--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We crave ease, but stimulation is what…" description: "\"“We crave ease, but stimulation is what really makes us happy.”\" — Eric Barker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/eric-barker-18158_happiness_we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-re_3108244.jpg" --- # We crave ease, but stimulation is what really makes us… ![“We crave ease, but stimulation is what really makes us happy.” quote by Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/eric-barker-18158_happiness_we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-re_3108244.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/eric-barker-18158_happiness_we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-re_3108244.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/eric-barker-18158_happiness_we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-re_3108244.jpg) > ““We crave ease, but stimulation is what really makes us happy.”” [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness comes from engaging challenges, not from seeking comfort alone. **In simple terms:** Challenges bring joy. Key Takeaway Seek stimulating experiences. Themes happiness challenge growth Mood optimistic energetic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - exercise routines - learning new skills - career advancement - social activities Key Concepts psychology of well‑being flow state Questions to Reflect On - What challenges excite you? - How can you add healthy stimulation to daily life? A Different Perspective Too much stimulation can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [Removing all stimulation around you is a really positive thing in terms of stimulating your creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/removing-all-stimulation-around-you-is-a-really-positive-thing-in/) [Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/) > [Ninety nine per cent of the time, for anyone who wins or makes money, it makes them happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-blessed/ninety-nine-per-cent-of-the-time-for-anyone-who-wins-or-makes-money/) [Brian Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-blessed/) > [As long as that special person makes YOU happy, it shouldn't matter what other people say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-long-as-that-special-person-makes-you-happy-it-shouldn-t-matter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm inspired by visual stimulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-parker/i-m-inspired-by-visual-stimulation/) [Mark Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-parker/) > [Avoid head trash. Don't be a garbage can for anything that does not feed your intellect, stimulate your imagination, or make you a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-brown/avoid-head-trash-don-t-be-a-garbage-can-for-anything-that-does-not/) [Les Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-brown/) > [Art is for stimulation, excitement, adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-humphrey/art-is-for-stimulation-excitement-adventure/) [Doris Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-humphrey/) > [“Mom & pop stores are not about something small; they are about something big. Ninety percent of all U.S. businesses are family owned or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-spector/mom-pop-stores-are-not-about-something-small-they-are-about-something/) [Robert Spector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-spector/) > [It is the cult of self that is killing the United States. This cult has within it the classic traits of psychopaths: superficial charm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/it-is-the-cult-of-self-that-is-killing-the-united-states-this-cult/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [Civil disobedience is a stimulation for the fighters and a challenge to the opponent, in the present instance, authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/civil-disobedience-is-a-stimulation-for-the-fighters-and-a-challenge/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [There is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap, even of the briefest, than in all the alcohol ever distilled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-more-refreshment-and-stimulation-in-a-nap-even-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [If only we could love ourselves enough to dare to approach God, what constructive dreams he would give us! What noble possibilities God wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/if-only-we-could-love-ourselves-enough-to-dare-to-approach-god-what/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [Many artists and writers have used cannabis for creative stimulation - from the writers of the world's religious masterpieces to our most irreverent satirists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-herer/many-artists-and-writers-have-used-cannabis-for-creative-stimulation/) [Jack Herer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-herer/) > [I just remember that disturbing feeling of walking into that prison, the complete loss of privacy, the complete loss of stimulation, dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/i-just-remember-that-disturbing-feeling-of-walking-into-that-prison/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [What the brain does by itself is infinitely more fascinating and complex than any response it can make to chemical stimulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/what-the-brain-does-by-itself-is-infinitely-more-fascinating-and/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) ## More by Eric Barker > [Showing gratitude for the good things you have is the most powerful happiness boosting activity there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/showing-gratitude-for-the-good-things-you-have-is-the-most-powerful/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Dan Ariely did a study in which people were given the opportunity to cheat on a test. (They didn’t know the researchers administering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/dan-ariely-did-a-study-in-which-people-were-given-the-opportunity-to/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Too often we label things “good” or “bad” when the right designation might merely be “different.” The Israeli military needed people who could analyze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/too-often-we-label-things-good-or-bad-when-the-right-designation/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“This leads us to the strengths of being less than confident. Confidence makes it very hard for us to learn and improve. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/this-leads-us-to-the-strengths-of-being-less-than-confident/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“a healthy mind tells itself flattering lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/a-healthy-mind-tells-itself-flattering-lies/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“David Dobbs said in a piece for The Atlantic, “the very genes that give us the most trouble as a species, causing behaviors that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/david-dobbs-said-in-a-piece-for-the-atlantic-the-very-genes-that-give/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“But as any mathematician knows, averages can be deceptive. Andrew Robinson, CEO of famed advertising agency BBDO, once said, “When your head is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/but-as-any-mathematician-knows-averages-can-be-deceptive-andrew/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Decide when you want to leave work and you’ll know how many hours you have. Slot in what you need to get done by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/decide-when-you-want-to-leave-work-and-you-ll-know-how-many-hours-you/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [We all only have 1440 minutes a day. Accept you can't do it all, focus on what's important and do that well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/we-all-only-have-1440-minutes-a-day-accept-you-can-t-do-it-all-focus/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Anyone who knows baseball knows Ted Williams. He played professionally from 1939 to 1960 and is one of the undisputed greatest hitters of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/anyone-who-knows-baseball-knows-ted-williams-he-played-professionally/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“1.​HAPPINESS: having feelings of pleasure or contentment in and about your life 2.​ACHIEVEMENT: achieving accomplishments that compare favorably against similar goals others have strived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/1-happiness-having-feelings-of-pleasure-or-contentment-in-and-about/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Without a plan, we do what’s passive and easy—not what is really fulfilling. Robert Epstein surveyed thirty thousand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/without-a-plan-we-do-what-s-passive-and-easy-not-what-is-really/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [The first step is crucial - keep it tiny. Do not be ambitious yet. That leads to failure. Consistency is what you’re shooting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/the-first-step-is-crucial-keep-it-tiny-do-not-be-ambitious-yet-that/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Mentoring a young person is four times more predictive of happiness than your health or how much money you make.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/mentoring-a-young-person-is-four-times-more-predictive-of-happiness/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Oh, the irony. Cognitive biases prevent us from understanding cognitive biases.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/oh-the-irony-cognitive-biases-prevent-us-from-understanding-cognitive/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) [Explore all 34 Eric Barker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) ## More Happiness quotes > [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/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We crave ease, but stimulation is what really makes us happy.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Barker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-really-makes-us-happy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happiness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-really-makes-us-happy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/eric-barker-18158_happiness_we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-re_3108244.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/eric-barker-18158_happiness_we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-re_3108244.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/eric-barker-18158_happiness_we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-re_3108244.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We crave ease, but stimulation is what really makes us happy.” — Eric Barker", "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": "Eric Barker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We crave ease, but stimulation is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-really-makes-us-happy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/we-crave-ease-but-stimulation-is-what-really-makes-us-happy/#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 } } ] } ```