--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Always remember that true happiness is…" description: "\"Always remember that true happiness is not in getting what you want, but wanting what you already have. He who dies with the most toys is still dead. W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/491/bertrand-russell-69_believe_always-remember-that-true-happiness-is-n_2297858.jpg" --- # Always remember that true happiness is not in getting what… ![“Always remember that true happiness is not in getting what you want, but wanting what you already have. He who dies with the most toys is still dead. What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/491/bertrand-russell-69_believe_always-remember-that-true-happiness-is-n_2297858.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/491/bertrand-russell-69_believe_always-remember-that-true-happiness-is-n_2297858.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/491/bertrand-russell-69_believe_always-remember-that-true-happiness-is-n_2297858.jpg) > “Always remember that true happiness is not in getting what you want, but wanting what you already have. He who dies with the most toys is still dead. What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Contentment comes from appreciating what you already possess rather than chasing new desires; material excess does not equate to fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Happiness is appreciating what you have, not getting more. Key Takeaway Cultivate gratitude for current blessings. Themes gratitude contentment materialism fulfillment Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal finance - relationships - mental health - minimalism Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What can you appreciate more today? - How does gratitude shift your sense of wealth? A Different Perspective Desire for more can still cause dissatisfaction despite abundance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Getting what you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-what-you-want/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Toys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toys/) [True happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-happiness/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) ## Related quotes > [The secret to happiness, of course, is not getting what you want; it’s wanting what you get,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-trebek/the-secret-to-happiness-of-course-is-not-getting-what-you-want-it-s/) [Alex Trebek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-trebek/) > [Satisfaction isn't so much getting what you want as wanting what you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-myers/satisfaction-isn-t-so-much-getting-what-you-want-as-wanting-what-you/) [David Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-myers/) > [It's Not Getting What You Want, It's Wanting What You've Got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-getting-what-you-want-it-s-wanting-what-you-ve-got/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness isn't getting what you want, its wanting what you got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-isn-t-getting-what-you-want-its-wanting-what-you-got/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/happiness-isn-t-getting-what-you-want-it-s-wanting-what-you-got/) [Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/) > [Suffering is getting what you do not want while wanting what you do not get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/suffering-is-getting-what-you-do-not-want-while-wanting-what-you-do/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [It's not about getting what you want. It's about experiencing what you really need by becoming more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/it-s-not-about-getting-what-you-want-it-s-about-experiencing-what-you/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [It's not getting what you want that's the hard part, it's deciding what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-potter/it-s-not-getting-what-you-want-that-s-the-hard-part-it-s-deciding/) [Alexandra Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-potter/) > [Sometimes, not getting what you want can be the most valuable experience of your entire life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/sometimes-not-getting-what-you-want-can-be-the-most-valuable/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [The first step to getting what you want is to have the courage to get rid of what you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/the-first-step-to-getting-what-you-want-is-to-have-the-courage-to-get/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [... there are two ways of being unhappy. Not getting what you want is one. Getting what you want is the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/there-are-two-ways-of-being-unhappy-not-getting-what-you-want-is-one/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [The first secret of getting what you want is knowing what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-d-hlavaty/the-first-secret-of-getting-what-you-want-is-knowing-what-you-want/) [Arthur D. Hlavaty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-d-hlavaty/) > [The first step in getting what you want from life-decide what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/the-first-step-in-getting-what-you-want-from-life-decide-what-you-want/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [Fear has only two causes: the thought of losing what you have or the thought of not getting what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/fear-has-only-two-causes-the-thought-of-losing-what-you-have-or-the/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Manners are a way of getting what you want without appearing to be an absolute swine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/manners-are-a-way-of-getting-what-you-want-without-appearing-to-be-an/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [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/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Always remember that true happiness is not in getting what you want, but wanting what you already have. He who dies with the most toys is still dead. 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