Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

The saying yokes two complementary disciplines: urgency in action and patience in self-cultivation. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow” urges moral seriousness and decisiveness—do not postpone what matters, because life is fragile and time is finite. “Learn as if you were to live forever” counters reckless haste with a long view: keep studying, refining judgment, and widening sympathy as a lifelong practice. Together, the lines propose a balanced ethic—act today with courage and integrity, while remaining intellectually humble and committed to continual growth. The quote is widely attributed to Gandhi, but its popularity also reflects a broader tradition of aphorisms about mortality and lifelong learning.