--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thinking to get at once all the gold the…" description: "\"Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find-nothing.\" — Aesop" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/aesop-1073_consumerism_thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the_2914924.jpg" --- # Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give… ![“Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find-nothing.” quote by Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/aesop-1073_consumerism_thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the_2914924.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/aesop-1073_consumerism_thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the_2914924.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/aesop-1073_consumerism_thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the_2914924.jpg) > “Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find-nothing.” [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greedy desire for immediate wealth leads to destroying the source of that wealth, resulting in loss. **In simple terms:** Wanting everything now can ruin what you have. Key Takeaway Seek sustainable gain, not instant riches. Themes greed short‑term gain consequences Mood cautionary reflective Type moral lesson When to use this quote - investment decisions - environmental stewardship - personal finance Key Concepts resource management self‑control Questions to Reflect On - What long‑term value are you risking for short‑term gain? - How can patience protect your resources? A Different Perspective If you act rashly, you may lose future benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consumerism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumerism/) [Geese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geese/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Gold Goose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-goose-4217479/) [Goose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goose/) [Goose Killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goose-killed-4217478/) [Killed Opened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killed-opened-4217480/) [Overconsumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overconsumption/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-gold-4217481/) ## Related quotes > [“Medicine is a golden goose that has to be killed because every time the goose lays a golden egg, someone gets sick or dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-be-killed-because-every-time/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [Don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/don-t-kill-the-goose-that-lays-the-golden-egg/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [GOOSE, n. A bird that supplies quills for writing. These, by some occult process of nature, are penetrated and suffused with various degrees of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/goose-n-a-bird-that-supplies-quills-for-writing-these-by-some-occult/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [For watching sports, I tend to drink Guinness; early evenings always begin well with a Grey Goose and tonic with plenty of lime; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-bashir/for-watching-sports-i-tend-to-drink-guinness-early-evenings-always/) [Martin Bashir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-bashir/) > [Any powerful technology has sauce for the goose and the gander... It's just an extension of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/any-powerful-technology-has-sauce-for-the-goose-and-the-gander-it-s/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [A fox should not be on the jury at a goose's trial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/a-fox-should-not-be-on-the-jury-at-a-goose-s-trial/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [The art of plucking the goose without making it cry out has been developed to a high state of perfection at the hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-c-howe/the-art-of-plucking-the-goose-without-making-it-cry-out-has-been/) [Frederic C. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-c-howe/) > [Don't kill the golden goose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-mclaren/don-t-kill-the-golden-goose/) [Malcolm Mclaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-mclaren/) > [When I wrote 'Goose' I gave my assistant my password, she locked me out of Twitter, and I wrote the book in five weeks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-o-porter/when-i-wrote-goose-i-gave-my-assistant-my-password-she-locked-me-out/) [Dawn O'Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-o-porter/) > [“... I say and maintain, that of all torcheculs, arsewisps, bumfodders, tail-napkins, bunghole cleansers, and wipe-breeches, there is none in the world comparable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/i-say-and-maintain-that-of-all-torcheculs-arsewisps-bumfodders-tail/) [François Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [I think only a batsman will be able to tell you about the goose bumps he gets after hitting a perfect cover drive. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-gambhir/i-think-only-a-batsman-will-be-able-to-tell-you-about-the-goose-bumps/) [Gautam Gambhir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-gambhir/) > [I, Geric-Sinath of Gerhard, declare that you're beautiful and you're perfect and I'll slay any man who tries to take you from my side.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/i-geric-sinath-of-gerhard-declare-that-you-re-beautiful-and-you-re/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [The early Celtic Christians called the Holy Spirit 'the wild goose.' And the reason why is they knew that you cannot tame him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-early-celtic-christians-called-the-holy-spirit-the-wild-goose-and/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [While man exclaims, "See all things for my use!" "See man for mine!" replies a pamper'd goose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/while-man-exclaims-see-all-things-for-my-use-see-man-for-mine-replies/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Take any writer you want in the 19th century: they wrote with quill pens, dipping a piece of goose feather in ink and writing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-murch/take-any-writer-you-want-in-the-19th-century-they-wrote-with-quill/) [Walter Murch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-murch/) ## More by Aesop > [“Lay not the blame on me, O sailor, but on the winds. By nature I am as calm and safe as the land itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/lay-not-the-blame-on-me-o-sailor-but-on-the-winds-by-nature-i-am-as/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [It is in vain to expect our prayers to be heard, if we do not strive as well as pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/it-is-in-vain-to-expect-our-prayers-to-be-heard-if-we-do-not-strive/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Beware of a wolf in sheep's clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/beware-of-a-wolf-in-sheep-s-clothing/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Better a long life of toil than a short one of ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/better-a-long-life-of-toil-than-a-short-one-of-ease/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Don't let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth - don't let that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/don-t-let-your-special-character-and-values-the-secret-that-you-know/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Every man carries two bags about him, one in front and one behind, and both are full of faults. The bag in front contains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/every-man-carries-two-bags-about-him-one-in-front-and-one-behind-and/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [It pays to be content with your lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/it-pays-to-be-content-with-your-lot/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/be-content-with-your-lot-one-cannot-be-first-in-everything/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Equals make the best friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/equals-make-the-best-friends/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [once upon a time all the rivers combined to protest against the action of the sea in making their waters salt. "When we come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/once-upon-a-time-all-the-rivers-combined-to-protest-against-the/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [In union there is strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/in-union-there-is-strength/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [“Be content with your lot; once cannot be first in everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/be-content-with-your-lot-once-cannot-be-first-in-everything/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [False friends leave you in times of trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/false-friends-leave-you-in-times-of-trouble/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/better-beans-and-bacon-in-peace-than-cakes-and-ale-in-fear/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [“The Sun is bad enough even while he is single, drying up our marshes with his heat as he does. But what will become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/the-sun-is-bad-enough-even-while-he-is-single-drying-up-our-marshes/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) [Explore all 297 Aesop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) ## More Consumerism quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/) [Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [A lot of times, my work is looked at very much on the surface. It's very easy to just want to put something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/a-lot-of-times-my-work-is-looked-at-very-much-on-the-surface-it-s/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I think that consumerism is intrinsically a pretty flawed social system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elkington/i-think-that-consumerism-is-intrinsically-a-pretty-flawed-social/) [John Elkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elkington/) > [America always put forth this phony melting pot theory, but it's a reality now. They couldn't accomplish the melting pot economically; they couldn't accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/america-always-put-forth-this-phony-melting-pot-theory-but-it-s-a/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [“Fifty years ago, people went without clothes in order to eat. Today, people gladly go without food in order to buy clothes. And they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-dumontais/fifty-years-ago-people-went-without-clothes-in-order-to-eat-today/) [Sinclair Dumontais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-dumontais/) > [Consumer wants can have bizarre, frivolous, or even immoral origins, and an admirable case can still be made for a society that seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/consumer-wants-can-have-bizarre-frivolous-or-even-immoral-origins-and/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [“In my view, dissatisfaction is implicit in the fabric of consumerism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-bruno/in-my-view-dissatisfaction-is-implicit-in-the-fabric-of-consumerism/) [Dave Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-bruno/) > [Just when you thought multi-nationals and crazed consumerism were too big to fight, along comes Naomi Klein with facts, spirit, and news of successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/just-when-you-thought-multi-nationals-and-crazed-consumerism-were-too/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Logograms pose a more difficult question. An increasing number of persons and institutions, from archy and mehitabel to PostScript and TrueType, come to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bringhurst/logograms-pose-a-more-difficult-question-an-increasing-number-of/) [Robert Bringhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bringhurst/) > [One of the problems with industrialism is that it's based on the premise of more and more. It has to keep expanding to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dora-russell/one-of-the-problems-with-industrialism-is-that-it-s-based-on-the/) [Dora Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dora-russell/) > [Never buy what you do not want, because it is cheap; it will be dear to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/never-buy-what-you-do-not-want-because-it-is-cheap-it-will-be-dear-to/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The pharma pricing system was not built on the idea of consumer engagement. It was built... on market efficiencies. It was not built on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-bresch/the-pharma-pricing-system-was-not-built-on-the-idea-of-consumer/) [Heather Bresch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-bresch/) > [“We consumer and become exactly what we create. In all times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-yuknavitch/we-consumer-and-become-exactly-what-we-create-in-all-times/) [Lidia Yuknavitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-yuknavitch/) [Browse all 628 Consumerism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumerism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find-nothing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aesop" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the-goose-could-give-he-killed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consumerism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the-goose-could-give-he-killed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/aesop-1073_consumerism_thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the_2914924.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/aesop-1073_consumerism_thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the_2914924.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/aesop-1073_consumerism_thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the_2914924.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find-nothing.” — Aesop", "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": "Aesop", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Thinking to get at once all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the-goose-could-give-he-killed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the-goose-could-give-he-killed/#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 } } ] } ```