--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Should; shouldn't; ought; oughtn't—the…" description: "\"Should; shouldn't; ought; oughtn't—the enemies of contentment.\" — Frank Delaney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/frank-delaney-13640_contentment_should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enem_2591655.png" --- # Should; shouldn't; ought; oughtn't—the enemies of… ![“Should; shouldn't; ought; oughtn't—the enemies of contentment.” quote by Frank Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/frank-delaney-13640_contentment_should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enem_2591655.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/frank-delaney-13640_contentment_should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enem_2591655.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/frank-delaney-13640_contentment_should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enem_2591655.png) > “Should; shouldn't; ought; oughtn't—the enemies of contentment.” [Frank Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-delaney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rigid rules about what we should or shouldn't do hinder true contentment. **In simple terms:** Rigid rules block contentment. Key Takeaway Question societal expectations. Themes contentment rules freedom Mood contemplative analytical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - decision making - personal growth - mental health Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - Which rules serve you positively? - How can you balance flexibility with responsibility? A Different Perspective Absolute rules can provide needed structure for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [To his sister-in-law: What a contrast between us! You live a warm and glowing life, surrounded by loved ones whom you care for and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-nobel/to-his-sister-in-law-what-a-contrast-between-us-you-live-a-warm-and/) [Alfred Nobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-nobel/) > [I do not believe in loving enemies; I have pretty hard work to love my friends. Neither do I believe in revenge. 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True contentment can only come through service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/pleasure-simply-brings-more-craving-but-the-problem-is-that-we-try-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Every human always wants more. We're never satisfied. True happiness doesn't come until we're fully satisfied with what we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-human-always-wants-more-we-re-never-satisfied-true-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was so nearly happy. There remained only a tiny something, something unexplained and inexplicable that buzzed in my ear when the lights were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-rooney/i-was-so-nearly-happy-there-remained-only-a-tiny-something-something/) Jennie Rooney > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [One often learns more from ten days of agony than ten years of contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/one-often-learns-more-from-ten-days-of-agony-than-ten-years-of/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Stop complaining and start accepting, everything happens for a reason, you may not notice the importance of the things that you have now, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/stop-complaining-and-start-accepting-everything-happens-for-a-reason/) Hemantsmarty > [True intimacy is the experience of real acceptance and authentic vulnerability without feeling the need to apologize or fear rejection. The freedom to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-blake-michiels/true-intimacy-is-the-experience-of-real-acceptance-and-authentic/) [Jordan Blake Michiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-blake-michiels/) [Browse all 1,355 Contentment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Should; shouldn't; ought; oughtn't—the enemies of contentment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frank Delaney" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-delaney/should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enemies-of-contentment/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contentment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-delaney/should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enemies-of-contentment/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/frank-delaney-13640_contentment_should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enem_2591655.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/frank-delaney-13640_contentment_should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enem_2591655.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/frank-delaney-13640_contentment_should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enem_2591655.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Should; shouldn't; ought; oughtn't—the enemies of contentment.” — Frank Delaney", "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": "Frank Delaney", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-delaney/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Should; shouldn't; ought; oughtn't—the enemies of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-delaney/should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enemies-of-contentment/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-delaney/should-shouldn-t-ought-oughtn-t-the-enemies-of-contentment/#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 } } ] } ```