--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only man is not content to leave things…" description: "\"Only man is not content to leave things as they are but must always be changing them, and when he has done so, is seldom satisfied with the result.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elspeth-huxley-26455_change_only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things_2177306.png" --- # Only man is not content to leave things as they are but… ![“Only man is not content to leave things as they are but must always be changing them, and when he has done so, is seldom satisfied with the result.” quote by Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elspeth-huxley-26455_change_only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things_2177306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elspeth-huxley-26455_change_only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things_2177306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elspeth-huxley-26455_change_only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things_2177306.png) > “Only man is not content to leave things as they are but must always be changing them, and when he has done so, is seldom satisfied with the result.” [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans are inherently restless, constantly seeking change, yet rarely satisfied with outcomes, highlighting perpetual dissatisfaction. **In simple terms:** People always want change and are rarely satisfied. Key Takeaway Embrace contentment while pursuing growth. Themes philosophy human nature change Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - self‑reflection - goal setting - mindfulness practice Key Concepts restlessness satisfaction continuous improvement Questions to Reflect On - How can one balance ambition and satisfaction? - What drives perpetual dissatisfaction? A Different Perspective The view may ignore the value of contentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [A person well satisfied with themselves is seldom satisfied with others, and others, rarely are with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-person-well-satisfied-with-themselves-is-seldom-satisfied-with/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A man is never the same for long. He is continually changing. He seldom remains the same even for half an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gurdjieff/a-man-is-never-the-same-for-long-he-is-continually-changing-he-seldom/) George Gurdjieff > [The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge right or make good decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-people-are-turbulent-and-changing-they-seldom-judge-right-or-make/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [It is the greatest mistake to think that man is always one and the same. A man is never the same for long. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-the-greatest-mistake-to-think-that-man-is-always-one-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Its really most remarkable how the human race is so seldom satisfied with what its got. Give a man the world and he's pining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-howatch/its-really-most-remarkable-how-the-human-race-is-so-seldom-satisfied/) [Susan Howatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-howatch/) > [“Those who get into the business of truth are seldom satisfied. For truth is organic and destined for change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keela-sanders/those-who-get-into-the-business-of-truth-are-seldom-satisfied-for/) Keela Sanders > [A writer is seldom satisfied with the condition he finds himself in. We're all given to fretting a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/a-writer-is-seldom-satisfied-with-the-condition-he-finds-himself-in/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [“The reason that man is seldom satisfied with his salary is that when it increases, he increases his expenses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-reason-that-man-is-seldom-satisfied-with-his-salary-is-that-when/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The highest form of selfishness is that of the man who is content to go to heaven alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/the-highest-form-of-selfishness-is-that-of-the-man-who-is-content-to/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [The man who is content to live alone is either a beast or a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-man-who-is-content-to-live-alone-is-either-a-beast-or-a-god/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The virtues which keep this world sweet and the faithfulness which keeps it steadfast are chiefly those of the average man. The danger of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-bowie/the-virtues-which-keep-this-world-sweet-and-the-faithfulness-which/) Walter Russell Bowie > [“Poor is the man whom is not content with what he has.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-gonzalez/poor-is-the-man-whom-is-not-content-with-what-he-has/) Rita Gonzalez > [Men are not rich or poor according to what they possess but to what they desire. The only rich man is he that with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-chamberlain/men-are-not-rich-or-poor-according-to-what-they-possess-but-to-what/) [Roger Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-chamberlain/) > [One man's content is another woman's crap. And the crappy content - let's call it crontent - will never go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-salie/one-man-s-content-is-another-woman-s-crap-and-the-crappy-content-let/) [Faith Salie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-salie/) > [Nothing is more sterile or lamentable than the man content to live within himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/nothing-is-more-sterile-or-lamentable-than-the-man-content-to-live/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) ## More by Elspeth Huxley > [“What sorts of sin?" Any sort. When other people commit them, you are startled, but when you commit them yourself, they seem absolutely natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/what-sorts-of-sin-any-sort-when-other-people-commit-them-you-are/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [The great point about money was to convert it as quickly as possible into something you could use or enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/the-great-point-about-money-was-to-convert-it-as-quickly-as-possible/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [“Tilly was downcast; as with all perfectionists, it was the detail others might not notice that destroyed for her the pleasure of achievement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/tilly-was-downcast-as-with-all-perfectionists-it-was-the-detail/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [English tradition debars from dinner-table conversation almost all topics that might interest the conversers and insists upon strict adherence to banalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/english-tradition-debars-from-dinner-table-conversation-almost-all/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [“...that's the way to tell a true story from a made-up one. A made-up story always has a neat and tidy end. But true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/that-s-the-way-to-tell-a-true-story-from-a-made-up-one-a-made-up/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [Africa is a cruel country; it takes your heart and grinds it into powdered stone - and no one minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/africa-is-a-cruel-country-it-takes-your-heart-and-grinds-it-into/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [You cannot sell a blemished apple in the supermarket, but you can sell a tasteless one provided it is shiny, smooth, even, uniform and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/you-cannot-sell-a-blemished-apple-in-the-supermarket-but-you-can-sell/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [The pioneer kills what he loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/the-pioneer-kills-what-he-loves/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [Africa is cruel...it takes your heart and grinds it into powdered stone - and no-one minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/africa-is-cruel-it-takes-your-heart-and-grinds-it-into-powdered-stone/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [The Beatties were always arguing, it gave them an interest in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/the-beatties-were-always-arguing-it-gave-them-an-interest-in-life/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [Dogs may be divided into two classes: those who are merely afraid of cattle and those who can't abide them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/dogs-may-be-divided-into-two-classes-those-who-are-merely-afraid-of/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [“this was a moment of magic revealing to us all, for a few moments, a hidden world of grace and wonder beyond the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/this-was-a-moment-of-magic-revealing-to-us-all-for-a-few-moments-a/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [ They \[zebras\] looked like highly varnished animated toys. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/they-zebras-looked-like-highly-varnished-animated-toys/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [One of the stock Sydney jokes is of the census-taker who enquires: 'How many children have you, ma'am?' 'Two living and three in Melbourne.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/one-of-the-stock-sydney-jokes-is-of-the-census-taker-who-enquires-how/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [To deceive gracefully is the very essence of social life. One must start by deceiving oneself, and make a lifelong practice of deceiving others;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/to-deceive-gracefully-is-the-very-essence-of-social-life-one-must/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) [Explore all 21 Elspeth Huxley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only man is not content to leave things as they are but must always be changing them, and when he has done so, is seldom satisfied with the result.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elspeth Huxley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things-as-they-are-but-must-always/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things-as-they-are-but-must-always/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elspeth-huxley-26455_change_only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things_2177306.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elspeth-huxley-26455_change_only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things_2177306.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elspeth-huxley-26455_change_only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things_2177306.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only man is not content to leave things as they are but must always be changing them, and when he has done…” — Elspeth Huxley", "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": "Elspeth Huxley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only man is not content to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things-as-they-are-but-must-always/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/only-man-is-not-content-to-leave-things-as-they-are-but-must-always/#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 } } ] } ```