--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no obligation on us to be…" description: "\"There is no obligation on us to be richer, or busier, or more efficient, or more productive, or more progressive, or any way worldlier or wealthier, if..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_busier_there-is-no-obligation-on-us-to-be-riche_2802577.png" --- # There is no obligation on us to be richer, or busier, or… ![“There is no obligation on us to be richer, or busier, or more efficient, or more productive, or more progressive, or any way worldlier or wealthier, if it does not make us happier.” quote by Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_busier_there-is-no-obligation-on-us-to-be-riche_2802577.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_busier_there-is-no-obligation-on-us-to-be-riche_2802577.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_busier_there-is-no-obligation-on-us-to-be-riche_2802577.png) > “There is no obligation on us to be richer, or busier, or more efficient, or more productive, or more progressive, or any way worldlier or wealthier, if it does not make us happier.” [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness should be the primary goal, not wealth, busyness, or efficiency. **In simple terms:** Happiness matters more than material success. Key Takeaway Prioritize joy over endless productivity. Themes happiness values materialism Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal finance decisions - career planning - daily routines - life‑balance discussions Key Concepts existentialism well‑being consumer culture Questions to Reflect On - What truly makes you happy? - How can you measure happiness beyond income? A Different Perspective Ignoring happiness can lead to burnout and emptiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Busier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busier/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Efficient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/efficient/) [Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Obligation Richer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation-richer-3460523/) [Productive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productive/) [Productive Progressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productive-progressive-3460525/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) [Progressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive/) [Richer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/richer/) [Richer Busier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/richer-busier-3460524/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Simple living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple-living/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Then all this started to pick up because I signed with ForeFront when I was in seventh grade. It got a lot busier and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacie-orrico/then-all-this-started-to-pick-up-because-i-signed-with-forefront-when/) [Stacie Orrico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacie-orrico/) > [I always tell my employees, the busier it gets, the slower you should cook. When you run around like a crazy person, that's when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-symon/i-always-tell-my-employees-the-busier-it-gets-the-slower-you-should/) [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) > [We all exist in a time of widespread exponential growth. We are busier than ever. When things pile sky-high on top of each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/we-all-exist-in-a-time-of-widespread-exponential-growth-we-are-busier/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) > [As one gets older being sad and miserable can become a bit of a habit. To counteract this, she suggests making a point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumer-godden/as-one-gets-older-being-sad-and-miserable-can-become-a-bit-of-a-habit/) [Rumer Godden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumer-godden/) > [Working a job I love is mentally less stressful than punching in a clock everyday, but it's a lot busier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-dewyze/working-a-job-i-love-is-mentally-less-stressful-than-punching-in-a/) [Lee DeWyze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-dewyze/) > [The busier we are the more leisure we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-busier-we-are-the-more-leisure-we-have/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Actually when we stopped New Order I was busier than ever. The only gaps have been while we've been writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hook/actually-when-we-stopped-new-order-i-was-busier-than-ever-the-only/) [Peter Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hook/) > [Everything seems to be designed for the benefit of the automobile and not the benefit of the human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/everything-seems-to-be-designed-for-the-benefit-of-the-automobile-and/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [“the older you get, the busier you become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-older-you-get-the-busier-you-become/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [If you think you don't have any time for prayer, and can't find any time, then ask God to forgive you... The Pope isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-peterson/if-you-think-you-don-t-have-any-time-for-prayer-and-can-t-find-any/) [James Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-peterson/) > [I'm busier than a busy person. People aren't scared to play this raucous, harsh music over radio speakers, so I think it's the perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-newsted/i-m-busier-than-a-busy-person-people-aren-t-scared-to-play-this/) [Jason Newsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-newsted/) > [I am no busier than I have ever been - I have always been a busy guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-algieri/i-am-no-busier-than-i-have-ever-been-i-have-always-been-a-busy-guy/) [Chris Algieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-algieri/) > [I was busier than a beaver in a coffee lake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/i-was-busier-than-a-beaver-in-a-coffee-lake/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [I miss singing very, very much, but the best thing is I have never been busier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/i-miss-singing-very-very-much-but-the-best-thing-is-i-have-never-been/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [The busier you are, the more interesting you are. The more you're off doing your thing and loving your job and your life, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-christian/the-busier-you-are-the-more-interesting-you-are-the-more-you-re-off/) [Claudia Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-christian/) ## More by Gilbert K. Chesterton > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Youth is always too serious, and just now it is too serious about frivolity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/youth-is-always-too-serious-and-just-now-it-is-too-serious-about/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Tradition does not mean a dead town; it does not mean that the living are dead but that the dead are alive. It means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/tradition-does-not-mean-a-dead-town-it-does-not-mean-that-the-living/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted; precisely because most things are permitted and only a few things forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/it-is-shorter-to-state-the-things-forbidden-than-the-things-permitted/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. 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People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-building-is-akin-to-dogma-it-is-insolent-like-dogma-whether-or-no/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-triangle-of-truisms-of-father-mother-and-child-cannot-be/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Criticism is only words about words, and of what use are words about such words as these?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/criticism-is-only-words-about-words-and-of-what-use-are-words-about/) [Gilbert K. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/music-with-dinner-is-an-insult-both-to-the-cook-and-the-violinist/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Eugenics asserts that all men must be so stupid that they cannot manage their own affairs; and also so clever that they can manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/eugenics-asserts-that-all-men-must-be-so-stupid-that-they-cannot/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) [Explore all 868 Gilbert K. Chesterton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## More Busier quotes > [Then all this started to pick up because I signed with ForeFront when I was in seventh grade. It got a lot busier and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacie-orrico/then-all-this-started-to-pick-up-because-i-signed-with-forefront-when/) [Stacie Orrico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacie-orrico/) > [I miss singing very, very much, but the best thing is I have never been busier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/i-miss-singing-very-very-much-but-the-best-thing-is-i-have-never-been/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [I was busier than a beaver in a coffee lake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/i-was-busier-than-a-beaver-in-a-coffee-lake/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [I am no busier than I have ever been - I have always been a busy guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-algieri/i-am-no-busier-than-i-have-ever-been-i-have-always-been-a-busy-guy/) [Chris Algieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-algieri/) > [I'm busier than a busy person. People aren't scared to play this raucous, harsh music over radio speakers, so I think it's the perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-newsted/i-m-busier-than-a-busy-person-people-aren-t-scared-to-play-this/) [Jason Newsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-newsted/) > [If you think you don't have any time for prayer, and can't find any time, then ask God to forgive you... The Pope isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-peterson/if-you-think-you-don-t-have-any-time-for-prayer-and-can-t-find-any/) [James Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-peterson/) > [“the older you get, the busier you become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-older-you-get-the-busier-you-become/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Everything seems to be designed for the benefit of the automobile and not the benefit of the human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/everything-seems-to-be-designed-for-the-benefit-of-the-automobile-and/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Actually when we stopped New Order I was busier than ever. The only gaps have been while we've been writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hook/actually-when-we-stopped-new-order-i-was-busier-than-ever-the-only/) [Peter Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hook/) > [The busier we are the more leisure we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-busier-we-are-the-more-leisure-we-have/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Working a job I love is mentally less stressful than punching in a clock everyday, but it's a lot busier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-dewyze/working-a-job-i-love-is-mentally-less-stressful-than-punching-in-a/) [Lee DeWyze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-dewyze/) > [As one gets older being sad and miserable can become a bit of a habit. To counteract this, she suggests making a point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumer-godden/as-one-gets-older-being-sad-and-miserable-can-become-a-bit-of-a-habit/) [Rumer Godden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumer-godden/) > [We all exist in a time of widespread exponential growth. We are busier than ever. When things pile sky-high on top of each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/we-all-exist-in-a-time-of-widespread-exponential-growth-we-are-busier/) [Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/) > [I always tell my employees, the busier it gets, the slower you should cook. When you run around like a crazy person, that's when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-symon/i-always-tell-my-employees-the-busier-it-gets-the-slower-you-should/) [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) > [The busier you are, the more interesting you are. The more you're off doing your thing and loving your job and your life, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-christian/the-busier-you-are-the-more-interesting-you-are-the-more-you-re-off/) [Claudia Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-christian/) [Browse all 60 Busier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busier/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no obligation on us to be richer, or busier, or more efficient, or more productive, or more progressive, or any way worldlier or wealthier, if it does not make us happier.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gilbert K. 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