--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If what makes you happy is going out and…" description: "\"If what makes you happy is going out and living it up and spending all your money on wine, women, and song, the world doesn't need that. But on the oth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/frederick-buechner-883_chance_if-what-makes-you-happy-is-going-out-and_281711.png" --- # If what makes you happy is going out and living it up and… ![“If what makes you happy is going out and living it up and spending all your money on wine, women, and song, the world doesn't need that. But on the other hand, if you give your life to good works - you go and work in a leper colony and it doesn't make you happy - the chances are you're not doing…” quote by Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/frederick-buechner-883_chance_if-what-makes-you-happy-is-going-out-and_281711.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/frederick-buechner-883_chance_if-what-makes-you-happy-is-going-out-and_281711.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/frederick-buechner-883_chance_if-what-makes-you-happy-is-going-out-and_281711.png) > “If what makes you happy is going out and living it up and spending all your money on wine, women, and song, the world doesn't need that. But on the other hand, if you give your life to good works - you go and work in a leper colony and it doesn't make you happy - the chances are you're not doing it very well.” [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness from self‑indulgence is shallow; true fulfillment comes from selfless service, though it may not feel joyful. **In simple terms:** Self‑indulgence is shallow; service is deeper but may feel empty. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond pleasure. Themes purpose service happiness meaning Mood reflective thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - volunteering - career choice - personal growth - spiritual practice Key Concepts Existentialism altruism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does purpose look like for you? - How can you find joy in service? A Different Perspective Self‑less work can feel unrewarding without inner alignment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chances are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chances-are/) [Colony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colony/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Going Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-living-793882/) [Going out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-out/) [Good work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Leper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leper/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-good/) [Make happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-happy/) [Make you happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-you-happy/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) [Work Leper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-leper-2731186/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [In Hollywood if you are not working, you are a leper. 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Books make me happy, the help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lix-j-palma/there-are-so-many-books-left-to-read-for-that-reason-alone-it-is/) [Félix J. Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lix-j-palma/) > [What the devil is the point of surviving, going on living, when it's a drag? But you see, that's what people do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/what-the-devil-is-the-point-of-surviving-going-on-living-when-it-s-a/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [I'm going to keep living my life the way I've been living my life, and nothing is going to change that even if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lochte/i-m-going-to-keep-living-my-life-the-way-i-ve-been-living-my-life-and/) [Ryan Lochte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lochte/) > [I was going to be living there and I didn't want to sound like a foreigner all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mahoney/i-was-going-to-be-living-there-and-i-didn-t-want-to-sound-like-a/) [John Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mahoney/) > [“You're going to go living. Because living is the challenge, Josie. Dying is so easy. Sometimes it only takes ten seconds to die. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-re-going-to-go-living-because-living-is-the-challenge-josie-dying/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [God forbid if David Crosby gets sick again and I can't tour anymore, or something happens where I can't get around, what am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-stills/god-forbid-if-david-crosby-gets-sick-again-and-i-can-t-tour-anymore/) [Stephen Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-stills/) > [My story is important not because it is mine, God knows, but because if I tell it anything like right, the chances are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/my-story-is-important-not-because-it-is-mine-god-knows-but-because-if/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > ['Sex and The City' was made to correct the myth that if you were single at a certain age, you were a leper. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-patrick-king/sex-and-the-city-was-made-to-correct-the-myth-that-if-you-were-single/) [Michael Patrick King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-patrick-king/) ## More by Frederick Buechner > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. 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Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I could, of course, have done no more if no less than affiliated myself in one way or another with a particular church, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-could-of-course-have-done-no-more-if-no-less-than-affiliated-myself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Even the saddest things can become, once we have made peace with them, a source of wisdom and strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/even-the-saddest-things-can-become-once-we-have-made-peace-with-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [A Christian isn't necessarily any nicer than anybody else, just better informed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/a-christian-isn-t-necessarily-any-nicer-than-anybody-else-just-better/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“The things that the world fills time with are enough to turn the heart to stone, but the goodness of time itself is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-things-that-the-world-fills-time-with-are-enough-to-turn-the/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The pride that keeps us from forgiving is the same pride which keeps us from accepting forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-pride-that-keeps-us-from-forgiving-is-the-same-pride-which-keeps/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but a the same time you carry them with you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/you-can-kiss-your-family-and-friends-good-bye-and-put-miles-between/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [If the truth is worth telling, it is worth making a fool of yourself to tell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/if-the-truth-is-worth-telling-it-is-worth-making-a-fool-of-yourself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I suspect that Jesus spoke many of his parables as a kind of sad and holy joke and that that may be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-suspect-that-jesus-spoke-many-of-his-parables-as-a-kind-of-sad-and/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“How Adewen stuffed her braid in her mouth at that! Or she'd cover her mirth with her hands and shake till you'd think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/how-adewen-stuffed-her-braid-in-her-mouth-at-that-or-she-d-cover-her/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/resurrection-means-that-the-worst-thing-is-never-the-last-thing/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) [Explore all 339 Frederick Buechner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) [Alejandro Taubas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-taubas/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. 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Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If what makes you happy is going out and living it up and spending all your money on wine, women, and song, the world doesn't need that. 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