational life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Remembering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembering/) ## Related quotes > [Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve-6/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve-4/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-mann/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve-2/) [Dominic Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-mann/) > [Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help make the big choices in life. Remembering that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve-7/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [.. almost everything all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/almost-everything-all-external-expectations-all-pride-all-fear-of/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve-5/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [We have two choices in life: One is to fulfill ourselves. The other is to take the time and energy that we would utilize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-have-two-choices-in-life-one-is-to-fulfill-ourselves-the-other-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“we all face choices in life. Some are small,insignificant choices like what to wear to the prom or what to say to your crush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dusti-bowling/we-all-face-choices-in-life-some-are-small-insignificant-choices-like/) Dusti Bowling > [There are three choices in life and sport - either you do it, you don't do it or you think about it. Most humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kessel/there-are-three-choices-in-life-and-sport-either-you-do-it-you-don-t/) [John Kessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kessel/) > [I realized that there are two choices in life: one can be part of the solution or one can complain about the things they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/i-realized-that-there-are-two-choices-in-life-one-can-be-part-of-the/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [For my senior prom, my father finally said I could go - as long as I was home by 9pm! That was around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/for-my-senior-prom-my-father-finally-said-i-could-go-as-long-as-i-was/) [Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/) > [It's humiliating, being told you're not responsible enough to make your own choices in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marti-noxon/it-s-humiliating-being-told-you-re-not-responsible-enough-to-make/) [Marti Noxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marti-noxon/) > [“You get only two or three important choices in life. What job you do, whom you marry. Those are big decisions. If you’re right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bauman/you-get-only-two-or-three-important-choices-in-life-what-job-you-do/) [Jeff Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bauman/) > [“You have two choices in life...Choice one is to be the same and be like everyone else...Choice two is to be yourself and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-two-choices-in-life-choice-one-is-to-be-the-same-and-be-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Steve Jobs > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I admire Mark Zuckerberg... for not selling out, for wanting to make a company. I admire that a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-admire-mark-zuckerberg-for-not-selling-out-for-wanting-to-make-a/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [If you want to hire great people and have them stay, you have to be run by ideas, not hierarchy. The best ideas have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/if-you-want-to-hire-great-people-and-have-them-stay-you-have-to-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/everything-around-you-that-you-call-life-was-made-up-by-people-that/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Innovation is not about saying yes to everything. It's about saying NO to all but the most crucial features.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/innovation-is-not-about-saying-yes-to-everything-it-s-about-saying-no/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [When you first start off trying to solve a problem, the first solutions you come up with are very complex, and most people stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/when-you-first-start-off-trying-to-solve-a-problem-the-first/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I'm not dismissing the value of higher education; I'm simply saying it comes at the expense of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-m-not-dismissing-the-value-of-higher-education-i-m-simply-saying-it/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“To YoYo Ma: "You playing is the best argument I've ever heard for the existence of God, because I don't really believe a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/to-yoyo-ma-you-playing-is-the-best-argument-i-ve-ever-heard-for-the/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The most important thing is a person. A person who incites your curiosity and feeds your curiosity; and machines cannot do that in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-most-important-thing-is-a-person-a-person-who-incites-your/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The tragedy is that Dell didn't win it - we lost it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-tragedy-is-that-dell-didn-t-win-it-we-lost-it/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“I think great artists and great engineers are similar, in that they both have a desire to express themselves. In fact some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-think-great-artists-and-great-engineers-are-similar-in-that-they/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It's rare that you see an artist in his 30s or 40s able to really contribute something amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-rare-that-you-see-an-artist-in-his-30s-or-40s-able-to-really/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [We're going to be able to ask our computers to monitor things for us, and when certain conditions happen, are triggered, the computers will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/we-re-going-to-be-able-to-ask-our-computers-to-monitor-things-for-us/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) [Explore all 695 Steve Jobs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Jobs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve-3/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve-3/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/steve-jobs-307_choices_remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-th_1108366.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/steve-jobs-307_choices_remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-th_1108366.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/steve-jobs-307_choices_remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-th_1108366.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big…” — Steve Jobs", "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": "Steve Jobs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Remembering that I'll be dead soon...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve-3/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/remembering-that-i-ll-be-dead-soon-is-the-most-important-tool-i-ve-3/#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 } } ] } ```