7 Quotes by Jack London That Will Help You Live an Extraordinary Life
A new lust for living is yours for the taking.
There are two types of people in this world–those who live and those who exist.
Those who live life to the fullest don’t submit to a system designed to make them conform. They live by values of their choosing and not those imposed on them by society or institutions. They see the world as a place of unlimited opportunity and aren’t afraid to take big risks to get what they want from life.
Those who survive in life submit to a system and go along to get along. They focus on how difficult life is and how hard it is to “get ahead.” They try not to draw too much attention to themselves and often put aside their dreams in favor of safety and practicality.
It might sound oversimplified to say everyone falls into one of these two categories. And while you probably have a little of both in you, one type will be more dominant than the other.
It’s difficult not to fall into the trap of survival when you have bills to pay, a job to hold down, and family depending on you. You start with grand dreams but pretty soon you’re going through the daily grind and trying to survive. Then something–or someone–snaps you out of it.
This is why you will love Jack London. Don’t know him? Keep reading.
Jack London was America’s first celebrity author, writing classics like The Call of the Wild and White Fang. In his short forty-years of life, he was a pirate, an explorer, a miner, a journalist, and a social activist. He made it a point to live life, and not simply survive. His books and personal letters are full of wisdom for experiencing what he called “the primordial vigor of life.”
Here are some of my favorite pieces of wisdom from Jack London on how to live life to the fullest.
You Never Know What’s Coming Next
“And who knows what Romance, what Adventure, what Love, is lurking around the next turn of the road, ready to leap out on us if we’ll only travel that far?”
Have you ever felt like giving up? Everybody has at some point, and there are times when giving up is the right thing to do. But when you feel like everything is lost and you want to fall into nihilistic despair is not the time to give up. Why?
You have no idea what’s around the corner.
When you feel like quitting, it’s helpful to remember how far you’ve come. And studies show activities like journaling can help you navigate dark or uncertain times in your life. Don’t fall for the lie that this is the end for you.
How to Play the Game of Life
“It’s sometimes a dreary thing to sit and watch the game played in the small and petty way. One who not only takes a hand in the game, but calmly sits outside as well and watches, usually sees the small and petty way, and is content to face immediate losses, knowing that the ultimate gain is his.”
Can you stand some short term losses if it means you’ll win in the long run?
You don’t need me to tell you that we live in a society of instant gratification. So it’s easier to not sit in the stands and yell at the players. If you don’t believe me, read the comments on a successful person’s social media page. It’s rarely other successful people posting negative comments.
You have two choices in life.
- Sit and watch as others play the game.
- Get in and see what you’re made of.
Is it scary? Yes. But you can’t truly live if you don’t put some skin in the game so to speak.
Remember You’ll Be Dead Soon
“I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”
This is Jack London’s Credo, published at the time of his death at the age of 40.
It’s easy to defer your dreams to someday. But it’s that exact mentality that puts you in a position of existing and not living. You exist to perform whatever function society demands of you. Meanwhile, you put off living the life you want and hoped for when you were young.
Jack would have none of that because he understood that life was short. He routinely found himself working odd jobs to make a living before he’d set out on some grand adventure, only to return home to another round of factory work.
But Jack didn’t let lack of progress dissuade him. He would tell you to live the life you want or die trying — which to him was preferable to just existing.
You have responsibilities to uphold and roles to maintain. We can’t all head off to the Klondike in search of gold. While you might not be able to quit your job and live the life you want right this instant, you can take action that moves you in the right direction.
You can learn new skills (Jack was self-educated) or start a business. You can align your extra time to help you pursue the life you want. In doing these things you begin to move away from existing to living.
It Takes an Indomitable Spirit
“I don’t care if the whole present, all I possess, were swept away from me — I will build a new present; If I am left naked and hungry tomorrow — before I give in I will go on naked and hungry.”
Have you ever feared losing everything?
I think 2020 taught us just how fragile the things we think are secure really are. That’s especially true when it comes to your job. And let’s face it, the fear of losing everything usually starts with the fear of losing your job and snowballs from there.
I get it, life is scary and uncertain.
But if you want to live and not exist, you need the same indomitable spirit as Jack. That deep sense where you know that no matter what happens, you’re going to be okay.
You’re stronger than you think. That thing you’re afraid you’d never survive, you would if you had no other choice. I hope you never have to find out. But a determination to survive and keep living will make you less fearful of taking risks and living your life.
Find Meaning in the Madness
“Find out about this earth, this universe; this force and matter…I mean WORK for a philosophy of life.”
To live a meaningful life, you need a way to make sense of the world.
Most of your beliefs about life are imprinted on your brain in childhood. You got them from your parents, education, religion, culture, and friends. The most influential people and institutions in your young life gave you a way to see the world.
Have you ever questioned that gift?
People who live accept the narrative de-facto and fear upgrading their beliefs.
Jack encourages everyone to work for a philosophy of life. How do you do that?
- Travel somewhere very different than where you live.
- Read history, philosophy, and biography
- Take a risk that scares you.
- Listen to someone from a significantly different background.
In other words: if you want to live and not just exist, challenge your assumptions and change them when you discover better ones.
The Risks You Take Will Make or Break You
“I look back on my life and draw one great generalization: IT WAS MY REFUSAL TO TAKE CAUTIOUS ADVICE THAT MADE ME.”
It doesn’t take much courage to exist, but it takes tremendous courage to live.
Your friends, family, and co-workers will often offer advice based on their fears. They may not mean to do this, but if you allow their fear to sway you, you’ll get stuck in existing.
It’s always good to seek counsel–even better to seek wisdom–but be leery of advice born out of fear. Just because someone else can’t imagine doing what you want to do (or because they failed) doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go for it.
Jack attributes his successes to his refusal to take “cautious advice.” That means he didn’t allow himself to fit into the mold that society and perhaps his family expected of him. But here’s the tricky part.
Often, the voice of fear poses as the voice of reason. It will offer you alternatives, or try to convince you to wait for better conditions. If that doesn’t work it will resort to bribery or cajoling. The problem is, you have no guarantee that things will ever be any better. As Jack writes in The Cruise of The Snark:
“Why not start at once? We’d never be younger, any of us.”
You don’t want to be old and grey and still waiting to live your life.
Face Down Every Obstacle
“I am firm. I may sometimes appear impatient at nothing at all, and all that; but this everybody who has had a chance to know me well have noticed: things come my way even though they take years; No one sways me, save in little things of the moment; I am not stubborn but I swing to my purpose as steadily as the needle to the pole; delay, evade, oppose, secretly or openly, it’s all immaterial, the thing comes my way.”
I’m convinced that the two most underrated qualities of successful people are patience and determination. Many dreams die because people lack those two qualities. Why is that?
There are several reasons but for one, it’s hard to maintain your determination over a long period. It’s not your fault, as the honeymoon effect of pursuing a new interest wears off after a few weeks or months.
You may not think you have an iron will like Jack, but you will when you find the place where your interest and your skills intersect.
I love this quote by Jack because he’s saying: “When I set my mind on something I want, it will happen regardless of what obstacles and setbacks I face.” In other words, nothing could stop him from reaching his goals.
You Won’t Succeed if You Lack This Quality
If you want to live your life and not just exist, you need courage. The reason so many people only exist in life is that they lack the courage to take a step out of the life assigned to them.
If you’re happy where you are, great. But if you’re unsatisfied with the direction of your life, dare to step out of existing and start living.
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