--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: YOU'RE ONLY PUTTING OFF THE INEVITABLE…" description: "\"“YOU'RE ONLY PUTTING OFF THE INEVITABLE, he said. That's what being alive is all about.”\" — Terry Pratchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/terry-pratchett-19_death_you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-h_1727746.jpg" --- # YOU'RE ONLY PUTTING OFF THE INEVITABLE, he said. That's… ![“YOU'RE ONLY PUTTING OFF THE INEVITABLE, he said. That's what being alive is all about.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/terry-pratchett-19_death_you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-h_1727746.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/terry-pratchett-19_death_you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-h_1727746.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/terry-pratchett-19_death_you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-h_1727746.jpg) > ““YOU'RE ONLY PUTTING OFF THE INEVITABLE, he said. That's what being alive is all about.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Procrastination delays inevitable events; embracing life means confronting the unavoidable. **In simple terms:** Don’t delay the inevitable. Key Takeaway Act now, accept life’s challenges. Themes mortality procrastination acceptance Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal goals - health decisions - career planning - relationship issues Key Concepts existentialism time management Questions to Reflect On - What inevitable are you postponing? - How can you face it today? A Different Perspective Avoiding reality can cause missed opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inevitable/) [Inevitable Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inevitable-said-1400752/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Putting Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putting-inevitable-1400753/) [Said Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-alive-909206/) ## Related quotes > [Predict the inevitable", she said, "and you're bound to be right one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/predict-the-inevitable-she-said-and-you-re-bound-to-be-right-one-day/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [“Had I known then what I know now, I would have clung to him. I would have looked him in the eyes to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-klune/had-i-known-then-what-i-know-now-i-would-have-clung-to-him-i-would/) [T.J. Klune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-klune/) > [We may not be all that bright, Jace said, but at least we are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-may-not-be-all-that-bright-jace-said-but-at-least-we-are-alive/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“He must have been delightful," she said, "when he was alive!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-widdemer/he-must-have-been-delightful-she-said-when-he-was-alive/) [Margaret Widdemer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-widdemer/) > [I lived," Dor said, "but I was not alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-lived-dor-said-but-i-was-not-alive/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“It’s what I’ve always said. To be alive is a reflection on one’s character.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shellabarger/it-s-what-i-ve-always-said-to-be-alive-is-a-reflection-on-one-s/) [Samuel Shellabarger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shellabarger/) > [You aren't a hero and I'm not beautiful and we probably won't live happily ever after " she said. "But we're alive and together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/you-aren-t-a-hero-and-i-m-not-beautiful-and-we-probably-won-t-live/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“Jesus said, But I am "alive"! It's the same material but lighter, summer stuff, star-coil, Akhmatova's hair...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-valentine/jesus-said-but-i-am-alive-it-s-the-same-material-but-lighter-summer/) [Jean Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-valentine/) > [“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” Thornton Wilder (1897–1975) WRITER AND…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/we-can-only-be-said-to-be-alive-in-those-moments-when-our-hearts-are-2/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [“I saw it all of a sudden. That whether I liked it or not, the survivor and the artist was me, not her. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/i-saw-it-all-of-a-sudden-that-whether-i-liked-it-or-not-the-survivor/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [“The newspapers said nobody made it out alive." "Surely you didn't trust them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-barry/the-newspapers-said-nobody-made-it-out-alive-surely-you-didn-t-trust/) [Max Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-barry/) > [I said, 'What you wanna be?' She said, 'Alive.' It made me think for a minute, then looked in her eyes ...I coulda died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-benjamin/i-said-what-you-wanna-be-she-said-alive-it-made-me-think-for-a-minute/) [Andre Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-benjamin/) > [“We on our backs staring at the stars above, Talking about what we going to be when we grow up, I said what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/we-on-our-backs-staring-at-the-stars-above-talking-about-what-we/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [I asked her where she wanna be when she 25. She turned around and looked at me and said alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-asked-her-where-she-wanna-be-when-she-25-she-turned-around-and/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [“We can only be said to be alive in those moments, where our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorton-wilder/we-can-only-be-said-to-be-alive-in-those-moments-where-our-hearts-are/) [Thorton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorton-wilder/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“YOU'RE ONLY PUTTING OFF THE INEVITABLE, he said. That's what being alive is all about.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-he-said-that-s-what-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-he-said-that-s-what-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/terry-pratchett-19_death_you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-h_1727746.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/terry-pratchett-19_death_you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-h_1727746.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/936/terry-pratchett-19_death_you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-h_1727746.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“YOU'RE ONLY PUTTING OFF THE INEVITABLE, he said. That's what being alive is all about.” — Terry Pratchett", "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": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“YOU'RE ONLY PUTTING OFF THE INEVITABLE,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-he-said-that-s-what-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-re-only-putting-off-the-inevitable-he-said-that-s-what-being/#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 } } ] } ```