--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To gain anything we have longed for is…" description: "\"To gain anything we have longed for is only to discover how vain and empty it is; and even though we are always living in expectation of better things,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/arthur-schopenhauer-226_back-again_to-gain-anything-we-have-longed-for-is-o_2125097.jpg" --- # To gain anything we have longed for is only to discover… ![“To gain anything we have longed for is only to discover how vain and empty it is; and even though we are always living in expectation of better things, at the same time we often repent and long to have the past back again.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/arthur-schopenhauer-226_back-again_to-gain-anything-we-have-longed-for-is-o_2125097.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/arthur-schopenhauer-226_back-again_to-gain-anything-we-have-longed-for-is-o_2125097.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/arthur-schopenhauer-226_back-again_to-gain-anything-we-have-longed-for-is-o_2125097.jpg) > “To gain anything we have longed for is only to discover how vain and empty it is; and even though we are always living in expectation of better things, at the same time we often repent and long to have the past back again.” [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. Desire for future gains often leaves us feeling emptiness, while nostalgia for the past can cause regret. **In simple terms:** Desire creates emptiness; nostalgia causes regret. Key Takeaway Balance desire with acceptance. Themes desire regret nostalgia Mood melancholic thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - career ambitions - personal goals - reflecting on past choices Key Concepts impermanence satisfaction philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What desires cause emptiness for you? - How can you appreciate the present? 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