--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pleasure is not the purpose of man's…" description: "\"Pleasure is not the purpose of man's existence. Joy is.\" — David O. McKay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/david-o-mckay-2062_existence_pleasure-is-not-the-purpose-of-man-s-exi_2468015.jpg" --- # Pleasure is not the purpose of man's existence. Joy is. ![“Pleasure is not the purpose of man's existence. Joy is.” quote by David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/david-o-mckay-2062_existence_pleasure-is-not-the-purpose-of-man-s-exi_2468015.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/david-o-mckay-2062_existence_pleasure-is-not-the-purpose-of-man-s-exi_2468015.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/david-o-mckay-2062_existence_pleasure-is-not-the-purpose-of-man-s-exi_2468015.jpg) > “Pleasure is not the purpose of man's existence. Joy is.” [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s ultimate aim is joy, not mere pleasure; joy is deeper, lasting, and spiritually rooted. **In simple terms:** Seek lasting joy, not fleeting pleasure. Key Takeaway Prioritize deep, meaningful fulfillment over short‑term thrills. Themes joy purpose spirituality Mood hopeful uplifting Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily habits - relationships - service - personal growth Key Concepts meaning long‑term fulfillment inner peace Questions to Reflect On - What brings you lasting joy? - How can you transform pleasure into purpose? A Different Perspective Pleasure can be a distraction from deeper joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Yes, Yudhishtira, life has no point at all. So enjoy every moment for there s no tomorrow, no life after death, no soul, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devdutt-pattanaik/yes-yudhishtira-life-has-no-point-at-all-so-enjoy-every-moment-for/) [Devdutt Pattanaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devdutt-pattanaik/) > [Lenten practices of giving up pleasures are good reminders that the purpose of life is not pleasure. The purpose of life is to attain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/lenten-practices-of-giving-up-pleasures-are-good-reminders-that-the/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [My missions to purchase Earth for her, present the gifts without the curse. Her pleasure is my purpose, pleasure to be at your service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/my-missions-to-purchase-earth-for-her-present-the-gifts-without-the/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [ In 'The Republic' he \[Plato\] states that the enjoyment of food is not a true pleasure because the purpose of eating is to relieve… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/in-the-republic-he-plato-states-that-the-enjoyment-of-food-is-not-a/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [“Our privileges are not for our pleasure but rather for our purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brady/our-privileges-are-not-for-our-pleasure-but-rather-for-our-purpose/) [Chris Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brady/) > [“Bringing enjoyment to God, living for his pleasure, is the first purpose of your life. When you fully understand this truth, you will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/bringing-enjoyment-to-god-living-for-his-pleasure-is-the-first/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [You and I were created for joy, and if we miss it we miss the reason for our existence. If our joy is honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/you-and-i-were-created-for-joy-and-if-we-miss-it-we-miss-the-reason/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [Joy is the goal of existence, and joy is not to be stumbled upon, but to be achieved, and the act of treason is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/joy-is-the-goal-of-existence-and-joy-is-not-to-be-stumbled-upon-but/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The song stands for a sense of joy in existence, a joy that is free of any good or bad choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-song-stands-for-a-sense-of-joy-in-existence-a-joy-that-is-free-of/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [People don’t realize, he said, how important it is to wake up every morning with a song in your heart.” J. Krishnamurti. “The song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/people-don-t-realize-he-said-how-important-it-is-to-wake-up-every/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [You carry all the ingredients to turn your existence into joy. Mix them, Mix them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/you-carry-all-the-ingredients-to-turn-your-existence-into-joy-mix/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [“Suffering is intrinsic to human existence. There is no joy without its attendant pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ackroyd/suffering-is-intrinsic-to-human-existence-there-is-no-joy-without-its/) [Peter Ackroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ackroyd/) > [“You carry all the ingredients to turn your existence into joy, mix them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhakti-chai/you-carry-all-the-ingredients-to-turn-your-existence-into-joy-mix-them/) Bhakti Chai > [The fundamental axiom, then, for the study of man is the existence of individual consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-fundamental-axiom-then-for-the-study-of-man-is-the-existence-of/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“This uniqueness and singleness which distinguishes each individual and gives a meaning to his existence has a bearing on creative work as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/this-uniqueness-and-singleness-which-distinguishes-each-individual/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) ## More by David O. McKay > [But there is a beauty every girl has—a gift from God, as pure as the sunlight, and as sacred as life. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/but-there-is-a-beauty-every-girl-has-a-gift-from-god-as-pure-as-the/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [Free agency is a gift of God…The world does not comprehend the significance of that divine gift to the individual. It is as inherent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/free-agency-is-a-gift-of-god-the-world-does-not-comprehend-the/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [The latest I like to be to meeting is 15 minutes early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/the-latest-i-like-to-be-to-meeting-is-15-minutes-early/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [Adversity itself may lead toward and not away from God and spiritual enlightenment; and privation may prove a source of strength if we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/adversity-itself-may-lead-toward-and-not-away-from-god-and-spiritual/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [No parent can consistently teach faith in Christ who profanes the name of Deity. Profanity is never heard in the well-ordered home. Swearing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/no-parent-can-consistently-teach-faith-in-christ-who-profanes-the/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [ \[One\] principle that actuated the lives of the fathers who founded our Constitution was faith in God. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/one-principle-that-actuated-the-lives-of-the-fathers-who-founded-our/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [“No thing worth while is obtained in this life without sacrificing, without putting forth effort. The evil one thrusts things upon us but God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/no-thing-worth-while-is-obtained-in-this-life-without-sacrificing/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [There are seeds of happiness in every soul. Our mental attitude and dispositions constitute the environment in which these seeds germinate. There is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/there-are-seeds-of-happiness-in-every-soul-our-mental-attitude-and/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [The most powerful thing in the world is an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/the-most-powerful-thing-in-the-world-is-an-idea/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [He who harbors hatred and bitterness injures himself far more than the one towards whom he manifests these evil propensities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/he-who-harbors-hatred-and-bitterness-injures-himself-far-more-than/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [The Gospel of Jesus Christ can make bad men good and good men better, can alter human nature, and can change human lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/the-gospel-of-jesus-christ-can-make-bad-men-good-and-good-men-better/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [The basis of all sin is selfishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/the-basis-of-all-sin-is-selfishness/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [“When you are tempted to stay away from that seventies' meeting, from that elder's meeting, from that deacons' quorum and you shrink from going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/when-you-are-tempted-to-stay-away-from-that-seventies-meeting-from/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [And what is true education? It is awakening a love for truth; giving a just sense of duty; opening the eyes of the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/and-what-is-true-education-it-is-awakening-a-love-for-truth-giving-a/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [Today, as never before, the issue is clearly defined-liberty and freedom of choice, or oppression and subjugation for the individual and for nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/today-as-never-before-the-issue-is-clearly-defined-liberty-and/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) [Explore all 188 David O. McKay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) ## More Existence quotes > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. They shouldn't have to justify their existence by utilitarian criteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/universities-are-the-cathedrals-of-the-modern-age-they-shouldn-t-have/) [David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/) > [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Browse all 7,646 Existence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pleasure is not the purpose of man's existence. Joy is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David O. 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