--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Folks are usually about as happy as they…" description: "\"“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”\" — Abraham Lincoln" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/abraham-lincoln-88_attributed-no-source_folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they_108355.png" --- # Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds… ![“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/abraham-lincoln-88_attributed-no-source_folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they_108355.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/abraham-lincoln-88_attributed-no-source_folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they_108355.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/abraham-lincoln-88_attributed-no-source_folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they_108355.png) > ““Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness largely depends on one’s mental decision, suggesting that attitude, more than circumstance, determines emotional state. **In simple terms:** Mindset decides happiness. Key Takeaway Choice shapes mood. Themes happiness mindset choice psychology Mood optimistic reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - person coping with job loss - student facing exam stress - individual dealing with chronic illness Key Concepts cognitive reframing subjective well‑being Practical Applications - practice deliberate positive reframing - set mental goals for contentment Questions to Reflect On - What limits does reality place on mental choice? - How can we balance acceptance and optimism? A Different Perspective External factors can limit the effectiveness of mindset alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“Lincoln said that “folks are usually about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/lincoln-said-that-folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they-make-up/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [We run the programs, and we support them through all of our folks, but usually the hardware is somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ochoa/we-run-the-programs-and-we-support-them-through-all-of-our-folks-but/) [Ellen Ochoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ochoa/) > [Positive people are usually the happy and no worries people, because they can think that whatever happens and that everything will be fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-people-are-usually-the-happy-and-no-worries-people-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The loving person makes other people feel good, and he is usually a happy person himself. He is able to form strong, long-lasting friendships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/the-loving-person-makes-other-people-feel-good-and-he-is-usually-a/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [My ultimate goal is to try to be real. It just so happens that I'm usually more happy than sad when I'm writing. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grammer/my-ultimate-goal-is-to-try-to-be-real-it-just-so-happens-that-i-m/) [Andy Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grammer/) > [I'm happy some of the time, and some of the time I'm not. But like when I see a movie, for example, that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-m-happy-some-of-the-time-and-some-of-the-time-i-m-not-but-like-when/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I should say that generally I'm a pretty happy person, but as soon as I'm done with a project, I'm usually not happy at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/i-should-say-that-generally-i-m-a-pretty-happy-person-but-as-soon-as/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [I am always writing. It is not always good, but if I am writing, I am usually happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-nable/i-am-always-writing-it-is-not-always-good-but-if-i-am-writing-i-am/) [Matthew Nable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-nable/) > [“It's okay to not know who you are and what you want. Those with the answers are usually very happy in their own stuck-ness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darnell-lamont-walker/it-s-okay-to-not-know-who-you-are-and-what-you-want-those-with-the/) [Darnell Lamont Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darnell-lamont-walker/) > [I'm usually always very happy and funny and positive. It's only when I'm tired that I get a little low energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nargis-fakhri/i-m-usually-always-very-happy-and-funny-and-positive-it-s-only-when-i/) [Nargis Fakhri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nargis-fakhri/) > [“How am I friends with them? Oh yeah, just smooshed together through life, and ended up sticking together. I guess I am stuck with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-l-foster/how-am-i-friends-with-them-oh-yeah-just-smooshed-together-through/) C.L. Foster > [ “...\[H\]e's so good and good people are usually happy. But do happy things happen to the good, or can the good make happiness out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/h-e-s-so-good-and-good-people-are-usually-happy-but-do-happy-things/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“There are plenty of people in the world whose lives are governed by rote and routine. Such people will never be happy dealing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/there-are-plenty-of-people-in-the-world-whose-lives-are-governed-by/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/an-eye-for-an-eye-will-only-make-the-whole-world-blind/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Revealing of origin , evidence the existence of hidden pearls in mind which is addicted to imagine and thought as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seema-gupta/revealing-of-origin-evidence-the-existence-of-hidden-pearls-in-mind/) [Seema Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seema-gupta/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Attributed-no-source quotes > [“Revealing of origin , evidence the existence of hidden pearls in mind which is addicted to imagine and thought as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seema-gupta/revealing-of-origin-evidence-the-existence-of-hidden-pearls-in-mind/) [Seema Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seema-gupta/) > [An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/an-eye-for-an-eye-will-only-make-the-whole-world-blind/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Love is like a bird, they flies everywhere, its free, but its hard to trust someone where they like to stay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erico-quiambao/love-is-like-a-bird-they-flies-everywhere-its-free-but-its-hard-to/) Erico Quiambao > [“A wish without a potential is just a fixation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zinny-ekechukwu/a-wish-without-a-potential-is-just-a-fixation/) [Zinny Ekechukwu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zinny-ekechukwu/) > [“Anyone can find the switch after the lights are on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/anyone-can-find-the-switch-after-the-lights-are-on/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Civilized people loose fire in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-poison-king/civilized-people-loose-fire-in-it/) [Dr. Poison King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-poison-king/) > [“Love is floating somewhere in the beautiful horizon with an equal wave length with same frequency of intense feelings”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seema-gupta/love-is-floating-somewhere-in-the-beautiful-horizon-with-an-equal/) [Seema Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seema-gupta/) > [“Education means to keep brain alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-poison-king-2/education-means-to-keep-brain-alive/) Dr poison king > [“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-man-who-does-not-read-has-no-advantage-over-the-man-who-cannot/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [There is an inner beauty about a woman who believes in herself, who knows she is capable of anything that she puts her mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhysheq-shukla/there-is-an-inner-beauty-about-a-woman-who-believes-in-herself-who-2/) [Abhysheq Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhysheq-shukla/) > [“There is a force more powerful than steam and electricity: the will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fern-n-caballero/there-is-a-force-more-powerful-than-steam-and-electricity-the-will/) Fernán Caballero > [“Love is breathing each other with all madness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seema-gupta/love-is-breathing-each-other-with-all-madness/) [Seema Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seema-gupta/) > [“It was pretty absurd travelling up through Peru to arrive in Iquitos, hoping to find an expedition! Life does not work like that. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-roddick/it-was-pretty-absurd-travelling-up-through-peru-to-arrive-in-iquitos/) Gordon Roddick > [“There are two means of refuge from the misery of life — music and cats.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/there-are-two-means-of-refuge-from-the-misery-of-life-music-and-cats/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [“Thought is the property of those only who can entertain it. -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/thought-is-the-property-of-those-only-who-can-entertain-it/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) Browse all 78 Attributed-no-source quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Lincoln" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they-make-their-minds-up-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attributed-no-source" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they-make-their-minds-up-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/abraham-lincoln-88_attributed-no-source_folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they_108355.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/abraham-lincoln-88_attributed-no-source_folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they_108355.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/abraham-lincoln-88_attributed-no-source_folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they_108355.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” — Abraham Lincoln", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Lincoln", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Folks are usually about as happy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they-make-their-minds-up-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they-make-their-minds-up-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```