Life is too short to be living somebody else's dream.

The line urges personal autonomy: because life is finite, one should not subordinate one’s choices to other people’s expectations, ambitions, or definitions of success. Framed as a warning against “somebody else’s dream,” it implies that social pressure—family, culture, institutions, or partners—can quietly replace self-directed purpose. The quote’s punch comes from pairing urgency (“life is too short”) with a concrete image of misdirected living (“somebody else’s dream”), making it a succinct credo for authenticity, risk-taking, and self-authorship. Even when attributed to Hefner, its appeal is broad and motivational, aligning with modern self-help themes about identity, agency, and the costs of conformity.