--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's the point in ever trying to be…" description: "\"What's the point in ever trying to be happy when the very pursuit of happiness is what makes you miserable.*\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/anonymous-1_happiness_what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-ha_308952.jpg" --- # What's the point in ever trying to be happy when the very… ![“What's the point in ever trying to be happy when the very pursuit of happiness is what makes you miserable.*” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/anonymous-1_happiness_what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-ha_308952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/anonymous-1_happiness_what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-ha_308952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/anonymous-1_happiness_what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-ha_308952.jpg) > “What's the point in ever trying to be happy when the very pursuit of happiness is what makes you miserable.\*” [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. Points out the paradox that chasing happiness can cause unhappiness. **In simple terms:** Chasing happiness can backfire. Key Takeaway Seek contentment, not constant pursuit. Themes philosophy psychology well‑being Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - daily routines - stress management - personal goals - mental health Key Concepts hedonic treadmill self‑acceptance mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What truly brings you lasting peace? - How can you balance desire and acceptance? A Different Perspective Not all pursuits of happiness are harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable/) [Trying to be happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-to-be-happy/) ## Related quotes > [It takes great wit and interest and energy to be happy. The pursuit of happiness is a great activity. One must be open and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/it-takes-great-wit-and-interest-and-energy-to-be-happy-the-pursuit-of/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [If only we'd stop trying to be happy we'd have a pretty good time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-only-we-d-stop-trying-to-be-happy-we-d-have-a-pretty-good-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If only wed stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-only-wed-stop-trying-to-be-happy-we-could-have-a-pretty-good-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trying to be happy without a sense of God’s presence is like trying to have a bright day without the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-be-happy-without-a-sense-of-god-s-presence-is-like-trying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the one hand, we all want to be happy. On the other hand, we all know the things that make us happy. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/on-the-one-hand-we-all-want-to-be-happy-on-the-other-hand-we-all-know/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [“I love what bestselling author, Matthew Kelly says:  “On the one hand, we all want to be happy. On the other hand, we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/i-love-what-bestselling-author-matthew-kelly-says-on-the-one-hand-we/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [My songs are always about overcoming things, whether it's breaking up with a guy or just trying to be happy. They're always about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/my-songs-are-always-about-overcoming-things-whether-it-s-breaking-up/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [Trying to be happy in this world is greatest illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/trying-to-be-happy-in-this-world-is-greatest-illusion/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [“She tried to smile warmly but wondered if she looked "fakey," something Ariel sometimes accused her of. Ariel had said. "It's like you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/she-tried-to-smile-warmly-but-wondered-if-she-looked-fakey-something/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“We are more interested in making others believe we are happy than in trying to be happy ourselves. —FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-sasaki/we-are-more-interested-in-making-others-believe-we-are-happy-than-in/) [Fumio Sasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-sasaki/) > [I'm erasing all of the unwanted drama out of my life because at the end of the day I'm just trying to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-tomasello/i-m-erasing-all-of-the-unwanted-drama-out-of-my-life-because-at-the/) [Mario Tomasello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-tomasello/) > [Behind the scenes, I'm a kid from Washington just trying to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benson-boone/behind-the-scenes-i-m-a-kid-from-washington-just-trying-to-be-happy/) [Benson Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benson-boone/) > [Trying to be happy is like climbing a steep hill and when you get near the top, you lose your grip, fall and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/trying-to-be-happy-is-like-climbing-a-steep-hill-and-when-you-get/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Football is something I enjoy doing, something I'm well-paid to do, and obviously that's a great privilege, but I'm just trying to be happy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wojciech-szczesny/football-is-something-i-enjoy-doing-something-i-m-well-paid-to-do-and/) [Wojciech Szczesny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wojciech-szczesny/) > [One of the biggest challenges in trying to be happy right now isn't that we don't know how to be happy. It's mostly that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumar-anupam/one-of-the-biggest-challenges-in-trying-to-be-happy-right-now-isn-t/) [Kumar Anupam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumar-anupam/) ## 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 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 [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What's the point in ever trying to be happy when the very pursuit of happiness is what makes you miserable.*", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-happy-when-the-very-pursuit-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happiness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-happy-when-the-very-pursuit-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/anonymous-1_happiness_what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-ha_308952.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/anonymous-1_happiness_what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-ha_308952.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/anonymous-1_happiness_what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-ha_308952.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What's the point in ever trying to be happy when the very pursuit of happiness is what makes you miserable.*” — Anonymous", "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": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What's the point in ever trying...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-happy-when-the-very-pursuit-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-s-the-point-in-ever-trying-to-be-happy-when-the-very-pursuit-of/#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 } } ] } ```