--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Discontentment shows up when we focus on…" description: "\"“Discontentment shows up when we focus on what we can't have rather than what we do have.”\" — Emily P. Freeman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/emily-p-freeman-10156_discontentment_discontentment-shows-up-when-we-focus-on_2460800.jpg" --- # Discontentment shows up when we focus on what we can't… ![“Discontentment shows up when we focus on what we can't have rather than what we do have.” quote by Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/emily-p-freeman-10156_discontentment_discontentment-shows-up-when-we-focus-on_2460800.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/emily-p-freeman-10156_discontentment_discontentment-shows-up-when-we-focus-on_2460800.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/emily-p-freeman-10156_discontentment_discontentment-shows-up-when-we-focus-on_2460800.jpg) > ““Discontentment shows up when we focus on what we can't have rather than what we do have.”” [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on lacking things breeds discontent; appreciating what you have fosters satisfaction. **In simple terms:** Wanting what you lack creates unhappiness; gratitude helps. Key Takeaway Practice gratitude to reduce discontent. Themes psychology gratitude mindset well‑being Mood thoughtful calm Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - coaching - daily reflection Key Concepts cognitive bias contentment Questions to Reflect On - What can you appreciate today? - How does shifting focus change your mood? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic issues causing dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discontentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontentment/) [Discontentment Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontentment-shows-651613/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Shows Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows-focus-651614/) ## Related quotes > [Someone who only wants to play sold-out shows will find a tempo that works at the shows and then focus on making that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-staples/someone-who-only-wants-to-play-sold-out-shows-will-find-a-tempo-that/) [Vince Staples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-staples/) > [I tend to avoid the shows that focus on politics, just to get a break from it all, i tried watching the first couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/i-tend-to-avoid-the-shows-that-focus-on-politics-just-to-get-a-break/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [When I make a movie, I don't do any shows because the focus is completely on the film but when I take up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-khan/when-i-make-a-movie-i-don-t-do-any-shows-because-the-focus-is/) [Farah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-khan/) > [“So much of me longs to run after him and cry, 'Yes, yes, yes!' A few hours ago, when I wrote I could never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/so-much-of-me-longs-to-run-after-him-and-cry-yes-yes-yes-a-few-hours/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“It was not desirable for the proles to have strong political feelings. All that was required of them was a primitive patriotism which could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/it-was-not-desirable-for-the-proles-to-have-strong-political-feelings/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Discontentment happens when I don’t have what I want. Contentment happens when I realize that I have so much more than I deserve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-altrogge/discontentment-happens-when-i-don-t-have-what-i-want-contentment/) [Stephen Altrogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-altrogge/) > [But I am all for love, and I am against marriage, particularly the arranged kind, because the arranged marriage gives you satisfaction. And love?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/but-i-am-all-for-love-and-i-am-against-marriage-particularly-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“When a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage however, that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-sterne/when-a-man-is-discontented-with-himself-it-has-one-advantage-however/) [Lawrence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-sterne/) > [“Real happiness, however, comes from who we are—from who we’ve become. Real happiness comes from within. Likewise, discontentment is also a result of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/real-happiness-however-comes-from-who-we-are-from-who-we-ve-become/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [I've always been dissatisfied, I know that. But lately I find that I reek of discontentment. It fills my throat, and it floods my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-ve-always-been-dissatisfied-i-know-that-but-lately-i-find-that-i/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [If we are to say no to covetousness, we must learn to say yes to contentment. This involves learning to be content with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/if-we-are-to-say-no-to-covetousness-we-must-learn-to-say-yes-to/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [“The deep rumbling of discontent that we hear today is the thunder of disinherited masses rising from dungeons of oppression to the bright hills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/the-deep-rumbling-of-discontent-that-we-hear-today-is-the-thunder-of/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“How can one explain this trend towards a more colorless and shallow life? Well, the work was easier, if less healthy, and it brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-junger/how-can-one-explain-this-trend-towards-a-more-colorless-and-shallow/) [Ernst Jünger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-junger/) > [“The reality is that stuff does not bring happiness. Instead, buying more than we need breeds nothing but discontentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-soukup/the-reality-is-that-stuff-does-not-bring-happiness-instead-buying/) [Ruth Soukup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-soukup/) > [Without discontentment, without revolt, you can never attain harmony. It is a necessary stage, which must be gone through by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/without-discontentment-without-revolt-you-can-never-attain-harmony-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) ## More by Emily P. Freeman > [“This is also a book abut God, about what it means--and what it doesn't mean--to believe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/this-is-also-a-book-abut-god-about-what-it-means-and-what-it-doesn-t/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“But understand that the reason it is so difficult to extend forgiveness to those who have failed us is because we are unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/but-understand-that-the-reason-it-is-so-difficult-to-extend/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“He (God) never promises that our families will be safe. Not in the way we think. He does promise his presence, though.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/he-god-never-promises-that-our-families-will-be-safe-not-in-the-way/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“Without looking up to God, sinking leads to drowning. But when my eyes are locked on his, sinking tells a different story. Drop the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/without-looking-up-to-god-sinking-leads-to-drowning-but-when-my-eyes/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“I didn't want to be such a good girl anymore. I wanted people to fear messing with me. ... I wanted to be intimidating.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/i-didn-t-want-to-be-such-a-good-girl-anymore-i-wanted-people-to-fear/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“Steven Pressfield writes in his bestselling book The War of Art, “Self-doubt can be an ally. This is because it serves as an indicator…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/steven-pressfield-writes-in-his-bestselling-book-the-war-of-art-self/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“God gives us the courage to face those fears and then invites us to move toward him in the midst of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/god-gives-us-the-courage-to-face-those-fears-and-then-invites-us-to/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“Maybe you're wondering what it actually means to live a graceful life. We've got many chapters ahead to figure out what that might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/maybe-you-re-wondering-what-it-actually-means-to-live-a-graceful-life/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“... the voice of the Dreamer convinced me that 'later' would always be better than 'now', that 'someday' is where life will really happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/the-voice-of-the-dreamer-convinced-me-that-later-would-always-be/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“Because I care so much about what you think, my hiding has everything to do with you. I desperately want to manage your opinion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/because-i-care-so-much-about-what-you-think-my-hiding-has-everything/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“The question I constantly asked myself was this: What am I supposed to do?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/the-question-i-constantly-asked-myself-was-this-what-am-i-supposed-to/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“When we listen to the voice of the Dreamer and hide behind our somedays, we miss out on the gifts of today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/when-we-listen-to-the-voice-of-the-dreamer-and-hide-behind-our/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“...being a good girl is more about what you believe on the inside that how you behave on the outside. That means whether you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/being-a-good-girl-is-more-about-what-you-believe-on-the-inside-that/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“You miss the living because you are waiting for perfect, and so you let goodness and blessings pass you right on by.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/you-miss-the-living-because-you-are-waiting-for-perfect-and-so-you/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“That's what service does. It points us to Jesus, not to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/that-s-what-service-does-it-points-us-to-jesus-not-to-ourselves/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) [Explore all 67 Emily P. Freeman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) ## More Discontentment quotes > [Without discontentment, without revolt, you can never attain harmony. It is a necessary stage, which must be gone through by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/without-discontentment-without-revolt-you-can-never-attain-harmony-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [If we are to say no to covetousness, we must learn to say yes to contentment. This involves learning to be content with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/if-we-are-to-say-no-to-covetousness-we-must-learn-to-say-yes-to/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [“So much of me longs to run after him and cry, 'Yes, yes, yes!' A few hours ago, when I wrote I could never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/so-much-of-me-longs-to-run-after-him-and-cry-yes-yes-yes-a-few-hours/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“The reality is that stuff does not bring happiness. Instead, buying more than we need breeds nothing but discontentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-soukup/the-reality-is-that-stuff-does-not-bring-happiness-instead-buying/) [Ruth Soukup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-soukup/) > [“How can one explain this trend towards a more colorless and shallow life? Well, the work was easier, if less healthy, and it brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-junger/how-can-one-explain-this-trend-towards-a-more-colorless-and-shallow/) [Ernst Jünger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-junger/) > [“The deep rumbling of discontent that we hear today is the thunder of disinherited masses rising from dungeons of oppression to the bright hills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/the-deep-rumbling-of-discontent-that-we-hear-today-is-the-thunder-of/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [I've always been dissatisfied, I know that. But lately I find that I reek of discontentment. It fills my throat, and it floods my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-ve-always-been-dissatisfied-i-know-that-but-lately-i-find-that-i/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Real happiness, however, comes from who we are—from who we’ve become. Real happiness comes from within. Likewise, discontentment is also a result of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/real-happiness-however-comes-from-who-we-are-from-who-we-ve-become/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“When a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage however, that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-sterne/when-a-man-is-discontented-with-himself-it-has-one-advantage-however/) [Lawrence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-sterne/) > [But I am all for love, and I am against marriage, particularly the arranged kind, because the arranged marriage gives you satisfaction. And love?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/but-i-am-all-for-love-and-i-am-against-marriage-particularly-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“Discontentment happens when I don’t have what I want. Contentment happens when I realize that I have so much more than I deserve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-altrogge/discontentment-happens-when-i-don-t-have-what-i-want-contentment/) [Stephen Altrogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-altrogge/) > [“It was not desirable for the proles to have strong political feelings. All that was required of them was a primitive patriotism which could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/it-was-not-desirable-for-the-proles-to-have-strong-political-feelings/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We can start by living by the Spirit while we stop following the heart of discontentment and doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-start-by-living-by-the-spirit-while-we-stop-following-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will be able to love above all discontentment. To give even when I am stripped of everything. To dry tears even when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-will-be-able-to-love-above-all-discontentment-to-give-even-when-i/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Millions upon millions will attain your ceremony, but don't think all of them are in a ceremonius mood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/millions-upon-millions-will-attain-your-ceremony-but-don-t-think-all/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) [Browse all 42 Discontentment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontentment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Discontentment shows up when we focus on what we can't have rather than what we do have.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily P. 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