--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest use of life is to spend it…" description: "\"“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”\" — William James Dally" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/william-james-dally-287021_life_the-greatest-use-of-life-is-to-spend-it_1764351.jpg" --- # The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that… ![“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” quote by William James Dally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/william-james-dally-287021_life_the-greatest-use-of-life-is-to-spend-it_1764351.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/william-james-dally-287021_life_the-greatest-use-of-life-is-to-spend-it_1764351.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/william-james-dally-287021_life_the-greatest-use-of-life-is-to-spend-it_1764351.jpg) > ““The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”” [William James Dally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james-dally/) ## 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 greatest purpose is to devote oneself to a cause that outlives one’s own existence. **In simple terms:** Live for something that lasts beyond you. Key Takeaway Seek lasting impact. Themes purpose legacy selflessness meaning philosophy Mood inspired determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - volunteer work - legacy building Key Concepts philanthropy artistic creation social change Questions to Reflect On - What cause would you dedicate your life to? - How can you start building a lasting impact now? A Different Perspective Legacy can be vague without concrete steps. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatest Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-use-964513/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Spend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-spend-281875/) [Spend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend/) [Spend Outlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-outlast-1721736/) [Use Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-life/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-greatest-use-of-a-life-is-to-spend-it-on-something-that-will/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. --William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-great-use-of-life-is-to-spend-it-for-something-that-will-outlast-3/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-great-use-of-life-is-to-spend-it-for-something-that-will-outlast-2/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“The great value of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-truslow-adams/the-great-value-of-life-is-to-spend-it-on-something-that-will-outlast/) [James Truslow Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-truslow-adams/) > [“The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-best-use-of-life-is-to-spend-it-for-something-that-outlasts-it/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." 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Do not allow others to spend it for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/time-is-the-coin-of-your-life-you-spend-it-do-not-allow-others-to/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [In life, we spend most of our time searching for what we already have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/in-life-we-spend-most-of-our-time-searching-for-what-we-already-have/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More Life 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/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. 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