--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the true joy in life, the being…" description: "\"“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/george-bernard-shaw-68_joy_this-is-the-true-joy-in-life-the-being-u_2622113.png" --- # This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose… ![“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will…” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/george-bernard-shaw-68_joy_this-is-the-true-joy-in-life-the-being-u_2622113.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/george-bernard-shaw-68_joy_this-is-the-true-joy-in-life-the-being-u_2622113.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/george-bernard-shaw-68_joy_this-is-the-true-joy-in-life-the-being-u_2622113.png) > ““This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It ia a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations.”” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A life devoted to serving a greater purpose, fully exhausted in effort, is the true joy, not a fleeting pleasure. **In simple terms:** Purposeful service brings deep fulfillment. Key Takeaway Live to serve, not just exist. Themes purpose service selflessness legacy Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - volunteering - career dedication - community projects - personal sacrifice - mentorship Key Concepts existentialism altruism humanism Questions to Reflect On - What purpose drives you? - How do you balance service and self‑care? A Different Perspective Self‑sacrifice can lead to burnout if boundaries aren't set. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Force Of Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force-of-nature/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Joy In Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy-in-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Live life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-life/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [True joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-joy/) ## Related quotes > [This is the true joy in life: Being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being a force of nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/this-is-the-true-joy-in-life-being-used-for-a-purpose-recognized-by/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/this-is-the-true-joy-in-life-the-being-used-for-a-purpose-recognized-2/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/this-is-the-true-joy-in-life-the-being-used-for-a-purpose-recognized-4/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“This is the true joy of life: the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/this-is-the-true-joy-of-life-the-being-used-up-for-a-purpose/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [This is the true joy of life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/this-is-the-true-joy-of-life-the-being-used-up-for-a-purpose-2/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [This is the true joy of life-the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, the being thoroughly worn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/this-is-the-true-joy-of-life-the-being-used-for-a-purpose-recognized/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“This is the true joy in life — being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/this-is-the-true-joy-in-life-being-used-for-a-purpose-recognized-by-2/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gorge-bernard/this-is-the-true-joy-in-life-the-being-used-for-a-purpose-recognized/) Gorge Bernard > [The joy in life is to be used for a purpose. I want to be used up when I die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-joy-in-life-is-to-be-used-for-a-purpose-i-want-to-be-used-up-when/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“George Bernard Shaw said in Man and Superman: “This is the true joy in life: the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-burgess/george-bernard-shaw-said-in-man-and-superman-this-is-the-true-joy-in/) Dave Burgess > [I love to be with my twins. They are my true joy in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-grace/i-love-to-be-with-my-twins-they-are-my-true-joy-in-life/) [Nancy Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-grace/) > [The joy in life is his who has the heart to demand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-joy-in-life-is-his-who-has-the-heart-to-demand-it/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [If you're not having a good time, find something else that gives you some joy in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-marshall/if-you-re-not-having-a-good-time-find-something-else-that-gives-you/) [Penny Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-marshall/) > [“I find joy in life. I enjoy living it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-d-johnson/i-find-joy-in-life-i-enjoy-living-it/) Deborah D. Johnson > [I get the most joy in life out of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-get-the-most-joy-in-life-out-of-music/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by George Bernard Shaw > [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. I desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/my-religious-convictions-and-scientific-views-cannot-at-present-be/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/what-a-man-believes-may-be-ascertained-not-from-his-creed-but-from/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Men have to do some awfully mean things to keep up their respectability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/men-have-to-do-some-awfully-mean-things-to-keep-up-their/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [But to admire a strong person and to live under that strong person’s thumb are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/but-to-admire-a-strong-person-and-to-live-under-that-strong-person-s/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/socialism-is-the-same-as-communism-only-better-english/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-person-who-is-ignorant-enough-to-believe-that-his-nourishment/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of peace Man is a bungler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-peace-man-is-a-bungler/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) [Explore all 1,640 George Bernard Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More Joy quotes > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [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/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“When you finally realize your gifts and talents, joy and satisfaction come as you walk in your purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanya-richards-ross/when-you-finally-realize-your-gifts-and-talents-joy-and-satisfaction/) [Sanya Richards-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanya-richards-ross/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [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/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Of everything I have done, 'The Archers' always gets the most excitement; there's a sort of uncontrollable joy from fans of the program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/of-everything-i-have-done-the-archers-always-gets-the-most-excitement/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [Safin, in his way, is very talented. It is a joy to watch them play; it is tennis of a very high quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-krajicek/safin-in-his-way-is-very-talented-it-is-a-joy-to-watch-them-play-it/) [Richard Krajicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-krajicek/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [“Start the daily practice of joyful living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/start-the-daily-practice-of-joyful-living/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have touched with a sense of art some people-they felt the love and the life. Can you offer me anything to compare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cassatt/i-have-touched-with-a-sense-of-art-some-people-they-felt-the-love-and/) [Mary Cassatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cassatt/) > [“Reverend Veronica Goines sums this up as, “Peace is joy at rest, and joy is peace on its feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/reverend-veronica-goines-sums-this-up-as-peace-is-joy-at-rest-and-joy/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Be in a state of gratitude for everything that shows up in your life. Be thankful for the storms as well as the smooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/be-in-a-state-of-gratitude-for-everything-that-shows-up-in-your-life/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Spiritually, life is a festival, a celebration. Joy is of the essence of life;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnivesh/spiritually-life-is-a-festival-a-celebration-joy-is-of-the-essence-of/) [Agnivesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnivesh/) [Browse all 15,003 Joy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. 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