80 Powerful Meaning of Life Quotes

By Stephanie Kirby

Writer, Entrepreneur and Inspirational quote curator

Published August 14, 2022

Have you ever questioned the meaning of life?

If yes, these meaning of life quotes can help point you in the right direction.

What is the meaning of life?

This is a question that has existed for all of time.

As intelligent people, we look for what our purpose is during our time on the earth.

We want reassurance that it’s not simply to spend our days working and toiling then pass away and be done.

There is more to life than that.

There are many things that we can use our time on this planet to accomplish and messages that we can spread.

These meaning of life quotes provide more insight, encouragement, and motivation that you can draw upon.

Don’t forget to also check out these thought-provoking time flies quotes about life.

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration.

Check out our entire collection of motivational quotes here.

Powerful meaning of life quotes

1. “Finding meaning in your life is not a difficult thing, but it is harder than living a numb, fast-paced superficial life.” – Juanita Gomez

2. “God has a purpose for your pain, a reason for your struggle and a gift for your faithfulness. Don’t give up.” ― Anonymous

3. “You are not one type, nor belong to one category. You are a unique blend of personality needs. Live your needs for total fulfillment.” – Diana Detinger

4. “Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it. The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be. Being alive is the meaning.” – Joseph Campbell

5. “To believe in immortality is one thing, but it is first needful to believe in life.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

6. “Whatever we are, whatever we make of ourselves, is all we will ever have – and that, in its profound simplicity, is the meaning of life.” – Philip Appleman

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of simplicity quotes to encourage a positive mindset.

7. “Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.” – Les Brown

8. “The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” – David Viscott

9. “The meaning of life is not only to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

10. “To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Meaning of life quotes to learn from

11. “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso

12. “I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.” – Joseph Campbell

13. “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

14. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln

15. “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” – Dalai Lama

16. “It is not what we get. But who we become, what we contribute… that gives meaning to our lives.” – Tony Robbins

17. “Life is meaningless only if we allow it to be. Each of us has the power to give life meaning, to make our time and our bodies and our words into instruments of love and hope.” – Thomas Head Raddall

18. “When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.” – W. Clement Stone

True meaning of life quotes

19. “For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment.” – Viktor E. Frankl

20. “If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering.” – Viktor E. Frankl

21. “Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something molded.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

22. “Your life would never have a meaning if you don’t have a goal or purpose.” – Sunday Adelaja

23. “Embrace your struggles. They are making you the person you were meant to be.” – Avijeet Das

24. “Do not fear the conflict, and do not flee from it; there are no struggles, there is no Virtue.” – Joyram

25. “It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform.” – Roy T. Bennett

26. “At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanation, no regrets.” – Steve Maraboli

27. “Difficulties in your life don’t come to destroy you, but to help you realize your hidden potential.” – Anonymous

28. Your life is your message to the world. Make sure it’s inspiring.” ― Anonymous

Deep meaning of life quotes

29. “Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” ― Joshua J. Marine

30. “Work for a cause, not for applause. Live life to express, not to impress.” – Unknown

31. “Challenges are what make life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua Marine

32. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.” – Oscar Wilde

33. “Do not let your grand ambitions stand in the way of small but meaningful accomplishments.” – Bryant H. McGill

34. “It is better to have a meaningful life and make a difference than to merely have a long life.” – Bryant H. McGill

35. “Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going.” – Chantal Sutherland

Funny meaning of life quotes

36. “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” – Elbert Hubbard

37. “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a Ride!’” – Hunter S. Thompson

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to check out our collection of Hunter S. Thompson quotes from journalist and author.

38. “Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.” – Stephen Hawking

39. “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” – Robert Frost

40. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein

41. “The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache.” – Marjorie Pay Hinckley

42. “Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.” – Charles M. Schulz

43. Life doesn’t imitate art, it imitates bad television.” – Woody Allen

44. “Life is like a sewer…what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.” – Tom Lehrer

45. “This life’s hard, but it’s harder if you’re stupid.” – George V. Higgins

46. “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.” – Anonymous

47. “Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!” – Dr. Seuss

48. “There’s an old saying, ‘Life begins at forty.’ That’s silly. Life begins every morning you wake up.” – George Burns

49. “Sometimes I lie awake at night and I ask, ‘Is life a multiple-choice test or is it a true or false test?’ …Then a voice comes to me out of the dark and says, ‘We hate to tell you this but life is a thousand-word essay.'” – Charles M. Schulz

50. “I think I’ve discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it.” – Unknown

Other insightful meaning of life quotes

51. “You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” – Albert Camus

52. “Learn to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life. Be the light that helps others see; it is what gives life its deepest significance.” – Roy T. Bennett

53. “There is not one big cosmic meaning for all; there is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person.” – Anaïs Nin

54. “The literal meaning of life is whatever you’re doing that prevents you from killing yourself.” – Albert Camus

55. “The secret to life is meaningless unless you discover it yourself.” – W. Somerset Maugham

56. “Life has to be given meaning because of the obvious fact that it has no meaning.” – Henry Miller

57. “Life is meaningless, when we take a life we take nothing of value.” – Brent Weeks

58. “In order to lead a meaningful life, you need to cherish others, pay attention to human values and try to cultivate inner peace.” – Dalai Lama

59. “Life is a fairy tale. Live it with wonder and amazement.” – Welwyn Wilton Katz

60. Philosophers can debate the meaning of life, but you need a Lord who can declare the meaning of life.” – Max Lucado

Meaning of life quotes that are enriching

61. “We create a meaningful life by what we accept as true and by what we create in the pursuit of truth, love, beauty, and adoration of nature.” ― Kilroy J. Oldster

62. “Energy is what I believe all of us are. We’re just conscious awareness dancing for itself for no other reason but to stay amused.” ― Jim Carrey

63. “A man is never an individual unless he is possessed by a desire so deep that it is deeper than life, so deep that he is ready to sacrifice his life for it.” ― Osho

64. “Everyone now knows how to find the meaning of life within himself.” ― Kurt Vonnegut

65. “The end is not the reward; the path you take, the emotions that course through you as you grasp life – that is the reward.” ― Jamie Magee

66. “True glory consists in doing what deserves to be written, in writing what deserves to be read, and in so living as to make the world happier and better for our living in it.” ― Pliny the Elder

67. “We will die here and trust the meaning of our lives to the next generation.. That is the sole way we can rebel against this cruel world!” ― Hajime Isayama

68. “Life has a meaning but do not set out to find out. Just live it out.” ― Bangambiki Habyarimana

69. “No lifetime is long enough for those who wish to create, Raul. Or for those who simply wish to understand themselves and their lives. It is, perhaps, the curse of being human, but also a blessing.” ― Dan Simmons

70. “Only when you accept that one day you’ll die can you let go, and make the best out of life. And that’s the big secret. That’s the miracle.” ― Gabriel Bá

Meaning Of Life Quotes To Have Bigger Visions

71. “What is life but self celebrating itself as differentiated for companionship, for friendship, for love.” ― Wald Wassermann

72. “Life is about making an impact, not making an income.” ― Kevin Kruse

73. “Life has meaning only if one barters it day by day for something other than itself.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupery

74. “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ― George Bernard Shaw

75. “If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” ― Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

76. “Life is a problem. Living is solving problems.” ― Raymond E. Feist

77. “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked.” ― Viktor E. Frankl

78. “We should give meaning to life, not wait for life to give us meaning.” ― Stacy

79. “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” ― Aristotle

80. “Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression of the state of being human.” ― Viktor Frankl

What did you learn from these meaning of life quotes?

Every life has a meaning and a purpose.

However, it’s easy to get distracted and not focus on a real purpose.

It’s easy to get lost in the trivial things of day to day life and end up wondering what you’re working for anyway.

If you struggle with feeling like your life is serving a purpose, step back.

Look for ways that you can make a positive impact on the world and those around you.