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About this quote

What does it mean?
Death is painful, but living without purpose or experience is a deeper tragedy.
In plain terms
Dying hurts, but never truly living hurts more.
What can you take from it?
A life fully lived makes death easier to accept.

Where it applies

  • end of life care
  • career decisions
  • existential crises

Putting it to work

  • pursue passions
  • make a bucket list
  • reflect on legacy

Questions to consider

  • What would you regret not doing?
  • How do you define a lived life?

Another view

Some find meaning in simple survival rather than grand experiences.

More from Erich Fromm

  1. Only the person who has faith in himself is able to be faithful to others.

    Permalink to quote #19
  2. Selfish persons are incapable of loving others, but they are not capable of loving themselves either.

    Permalink to quote #21
  3. Man's main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is. The most important product of his effort is his own personality.

    Permalink to quote #18

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