“In life, the only thing you ever have to do is die. Everything else is a choice”

“The only thing I HAVE to do in this life is die. Everything else is a choice with consequences—including breathing” is a motivational saying that has been printed on many images. The saying has had several influences.
 
“There are only two things that African-Americans must do, whether they want to or not. Those two things are: 1) stay Black and, 2) die. Everything else is a choice” was printed in a 1993 newspaper. “Productive thinkers are people who understand that the only two things you have to do in your life are be born and die. Everything else is a choice” was printed in a 1994 book.
   
”“The only thing I HAVE to do in this life is die. Everything else is a choice with consequences - including breathing” was posted on Twitter on October 15, 2009. The lyrics are from South Korean rapper G-Dragon.
   
“The only thing you have to do in this life is die. Everything else is a choice” is from the book The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker.
 
“All you have to do in life is die/Everything else is a choice” is from the 2013 song “Conquer” by the band All the Luck in the World.
   
   
7 August 1993, New Pittsburgh Courier (Pittsburgh, PA), “‘Say What?’: Gang Membership: Signed, Sealed And…Delivered” by Ed Davis, pg. A-7:
Let’s be clear about something. There are only two things that African-Americans must do, whether they want to or not. Those two things are: 1) stay Black and, 2) die.
 
Everything else is a choice.
     
Google Books
Parenthood:
Who’s Raising Whom? Strategies for Saving Your Sanity
By Michael M. Thomson
Dublin, OH: Mclean Pub. Group
1994
Pg. 129:
Productive thinkers are people who understand that the only two things you have to do in your life are be born and die. Everything else is a choice.
     
Google Groups: alt.yj.virgin-net.oldbies
British Mentality?
gbh
10/21/98
Pardon me for butting in but there are remarkably few things one must do in this here life: be born, occupy space, and die. Everything else is a choice.
 
22 November 2006, The Tennessean (Nashville, TN), “Brenda Dew” by Angela Patterson, pg H12, col. 4:
There is really nothing we have to do except die. Everything else is a choice.
 
Twitter
Vijayendra Mohanty‏
@vimoh
Nobody can make you do anything in life, except die. Everything else is a choice - YOUR choice. http://tinyurl.com/6je23w
7:16 AM - 22 Jun 2008
 
Twitter
Indika Ajith Kuruppu‏
@INDImind
“The only thing I don’t have a choice is how and when I die. Everything else is a choice” - Ajith Kuruppu
2:15 PM - 11 Mar 2009
 
Twitter
Chris Alexander‏
@OnePositiveDude
The only thing you “have to” do in life is die. Everything else is a choice and a matter of perception.
11:22 AM - 15 Apr 2009
 
Twitter
Monika Silk‏
@xursweetnenax
“The only thing I HAVE to do in this life is die. Everything else is a choice with consequences - including br ... http://lnk.ms/23mZt
11:30 PM - 15 Oct 2009
 
Langevin Learning Servies
Bob Miles
2/4/2010, 10:35:49 AM
(...)
As was the habit of the Director, the kickoff meeting was “mandatory for all employees”. Having taken a workshop called “Investment in Excellence”, I remembered one of the concepts learned. The concept is that there are only 2 “have-tos”. One is that you have to occupy space. The second is that you have to die. Everything else is a choice, which has consequences.
       
Twitter
American K-Pop Fans‏
@AKPF
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The only thing I have to do in life is die; everything else is a choice…including breathing.” ~G dragon
11:29 AM - 1 Aug 2011
 
Grantland
June Book Recommendations: The Age of Miracles, Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt, and Shadow and Bone
BOOKS & RECS
JUNE 5, 2012
by KEVIN NGUYEN
THE AGE OF MIRACLES BY KAREN THOMPSON WALKER
(...)
At one point, Julia’s neighbor declares that “the only thing you have to do in this life is die … everything else is a choice.”
     
MusixMatch
Lyrics for Conquer by All The Luck In The World
(...)
All you have to do in life is die
Everything else is a choice
And all we’ve got to do tonight is try
To think over all the noise
 
GoldenPlec
ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD – ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD | REVIEW
WORDS: DANNY KILMARTIN
ARTICLE PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 20, 2013
(...)
Lyrically, everything is laid just as bare. The lines provided range from the thought provoking (“All you have to do in life is die/Everything else is a choice” (Conquer) ...
 
Reddit—Insightful Questions
e_cubed99 February 19, 2015
“The only thing you have to do in this life is die. Everything else is a choice.” -Karen Thompson Walker