--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to be successful, I highly…" description: "\"“If you want to be successful, I highly recommend learning to be happy first. It is possible to become successful without first learning to be happy, b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/chade-meng-tan-29709_money_if-you-want-to-be-successful-i-highly-re_2700156.jpg" --- # If you want to be successful, I highly recommend learning… ![“If you want to be successful, I highly recommend learning to be happy first. It is possible to become successful without first learning to be happy, but I strongly recommend against it, because if you are unhappy before you are successful, you are likely to be even more unhappy after. For example…” quote by Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/chade-meng-tan-29709_money_if-you-want-to-be-successful-i-highly-re_2700156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/chade-meng-tan-29709_money_if-you-want-to-be-successful-i-highly-re_2700156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/chade-meng-tan-29709_money_if-you-want-to-be-successful-i-highly-re_2700156.jpg) > ““If you want to be successful, I highly recommend learning to be happy first. It is possible to become successful without first learning to be happy, but I strongly recommend against it, because if you are unhappy before you are successful, you are likely to be even more unhappy after. For example, based on my own experience becoming financially successful and that of other wealthy people I know, I have found wealth to be a personality multiplier. If you are cruel and unkind, then being wealthy will make you even more cruel and unkind, because you don’t even have survival-related reasons to be nice to anyone anymore. If, instead, you are kind and generous, then being wealthy will make you more so, because wealth provides more opportunities for doing so. Since”” [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success amplifies existing traits; happiness before wealth leads to better outcomes, while unhappiness can worsen with wealth. **In simple terms:** Being happy first shapes how wealth affects you. Key Takeaway Cultivate happiness before pursuing wealth. Themes happiness wealth character success kindness Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - financial planning - philanthropy - leadership - mindset coaching Key Concepts personality multiplier emotional intelligence ethical wealth Questions to Reflect On - How does your current happiness level influence your goals? - Can wealth ever change core character traits? A Different Perspective If happiness is superficial, wealth may still expose deeper flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Make Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-wealth-458682/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Successful Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-wealthy-2726786/) [Unkind Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unkind-wealthy-2726788/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wealth Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth-personality-2726787/) ## Related quotes > [“Only when that time is converted can you produce something from it. You can only make wealth from a time well converted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/only-when-that-time-is-converted-can-you-produce-something-from-it/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [You have to remember, I never became successful or wealthy till I was 30.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/you-have-to-remember-i-never-became-successful-or-wealthy-till-i-was/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [“Being a successful and wealthy man doesn't mean that you have to forget about the place where you were brought up and the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diyar-harraz/being-a-successful-and-wealthy-man-doesn-t-mean-that-you-have-to/) [Diyar Harraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diyar-harraz/) > [Most people would assume my business success, and the wealth that comes with it, have brought me happiness. But I know I am successful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/most-people-would-assume-my-business-success-and-the-wealth-that/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [You definitely meet a lot of extremely powerful, successful, wealthy people in Hollywood who are extremely miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diablo-cody/you-definitely-meet-a-lot-of-extremely-powerful-successful-wealthy/) [Diablo Cody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diablo-cody/) > [You don't have to be the smartest person to become successful and wealthy. Many of the most successful and wealthy people in society are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/you-don-t-have-to-be-the-smartest-person-to-become-successful-and/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [Make the most of your life before your death. Make the most of your health before your sickness. Make the most of your time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/make-the-most-of-your-life-before-your-death-make-the-most-of-your/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [Investing is for wealth preservation, not wealth creation, so first you have to make wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/investing-is-for-wealth-preservation-not-wealth-creation-so-first-you/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Make Among the most of your wealth before you become poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie/make-among-the-most-of-your-wealth-before-you-become-poor/) [Rosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie/) > [The only way to gain the kinds of often-generational wealth that the 1% has been able to gain is through controlling the populations it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/the-only-way-to-gain-the-kinds-of-often-generational-wealth-that-the/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [You spend your TIME to make a DIME. You lose your HEALTH to make your WEALTH, but at the end it is FUNNY because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-spend-your-time-to-make-a-dime-you-lose-your-health-to-make-your-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't envy those who make their wealth in an ungodly way. The wicked seem to prosper now and live without care but they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-b-joshua/don-t-envy-those-who-make-their-wealth-in-an-ungodly-way-the-wicked/) [T. B. Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-b-joshua/) > [I've often said that far more sensible than a 'make poverty history' campaign would be a 'make wealth history' campaign. It is, after all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/i-ve-often-said-that-far-more-sensible-than-a-make-poverty-history/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [You spend your TIME to make a DIME. You lose your HEALTH to make your WEALTH, but at the end it is FUNNY because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-spend-your-time-to-make-a-dime-you-lose-your-health-to-make-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) ## More by Chade-Meng Tan > [Top managers love people and they want to be loved - it turns out being loved is good for your career, especially if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/top-managers-love-people-and-they-want-to-be-loved-it-turns-out-being/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [Compassion is so pure, I don't think there is any way to taint it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/compassion-is-so-pure-i-don-t-think-there-is-any-way-to-taint-it/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [Success and failure are emotional and physiological experiences. We need to deal with them in a way that is present and calm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/success-and-failure-are-emotional-and-physiological-experiences-we/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters to what lies within us. —Ralph Waldo Emerson I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/what-lies-behind-us-and-what-lies-ahead-of-us-are-tiny-matters-to/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [If you had to pick between being moral and successful, obviously I'd choose to be moral. However if you can choose both, will you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/if-you-had-to-pick-between-being-moral-and-successful-obviously-i-d/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [If the mind is calm, your spontaneity and honest thoughts appear. You become more spontaneous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/if-the-mind-is-calm-your-spontaneity-and-honest-thoughts-appear-you/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [“Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer. They define emotional intelligence as:                The ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/peter-salovey-and-john-d-mayer-they-define-emotional-intelligence-as/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [My job description is to enlighten minds, open hearts and create world peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/my-job-description-is-to-enlighten-minds-open-hearts-and-create-world/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [I was always very different from the other kids. I have an I.Q. of 156. I didn't play sports. I thought big. I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/i-was-always-very-different-from-the-other-kids-i-have-an-i-q-of-156/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [Happiness is not something that you pursue; it is something that you allow. Happiness is just being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/happiness-is-not-something-that-you-pursue-it-is-something-that-you/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [And one of the powers of mindfulness is the ability to get to that frame of mind on demand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/and-one-of-the-powers-of-mindfulness-is-the-ability-to-get-to-that/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [“The groundbreaking book that popularized the topic is Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, written by Daniel Goleman, our friend and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/the-groundbreaking-book-that-popularized-the-topic-is-emotional/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [What if compassion is also profitable? What if compassion is also good for business?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/what-if-compassion-is-also-profitable-what-if-compassion-is-also-good/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [“This research is showing that significant benefits of meditation can be observed after only eight weeks of training.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/this-research-is-showing-that-significant-benefits-of-meditation-can/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) > [“I allowed my ego to simultaneously be tiny and humongous at the same time. The trick was to focus on two attitudes: service and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/i-allowed-my-ego-to-simultaneously-be-tiny-and-humongous-at-the-same/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) [Explore all 18 Chade-Meng Tan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) ## More Money quotes > [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Money is the kind of instrument which is very speedily produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/money-is-the-kind-of-instrument-which-is-very-speedily-produced/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Maybe you can,t buy a big house.. A new car.. A huge diamond ring.. But if you have just one true friend who loves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy/maybe-you-can-t-buy-a-big-house-a-new-car-a-huge-diamond-ring-but-if/) [Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy/) > [“Don't allow money to become the yardstick by which you measure the worth of the world around you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-james-pritchard/don-t-allow-money-to-become-the-yardstick-by-which-you-measure-the/) [Andrew James Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-james-pritchard/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [I doubt that we Americans can come to terms with our money neuroses without understanding the more florid pathology of the very rich for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-slater/i-doubt-that-we-americans-can-come-to-terms-with-our-money-neuroses/) [Philip Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-slater/) > [“The writer must earn money in order to be able to live and to write, but he must by no means live and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/the-writer-must-earn-money-in-order-to-be-able-to-live-and-to-write/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [The man who works for the gold in the job rather than for the money in the pay envelope, is the fellow who gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-french-johnson/the-man-who-works-for-the-gold-in-the-job-rather-than-for-the-money/) [Joseph French Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-french-johnson/) [Browse all 45,172 Money quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you want to be successful, I highly recommend learning to be happy first. It is possible to become successful without first learning to be happy, but I strongly recommend against it, because if you are unhappy before you are successful, you are likely to be even more unhappy after. 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