--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why trade a chance at real happiness for…" description: "\"“Why trade a chance at real happiness for a misery I already knew?”\" — A.S. King" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/a-s-king-2293_happiness_why-trade-a-chance-at-real-happiness-for_1286934.png" --- # Why trade a chance at real happiness for a misery I… ![“Why trade a chance at real happiness for a misery I already knew?” quote by A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/a-s-king-2293_happiness_why-trade-a-chance-at-real-happiness-for_1286934.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/a-s-king-2293_happiness_why-trade-a-chance-at-real-happiness-for_1286934.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e2/a-s-king-2293_happiness_why-trade-a-chance-at-real-happiness-for_1286934.png) > ““Why trade a chance at real happiness for a misery I already knew?”” [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a known misery over a chance at real happiness is a self‑sabotaging decision. **In simple terms:** Choosing known misery over possible happiness is self‑sabotage. Key Takeaway Seek happiness instead of familiar pain. Themes choice happiness risk Mood contemplative serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - health choices - personal growth Key Concepts self‑sabotage existential dilemma Questions to Reflect On - What am I afraid to lose? - How can I embrace uncertainty? A Different Perspective Fear of the unknown can be paralyzing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-misery/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Misery Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery-knew-4178624/) [Real happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-happiness/) ## Related quotes > [“So this is pain. So this is wretchedness. So this is misery. I never knew. -Jack”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/so-this-is-pain-so-this-is-wretchedness-so-this-is-misery-i-never/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [“Happiness and misery are both delusions. One has a delusion of misery in the heat and a delusion of happiness under the shade of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/happiness-and-misery-are-both-delusions-one-has-a-delusion-of-misery/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Times of terror and the deepest misery may arrive, but if there is to be any happiness in this misery it can only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/times-of-terror-and-the-deepest-misery-may-arrive-but-if-there-is-to/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I have always considered marriage as the most interesting event of one's life, the foundation of happiness or misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/i-have-always-considered-marriage-as-the-most-interesting-event-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [We wish to constitute all the happiness, or, if that cannot be, the misery of the one we love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-wish-to-constitute-all-the-happiness-or-if-that-cannot-be-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The happiness and misery of men depend no less on temper than fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-happiness-and-misery-of-men-depend-no-less-on-temper-than-fortune/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [There is neither happiness nor misery in this world; there is only the comparison of one state with another. Only a man who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas-count-of-monte-cristo/there-is-neither-happiness-nor-misery-in-this-world-there-is-only-the/) [Alexandre Dumas - (Count Of Monte Cristo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas-count-of-monte-cristo/) > [ Men's happiness or misery is \[for the\] most part of their own making. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/men-s-happiness-or-misery-is-for-the-most-part-of-their-own-making/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [As a child is indulged or checked in its early follies, a ground is generally laid for the happiness or misery of the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/as-a-child-is-indulged-or-checked-in-its-early-follies-a-ground-is/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [Nothing can make you happier than you are. All search for happiness is misery and leads to more misery. The only happiness worth the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/nothing-can-make-you-happier-than-you-are-all-search-for-happiness-is/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [For real happiness, for real lasting stable happiness, one has to make a journey deep within oneself and see that one gets rid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-n-goenka/for-real-happiness-for-real-lasting-stable-happiness-one-has-to-make/) [S. N. Goenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-n-goenka/) > [The mind is a matter over every kind of fortune; itself acts in both ways, being the cause of its own happiness and misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-mind-is-a-matter-over-every-kind-of-fortune-itself-acts-in-both/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“The greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greater-part-of-our-happiness-or-misery-depends-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-washington/i-ve-learned-from-experience-that-the-greater-part-of-our-happiness/) [Martha Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-washington/) > [“All human happiness or misery takes the form of action; the end for which we live is a certain kind of action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/all-human-happiness-or-misery-takes-the-form-of-action-the-end-for/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) ## More by A.S. King > [“I only hope that for right now, you remember that there is no place for hate in a happy life. I don’t care who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/i-only-hope-that-for-right-now-you-remember-that-there-is-no-place/) [A.s. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“I don't even use the stupid shampoo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/i-don-t-even-use-the-stupid-shampoo/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“Maybe if I hadn’t been so hell-bent on not becoming my parents, I could have saved Charlie. Maybe I would have been his girlfriend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/maybe-if-i-hadn-t-been-so-hell-bent-on-not-becoming-my-parents-i/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [But that's a side effect of alcohol, isn't it? Stopping to think about other people is not on the bar menu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/but-that-s-a-side-effect-of-alcohol-isn-t-it-stopping-to-think-about/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“Most people don't think past themselves. I know that. But I want Vera to see other people. To respect other people. To realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/most-people-don-t-think-past-themselves-i-know-that-but-i-want-vera/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > ["You two would make a cute couple," she says as she passes by with a full dough tray in her arms. I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/you-two-would-make-a-cute-couple-she-says-as-she-passes-by-with-a/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“You'll never lose me, Vera. I'm the Great Hunter now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/you-ll-never-lose-me-vera-i-m-the-great-hunter-now/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“I love vocab. It's like spelunking in a cave you've been in your whole life and discovering a thousand new tunnels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/i-love-vocab-it-s-like-spelunking-in-a-cave-you-ve-been-in-your-whole/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“But they keep saving me because they know I stand for something. They're just not sure what yet. -The Pagoda”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/but-they-keep-saving-me-because-they-know-i-stand-for-something-they/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [I was also built from delusional optimism and folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/i-was-also-built-from-delusional-optimism-and-folly/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [How can we say nobody's perfect if there is no perfect to compare to? Perfection implies that there really is a right and wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/how-can-we-say-nobody-s-perfect-if-there-is-no-perfect-to-compare-to/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“My toaster could have a soul,and the walnut grove to the east of my house could be just a bunch of trees or could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/my-toaster-could-have-a-soul-and-the-walnut-grove-to-the-east-of-my/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“I bring my hand to my face and pull away tiny pieces of the jagged scab. My face reflects in the rounded airplane window,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/i-bring-my-hand-to-my-face-and-pull-away-tiny-pieces-of-the-jagged/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“I didn't have the time to slice a hundred shallow cuts into his lips and make him suck limes. I was too busy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/i-didn-t-have-the-time-to-slice-a-hundred-shallow-cuts-into-his-lips/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“As I drive home, I picture other signs- one for everyone who has a secret. Bill Corso's would say, I CAN'T READ, BUT I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/as-i-drive-home-i-picture-other-signs-one-for-everyone-who-has-a/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) [Explore all 173 A.S. King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why trade a chance at real happiness for a misery I already knew?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "A.S. 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