“I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”
— F. Scott Fitzgerald · 1896 – 1940actually by Eric RothSource: Benjamin Button, written by Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) · Check the source
MisattributedWhat we know
- What is documented
- The wording is recorded in the film’s script by Eric Roth and is spoken onscreen by the character Benjamin Button.
- What remains uncertain
- Common citations credit F. Scott Fitzgerald, but that attribution is apocryphal: the passage was written for the 2008 screenplay, not the 1922 story.
Understanding the quote
The lines are an appeal to personal reinvention and openness to new experience rather than a historical aphorism. They do not come from Fitzgerald’s 1922 story but from Eric Roth’s screenplay for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), where Benjamin reads them in a voice‑over letter. The passage frames life as improvable and restartable.
The story behind it
Fitzgerald’s original tale centers on a man born old who ages backward; the film transforms that premise into a much broader sentimental life story.
Going further
- The era
- In 2008 the passage appears in David Fincher’s film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, adapted from Fitzgerald’s short story.
- The thinking
- It expresses the simple idea that people can remake their lives: try new things, meet different people, and begin again when needed.
- Key word
- Self‑authorship: the idea that you can choose and revise the course of your life.
- Who quoted it
- After the film’s release the passage spread widely in graduation speeches, social posts, and motivational contexts.
Three challenges to live it
In the app, you pick the one that fits your day, and in the evening you say how it went.
Write a 15-minute letter to your future self describing a life that would surprise you and make you proud today.
The quote invites reinvention; a letter to your future makes concrete what 'startling' experiences and proud living could look like.
Reach out today to someone with an opposing viewpoint and schedule a 30-minute coffee (in person or virtual) where you listen without defending.
The quote values meeting different perspectives; a focused listening session exposes you to startling ideas that can trigger reinvention.
Take a 45-minute hike or walk in a place unfamiliar to you, and note three physical or emotional sensations that feel new.
The quote urges feeling things never felt before; moving through a new environment heightens senses and creates room for fresh starts.
How would you begin again if you could redesign your life today?
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