--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being smart can make happiness elusive…" description: "\"Being smart can make happiness elusive. Being REALLY smart can help you find it in more places than most.\" — Brandon Mull" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/brandon-mull-1617_being-smart_being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-b_1367567.png" --- # Being smart can make happiness elusive. Being REALLY smart… ![“Being smart can make happiness elusive. Being REALLY smart can help you find it in more places than most.” quote by Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/brandon-mull-1617_being-smart_being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-b_1367567.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/brandon-mull-1617_being-smart_being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-b_1367567.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/brandon-mull-1617_being-smart_being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-b_1367567.png) > “Being smart can make happiness elusive. Being REALLY smart can help you find it in more places than most.” [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligence can both hide and reveal happiness; deeper insight expands where joy is found. **In simple terms:** Smartness can hide happiness; deeper insight finds it. Key Takeaway Use intellect to seek joy broadly. Themes intelligence happiness self‑discovery Mood inquisitive optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationship building - creative pursuits - personal development Key Concepts philosophy psychology creativity Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply intellect to find joy? - What habits help translate insight into happiness? A Different Perspective Intelligence alone doesn’t guarantee happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) ## Related quotes > [They don't understand that I'm just choosing to be dumb. I'm not dumb. I'm just choosing not to be smart at the moment, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah/they-don-t-understand-that-i-m-just-choosing-to-be-dumb-i-m-not-dumb/) [Jonah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah/) > [If you want your children to be smart, tell them stories. If you want them to be really smart, tell them more stories. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/if-you-want-your-children-to-be-smart-tell-them-stories-if-you-want/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [If you're beautiful, you're led to believe that you can't also be smart. But you can be fun and fit and social and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danica-mckellar/if-you-re-beautiful-you-re-led-to-believe-that-you-can-t-also-be/) [Danica McKellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danica-mckellar/) > [If I had a daughter, I would tell her certain things. I would tell her that it’s great to be smart, really smart -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/if-i-had-a-daughter-i-would-tell-her-certain-things-i-would-tell-her/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [...even misplaced faith can help us gain knowledge. We try to be smart about where we put our faith and we adjust as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/even-misplaced-faith-can-help-us-gain-knowledge-we-try-to-be-smart/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [I wish I was really smart then all my problems would be solved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-i-was-really-smart-then-all-my-problems-would-be-solved/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a very high respect for professional comedians. What they do astonishes me. You have to be really smart and absorb everything, repackage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-have-a-very-high-respect-for-professional-comedians-what-they-do/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ We had no idea that this show \[Daredevil\] would be as popular as it was, but with the benefit of hindsight, one thing I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-cox/we-had-no-idea-that-this-show-daredevil-would-be-as-popular-as-it-was/) [Charlie Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-cox/) > [Something I say a lot when it comes to anti-feminist stereotypes is that they exist for a reason. The stereotypes of feminists as ugly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/something-i-say-a-lot-when-it-comes-to-anti-feminist-stereotypes-is/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Most of the people I know who smoke marijuana are not very bright and what they talk about when they're stoned, they think they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-smoke-marijuana-are-not-very-bright-and/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) > [You just can't tell or calibrate motive or intelligence or sense. So I don't read anything unless someone tells me that it's really smart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/you-just-can-t-tell-or-calibrate-motive-or-intelligence-or-sense-so-i/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart. And being thoughtful. And being generous. Everything else is crap!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/the-sexiest-thing-in-the-entire-world-is-being-really-smart-and-being/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [ Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre, the guys who run that show \[Big Bang Theory\], are really funny and really smart, and the cast is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/bill-prady-and-chuck-lorre-the-guys-who-run-that-show-big-bang-theory/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [We're all born with different talents. I'm really not that smart, but I can see things - financially and development-wise. It's just the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/we-re-all-born-with-different-talents-i-m-really-not-that-smart-but-i/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [A lot of times when you're around really, really smart people, you don't really understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/a-lot-of-times-when-you-re-around-really-really-smart-people-you-don/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) ## More by Brandon Mull > [“Seth wished he had kept the zombie hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/seth-wished-he-had-kept-the-zombie-hand/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [FABLEHAVEN: None who enter will leave unchanged. Trespassers will be turned to stone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/fablehaven-none-who-enter-will-leave-unchanged-trespassers-will-be/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [Choices determine character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/choices-determine-character/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [In their youth, mortals behave more like nymphs. Adulthood seems impossibly distant, let alone the enfeeblement of old age. But ponderously, inevitably, it overtakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/in-their-youth-mortals-behave-more-like-nymphs-adulthood-seems/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [I don't know how you're standing here. Yet you haven't broken. Not where it matters. Having come this far, I'm not sure you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/i-don-t-know-how-you-re-standing-here-yet-you-haven-t-broken-not/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [“Their premise is that chaos and bloodshed are preferable to just regulations. We disagree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/their-premise-is-that-chaos-and-bloodshed-are-preferable-to-just/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [Agreements. Specifically, a treaty ratified by all the orders of whimsical like forms who dwell here that affords a measure of security for mortal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/agreements-specifically-a-treaty-ratified-by-all-the-orders-of/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [“In his first communication, which arrived via homing canister, Hank told me that if we acquired the Translocator, he had a way to smuggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/in-his-first-communication-which-arrived-via-homing-canister-hank/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [“Don’t eat more than you want,” Grandma said. Kendra realized she had been toying with her pancakes, procrastinating the next bite. “I’m kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/don-t-eat-more-than-you-want-grandma-said-kendra-realized-she-had/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [Can't you home school me?" Nate pleaded. "You would never do any work." (Nate's mom) "Sounds perfect!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/can-t-you-home-school-me-nate-pleaded-you-would-never-do-any-work/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [Oh, Kendra, before I forget, Gavin asked me to give you this letter." He held out a gray, speckled envelope. "Happy birthday to you!"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/oh-kendra-before-i-forget-gavin-asked-me-to-give-you-this-letter-he/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [“Rotten apples stay spoiled, Nedwin said. Copernum and his allies will hang themselves with future crimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/rotten-apples-stay-spoiled-nedwin-said-copernum-and-his-allies-will/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [Imagination can take you Places…READ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/imagination-can-take-you-places-read/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [You look tired," Rachel told Jason. "I wish I could jog and sleep at the same time." "Can't you?" Ferrin asked, joining them at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/you-look-tired-rachel-told-jason-i-wish-i-could-jog-and-sleep-at-the/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [The pendulum swings between Light and Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/the-pendulum-swings-between-light-and-darkness/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) [Explore all 220 Brandon Mull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) ## More Being smart quotes > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Listen! Say less rather than more. If you want to be smart, play stupid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-rubinstein/listen-say-less-rather-than-more-if-you-want-to-be-smart-play-stupid/) [Helena Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-rubinstein/) > [I hated grunge. No one’s more feminist than me, but you don’t have to look as if you don’t give a - you know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-hated-grunge-no-one-s-more-feminist-than-me-but-you-don-t-have-to/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [For the past few years, I've been more selective than I have any right to be, but I think that's finally starting to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzy-caplan/for-the-past-few-years-i-ve-been-more-selective-than-i-have-any-right/) [Lizzy Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzy-caplan/) > [If you're stupid enough to whiff, you should be smart enough to forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/if-you-re-stupid-enough-to-whiff-you-should-be-smart-enough-to-forget/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: "You have to get what you need to get out of it." You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I know it sounds weird, but my definition of 'sexy' has changed as I've gotten older. And being smart and informed makes me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-shahi/i-know-it-sounds-weird-but-my-definition-of-sexy-has-changed-as-i-ve/) [Sarah Shahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-shahi/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [Each practitioner thinks there's one magic way to get a machine to be smart, and so they're all wasting their time in a sense.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/each-practitioner-thinks-there-s-one-magic-way-to-get-a-machine-to-be/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) > [All my serving utensils are measured. It's not obvious, because they're really beautiful, but I have the option of tracking what I'm eating. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-vincent/all-my-serving-utensils-are-measured-it-s-not-obvious-because-they-re/) [Ali Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-vincent/) > [We should all feel confident in our intelligence. By the way, intelligence to me isn't just being book-smart or having a college degree; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabatha-coffey/we-should-all-feel-confident-in-our-intelligence-by-the-way/) [Tabatha Coffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabatha-coffey/) > [Calling someone fat wont make you any skinnier, calling someone dumb dosnt make you any smarter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mean-girls/calling-someone-fat-wont-make-you-any-skinnier-calling-someone-dumb/) [Mean Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mean-girls/) > [The way to win is to work, work, work, work and hope to have a few insights And you're probably not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-way-to-win-is-to-work-work-work-work-and-hope-to-have-a-few/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [What we are saying is we have to be smart about the ideology that is putting this idea into the world that a woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asra-nomani/what-we-are-saying-is-we-have-to-be-smart-about-the-ideology-that-is/) [Asra Nomani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asra-nomani/) [Browse all 243 Being smart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being smart can make happiness elusive. Being REALLY smart can help you find it in more places than most.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brandon Mull" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-being-really-smart-can-help/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being smart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-being-really-smart-can-help/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/brandon-mull-1617_being-smart_being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-b_1367567.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/brandon-mull-1617_being-smart_being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-b_1367567.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/brandon-mull-1617_being-smart_being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-b_1367567.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being smart can make happiness elusive. Being REALLY smart can help you find it in more places than most.” — Brandon Mull", "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": "Brandon Mull", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being smart can make happiness elusive....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-being-really-smart-can-help/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/being-smart-can-make-happiness-elusive-being-really-smart-can-help/#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 } } ] } ```