By subscribing to Inspiring Quotes you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
This quote comes from “The Book of Disquiet,” a posthumously published collection of Fernando Pessoa’s work left behind after his death in 1935. The Portuguese poet and writer saw identity as fluid and dynamic, and is famous for writing under numerous pseudonyms, giving each invented version of himself a full history and background — even going so far as to draft whole “autobiographies” for the imagined individuals behind his pen names. In the essay where this quote appears, Pessoa posits that our experiences are what we imagine, rather than what we encounter. "If I create it, it exists; if it exists, then I see it like any other scenery," he wrote. "Life is what we make of it."
Read These Quotes in the Morning To Kick-Start Your Best Day Yet
Get Inspired To Give Back With These Quotes
20 Quotes for Coffee Lovers
15 Quotes About the Joys of Gift-Giving
The Best Lyrics To Come Out of the British Invasion
12 Quotes About Making Big Changes Later in Life
13 Quotes To Help You Move On From Past Loves
13 Hilarious Lines From History’s Funniest Poets
13 Reminders To Have Faith in Yourself
13 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Quotes You’ve Never Heard Before
12 Funny Quotes From the Women of ‘SNL’