--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we only wanted to be happy, it would…" description: "\"If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, and that is almost always difficult, since we think them ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/anonymous-1_difficult_if-we-only-wanted-to-be-happy-it-would-b_533523.jpg" --- # If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we… ![“If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, and that is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/anonymous-1_difficult_if-we-only-wanted-to-be-happy-it-would-b_533523.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/anonymous-1_difficult_if-we-only-wanted-to-be-happy-it-would-b_533523.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/anonymous-1_difficult_if-we-only-wanted-to-be-happy-it-would-b_533523.jpg) > “If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, and that is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often compare their happiness to others, making true contentment elusive because it’s based on relative judgments. **In simple terms:** Comparing happiness to others makes it harder to be truly happy. Key Takeaway Focus on personal growth rather than comparison. Themes happiness comparison contentment psychology social perception Mood reflective motivational Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - social media use - career advancement - personal relationships - goal setting Key Concepts relative happiness self‑esteem mindset Questions to Reflect On - What defines your own happiness? - How can you measure success without comparison? A Different Perspective Comparison can lead to chronic dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-think/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier/) [Happier People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier-people-1121666/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Think Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-happier-501154/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-happier-675194/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [“If only we wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, which is difficult, since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-montesquieu/if-only-we-wanted-to-be-happy-it-would-be-easy-but-we-want-to-be/) [Charles de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-montesquieu/) > [You are happier because you made more people happy today. You are sad because you made no one happy today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-happier-because-you-made-more-people-happy-today-you-are-sad/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our days are happier when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-days-are-happier-when-we-give-people-a-bit-of-our-heart-rather/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is more to loving someone than just making yourself happy. 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That way I'd remember how you looked every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/if-i-had-a-camera-i-said-i-d-take-a-picture-of-you-every-day-that-way-2/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [If I didn't think, I'd be much happier; if I didn't have any sex organs, I wouldn't waver on the brink of nervous emotion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/if-i-didn-t-think-i-d-be-much-happier-if-i-didn-t-have-any-sex-organs/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [The more we think of others, the happier we are. The more we think of ourselves, the more suffering we feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-more-we-think-of-others-the-happier-we-are-the-more-we-think-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“The fact that you got a little happier today doesn't change the fact that you also became a little sadder. Every day you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/the-fact-that-you-got-a-little-happier-today-doesn-t-change-the-fact/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [Once you get to that point when you can just be yourself and relax, I just think that you're so much happier in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-emerson/once-you-get-to-that-point-when-you-can-just-be-yourself-and-relax-i/) [Jacqueline Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-emerson/) > [The way I ought to measure my life is in terms of the others I helped to become better and happier people. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/the-way-i-ought-to-measure-my-life-is-in-terms-of-the-others-i-helped/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [One reason cats are happier than people is that they have no newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/one-reason-cats-are-happier-than-people-is-that-they-have-no/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [That's what I think our jobs as parents are, to educate as much as possible... I tell them to follow their bliss. The people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-alexakis/that-s-what-i-think-our-jobs-as-parents-are-to-educate-as-much-as/) [Art Alexakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-alexakis/) > [I have never seen happier people than those who have repented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-richards/i-have-never-seen-happier-people-than-those-who-have-repented/) [Stephen L. Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-richards/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Difficult quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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