--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once in one's life, for one mortal…" description: "\"Once in one's life, for one mortal moment, one must make a grab for immortality; if not, one has not lived.\" — Sylvester Stallone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/sylvester-stallone-966_death_once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment_2855741.jpg" --- # Once in one's life, for one mortal moment, one must make a… ![“Once in one's life, for one mortal moment, one must make a grab for immortality; if not, one has not lived.” quote by Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/sylvester-stallone-966_death_once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment_2855741.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/sylvester-stallone-966_death_once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment_2855741.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/sylvester-stallone-966_death_once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment_2855741.jpg) > “Once in one's life, for one mortal moment, one must make a grab for immortality; if not, one has not lived.” [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seizing a fleeting chance for greatness defines a life fully lived. **In simple terms:** Grab rare chances for lasting impact. Key Takeaway Act on bold opportunities. Themes ambition mortality legacy risk Mood inspirational urgent Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - career breakthrough - artistic creation - personal milestones Key Concepts existentialism heroic action Questions to Reflect On - What moment feels like a once‑in‑a‑lifetime chance? - How do you prepare for bold moves? A Different Perspective Risk may lead to failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Immortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Mortal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortal/) [Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide/) ## Related quotes > [Once is a man's life, for one mortal moment, he must make a grab for immorality; if not, he has not lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/once-is-a-man-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment-he-must-make-a-grab-for/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [There is no death! What seems so is transition; this life of mortal breath is but a suburb of the life elysian, whose portal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/there-is-no-death-what-seems-so-is-transition-this-life-of-mortal/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Everything of this life as a mortal is fiction. It seems real, but...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/everything-of-this-life-as-a-mortal-is-fiction-it-seems-real-but/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“All you have to do to see life whole is to see it as mortal. I'll die, you'll die; how could we love each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/all-you-have-to-do-to-see-life-whole-is-to-see-it-as-mortal-i-ll-die/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Life is mortal. There are all these rewards and consequences. Sometimes you embrace them, and sometimes they knock you over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/life-is-mortal-there-are-all-these-rewards-and-consequences-sometimes/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [“I know inside that there is more to life than this mortal coil. It's a very shallow minded person who thinks that someone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-kennedy/i-know-inside-that-there-is-more-to-life-than-this-mortal-coil-it-s-a/) Jonny Kennedy > [For what wears out the life of mortal men? 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WHAT SEEMS SO IS TRANSITION; THIS LIFE OF MORTAL BREATH IS BUT A SUBURB OF THE LIFE ELYSIAN, WHOSE PORTAL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-kelly/there-is-no-death-what-seems-so-is-transition-this-life-of-mortal-2/) [Eugene O'Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-kelly/) > [Imperfection is in some sort essential to all that we know of life. It is the sign of life in a mortal body, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/imperfection-is-in-some-sort-essential-to-all-that-we-know-of-life-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I wish I could leave you certain of the images in my mind, because they are so beautiful that I hate to think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/i-wish-i-could-leave-you-certain-of-the-images-in-my-mind-because/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [Whenever we choose to come unto Christ, take His name upon us, and follow His servants, we progress along the path to eternal life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/whenever-we-choose-to-come-unto-christ-take-his-name-upon-us-and/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [“If you can see a thing whole," he said, "it seems that it's always beautiful. Planets, lives. . . . But close up, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/if-you-can-see-a-thing-whole-he-said-it-seems-that-it-s-always/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Only those few who are able to surpass their fear of death completely can fully experience the highest forms of life; not the mundane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeena-schreck/only-those-few-who-are-able-to-surpass-their-fear-of-death-completely/) [Zeena Schreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeena-schreck/) ## More by Sylvester Stallone > [I think kids growing up, if they were picked on and feeling inferior at 12, they're going to feel that way at 72. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-think-kids-growing-up-if-they-were-picked-on-and-feeling-inferior/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I just like stories about redemption about getting a second chance at life, I think everyone in the world has a few major mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-just-like-stories-about-redemption-about-getting-a-second-chance-at/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I am not the richest, smartest or most talented person in the world, but I succeed because I keep going and going and going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-am-not-the-richest-smartest-or-most-talented-person-in-the-world/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/every-champion-was-once-a-contender-that-refused-to-give-up/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Plan B. You've always got to have a Plan B.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/plan-b-you-ve-always-got-to-have-a-plan-b/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [“It ain't over till its over”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/it-ain-t-over-till-its-over/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [On the sequel, you've lost the element of surprise. Usually, on the first one you may not go very, very deep into character; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/on-the-sequel-you-ve-lost-the-element-of-surprise-usually-on-the/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [In this day and age, if you're aspiring to be an actor, and you're putting all your eggs in one basket, you could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/in-this-day-and-age-if-you-re-aspiring-to-be-an-actor-and-you-re/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [People asked if I could have played the Terminator. Are you kidding? Not a chance, I never could have played the Terminator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/people-asked-if-i-could-have-played-the-terminator-are-you-kidding/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Sometimes worst enemies like a Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier that's what makes you fight so hard. Without them they never would have achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/sometimes-worst-enemies-like-a-mohammed-ali-and-joe-frazier-that-s/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [A lot of guys have muscles. A lot of strong men in this world. I think it's important to show that even under all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/a-lot-of-guys-have-muscles-a-lot-of-strong-men-in-this-world-i-think/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [That's the hardest thing about doing sequels - you've lost the element of surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/that-s-the-hardest-thing-about-doing-sequels-you-ve-lost-the-element/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I tend to think of action movies as exuberant morality plays in which good triumphs over evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-tend-to-think-of-action-movies-as-exuberant-morality-plays-in-which/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Adrian: It was Thanksgiving. Rocky: Yeah, to you, but to me it's Thursday, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/adrian-it-was-thanksgiving-rocky-yeah-to-you-but-to-me-it-s-thursday/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I think everyone has questions in their mind. Did they do their very best?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-think-everyone-has-questions-in-their-mind-did-they-do-their-very/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) [Explore all 318 Sylvester Stallone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. 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Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. 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You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once in one's life, for one mortal moment, one must make a grab for immortality; if not, one has not lived.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sylvester Stallone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment-one-must-make-a-grab-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment-one-must-make-a-grab-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/sylvester-stallone-966_death_once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment_2855741.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/sylvester-stallone-966_death_once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment_2855741.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/sylvester-stallone-966_death_once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment_2855741.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Once in one's life, for one mortal moment, one must make a grab for immortality; if not, one has not lived.” — Sylvester Stallone", "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": "Sylvester Stallone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Once in one's life, for one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment-one-must-make-a-grab-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/once-in-one-s-life-for-one-mortal-moment-one-must-make-a-grab-for/#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 } } ] } ```