Life has a way of throwing surprises at us, and sometimes the best way to handle it is with a little humor. Witty one-liners, sarcastic remarks, and short quotes can make us laugh while also making us think.
These tiny nuggets of wisdom remind us that life doesn’t have to be taken so seriously all the time. In this post, we’ve rounded up 80+ very short quotes on life, divided into categories so you can easily find the ones that resonate with you most.
From humor to sarcasm, wisdom to wit, these quotes will keep you smiling and maybe even chuckling out loud.
Inspirational Very Short Quotes on Life
- “You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated.” – Maya Angelou
- “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on.” – Robert Frost
- “Life is a long lesson in humility.” – J.M. Barrie
- “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde
- “The most important thing is to enjoy your life–to be happy–it’s all that matters.” – Audrey Hepburn
- “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell
- “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Love the life you live. Live the life you love.” – Bob Marley
- “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
- “I was taught that the way of progress was neither swift nor easy.” – Marie Curie
Funny Very Short Quotes on Life
- “I am on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it.” – Unknown
- “Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.” – Mallory Hopkins
- “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” – Will Rogers
- “Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.” – Jim Carrey
- “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” – Dalai Lama
- “Common sense is like deodorant. The people who need it most never use it.” – Anonymous
- “Life is too short to be serious all the time. So, if you can’t laugh at yourself, call me and I’ll do it for you.” – Unknown
- “Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.” – Charles M. Schulz
- “If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.” – Steven Wright
- “Some people just have a way with words, and other people … oh … not have way.” – Steve Martin
Witty Very Short Quotes on Life
- “I can resist everything except temptation.” – Oscar Wilde
- “You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?” – Steven Wright
- “I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.” – Oscar Wilde
- “Life is hard. After all, it kills you.” – Katharine Hepburn
- “Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.” – Mark Twain
- “The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.” – Steven Wright
- “Age is of no importance unless you’re a cheese.” – Billie Burke
- “Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back.” – Oscar Wilde
- “Why is there so much month left at the end of the money?” – John Barrymore
- “The only mystery in life is why the kamikaze pilots wore helmets.” – Al McGuire
Short Quotes on Life and Happiness
- “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
- “Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” – John Lennon
- “Do more of what makes you happy.” – Unknown
- “Happiness is a warm puppy.” – Charles M. Schulz
- “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln
- “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” – Charlie Chaplin
- “Happiness is only real when shared.” – Christopher McCandless
- “When it rains, look for rainbows. When it’s dark, look for stars.” – Unknown
- “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” – Aristotle
Sarcastic Very Short Quotes on Life
- “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right.” – Unknown
- “I’m not lazy, I’m on energy-saving mode.” – Anonymous
- “I would agree with you but then we’d both be wrong.” – Russell Lynes
- “Life is short. Buy the shoes. Eat the cake. Drink the wine.” – Unknown
- “I’m not great at advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?” – Chandler Bing
- “If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of payments.” – Earl Wilson
- “My wallet is like an onion. Opening it makes me cry.” – Unknown
- “I’m not clumsy, the floor just hates me.” – Unknown
- “The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.” – Lucille Ball
- “I didn’t fall, I was just testing gravity.” – Unknown
Wise and Short Life Lessons
- “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” – Elbert Hubbard
- “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw
- “Don’t count the days, make the days count.” – Muhammad Ali
- “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
- “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James
- “Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman
- “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius
- “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” – Tony Robbins
- “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Short Motivational Quotes on Life
- “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
- “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
- “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson
- “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
- “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” – C.S. Lewis
- “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
- “Fall seven times and stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb
- “Push yourself, because no one else is going to do it for you.” – Unknown
- “Dream big and dare to fail.” – Norman Vaughan
- “Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs
Love and Life Short Quotes
- “Love the life you live. Live the life you love.” – Bob Marley
- “We accept the love we think we deserve.” – Stephen Chbosky
- “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
- “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” – Aristotle
- “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” – Eden Ahbez
- “Love cures people—both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.” – Karl Menninger
- “Where there is love there is life.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- “Love recognizes no barriers.” – Maya Angelou
- “Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.” – John Lennon
Deep and Thoughtful Short Quotes on Life
- “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” – John Lennon
- “Not how long, but how well you have lived is the main thing.” – Seneca
- “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
- “An unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates
- “Don’t gain the world and lose your soul. Wisdom is better than silver or gold.” – Bob Marley
- “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller
- “Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.” – Alan Watts
- “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Life is really generous to those who pursue their destiny.” – Paulo Coelho
- “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” – Joseph Campbell
Conclusion
These very short quotes on life remind us that humor, wit, and wisdom often come in small packages. Whether it’s a sarcastic remark that makes you laugh or an inspirational line that motivates you, each quote offers a spark of joy and reflection.
Which one was your favorite? Share your thoughts, personal favorites, or even your own funny life quotes in the comments. And don’t forget to share this collection with friends or bookmark it so you can revisit it anytime you need a quick laugh or a dose of perspective.