--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ordinary man places his life’s…" description: "\"“The ordinary man places his life’s happiness in things external to him, in property, rank, wife and children, friends, society, and the like, so that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_happiness_the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happi_1366579.jpg" --- # The ordinary man places his life’s happiness in things… ![“The ordinary man places his life’s happiness in things external to him, in property, rank, wife and children, friends, society, and the like, so that when he loses them or finds them disappointing, the foundation of his happiness is destroyed.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_happiness_the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happi_1366579.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_happiness_the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happi_1366579.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_happiness_the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happi_1366579.jpg) > ““The ordinary man places his life’s happiness in things external to him, in property, rank, wife and children, friends, society, and the like, so that when he loses them or finds them disappointing, the foundation of his happiness is destroyed.”” [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness tied to external possessions is fragile; losing them destroys the foundation of joy, leading to suffering. **In simple terms:** Relying on external things for happiness makes it unstable. Key Takeaway Seek inner, not external, fulfillment. Themes philosophy happiness materialism impermanence psychology Mood thoughtful serious inspirational Type philosophical reflective motivational When to use this quote - Career setbacks - relationship loss - financial downturn - health crisis Key Concepts Stoicism existentialism attachment theory Questions to Reflect On - What truly sustains your happiness? - How can you cultivate inner stability? A Different Perspective External focus can still provide comfort and motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Foundation Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation-happiness-283311/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-destroyed-1853401/) [Happiness Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-things-358442/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Ordinary man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-man/) ## Related quotes > [Why not seize the pleasure at once, how often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/why-not-seize-the-pleasure-at-once-how-often-is-happiness-destroyed/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Happiness made Marv anxious because he knew it didn't last. But happiness destroyed was worth wrapping your arms around because it always hugged you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/happiness-made-marv-anxious-because-he-knew-it-didn-t-last-but/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/how-often-is-happiness-destroyed-by-preparation-foolish-preparation/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Beauty, when it is not a promise of happiness, must be destroyed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-knabb/beauty-when-it-is-not-a-promise-of-happiness-must-be-destroyed/) [Ken Knabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-knabb/) > [A face is too slight a foundation for happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/a-face-is-too-slight-a-foundation-for-happiness/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [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/) > [The health of the people is really the foundation upon which all their happiness and all their powers as a state depend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-health-of-the-people-is-really-the-foundation-upon-which-all/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“Your real personality identity is not an option, it is the foundation for your happiness and health.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-dentinger/your-real-personality-identity-is-not-an-option-it-is-the-foundation/) [Diana Dentinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-dentinger/) > [The foundation of all happiness in thinking rightly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-foundation-of-all-happiness-in-thinking-rightly/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Freedom is the real foundation of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/freedom-is-the-real-foundation-of-happiness/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [The seminary programs will help you as a young man or woman to lay a foundation for happiness and success in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/the-seminary-programs-will-help-you-as-a-young-man-or-woman-to-lay-a/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [“Thus it should be clear that a kind heart and a helpful attitude are the very foundation of happiness, both for others and ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/thus-it-should-be-clear-that-a-kind-heart-and-a-helpful-attitude-are/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [If you want to retire happy, great health is important. The foundation for all happiness lies in health. Physical, mental, or spiritual health -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-j-zelinski/if-you-want-to-retire-happy-great-health-is-important-the-foundation/) [Ernie J Zelinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-j-zelinski/) > [“Although it is easy to imagine happiness as the upwards turn on this haphazard rising and falling of emotion which is life, but really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brent-jones/although-it-is-easy-to-imagine-happiness-as-the-upwards-turn-on-this/) [Michael Brent Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-brent-jones/) > [Conscious virtue is the only solid foundation of all happiness; for riches, power, rank, or whatever, in the common acceptation ofthe word, is supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/conscious-virtue-is-the-only-solid-foundation-of-all-happiness-for/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## More by Arthur Schopenhauer > [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“In accordance with such zeal, by reducing the external world to a matter of faith, he wanted merely to open a little door for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-accordance-with-such-zeal-by-reducing-the-external-world-to-a/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [That human life must be some kind of mistake is sufficiently proved by the simple observation that man is a compound of needs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/that-human-life-must-be-some-kind-of-mistake-is-sufficiently-proved/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“Imitation and custom are the spring of almost all human action. The cause of it is that men fight shy of all and any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/imitation-and-custom-are-the-spring-of-almost-all-human-action-the/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [ \[T\]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between-man-and-man-ought-to-be-not/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [The eternal being..., as it lives in us, also lives in every animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-eternal-being-as-it-lives-in-us-also-lives-in-every-animal/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [there are very few who can think, but every man wants to have an opinion; and what remains but to take it ready-made from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/there-are-very-few-who-can-think-but-every-man-wants-to-have-an/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [It is not what things are objectively and in themselves, but what they are for us, in our way of looking at them, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/it-is-not-what-things-are-objectively-and-in-themselves-but-what-they/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [ “\[Materialism\] seeks the primary and most simple state of matter, and then tries to develop all the others from it; ascending from mere mechanism,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/materialism-seeks-the-primary-and-most-simple-state-of-matter-and/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [In order to increase his pleasures, man has intentionally added to the number and pressure of his needs, which in their original state were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-order-to-increase-his-pleasures-man-has-intentionally-added-to-the/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“For the will, as that which is common to all, is for that reason also common: consequently, every vehement emergence of will is common,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/for-the-will-as-that-which-is-common-to-all-is-for-that-reason-also/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“Alles Urdenken geschieht in Bildern: darum ist die Phantasie ein so nothwendiges Werkzeug desselben, und werden phantasielose Köpfe nie etwas Großes leisten, - es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/alles-urdenken-geschieht-in-bildern-darum-ist-die-phantasie-ein-so/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Intellect is invisible to the man who has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/intellect-is-invisible-to-the-man-who-has-none/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Newspapers are the second hand of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/newspapers-are-the-second-hand-of-history/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“In travelling where novelties of all kinds press in upon us, mental food is often supplied so rapidly from without that there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-travelling-where-novelties-of-all-kinds-press-in-upon-us-mental/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) [Explore all 791 Arthur Schopenhauer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) ## 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": "“The ordinary man places his life’s happiness in things external to him, in property, rank, wife and children, friends, society, and the like, so that when he loses them or finds them disappointing, the foundation of his happiness is destroyed.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur Schopenhauer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happiness-in-things-external-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happiness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happiness-in-things-external-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_happiness_the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happi_1366579.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_happiness_the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happi_1366579.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_happiness_the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happi_1366579.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The ordinary man places his life’s happiness in things external to him, in property, rank, wife and…” — Arthur Schopenhauer", "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": "Arthur Schopenhauer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The ordinary man places his life’s...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happiness-in-things-external-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-ordinary-man-places-his-life-s-happiness-in-things-external-to/#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 } } ] } ```