--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For true happiness, it is not enough to…" description: "\"For true happiness, it is not enough to be successful oneself . . . one's friends must fail.\" — Gore Vidal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/gore-vidal-466_being-successful_for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-b_1541551.jpg" --- # For true happiness, it is not enough to be successful… ![“For true happiness, it is not enough to be successful oneself . . . one's friends must fail.” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/gore-vidal-466_being-successful_for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-b_1541551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/gore-vidal-466_being-successful_for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-b_1541551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/gore-vidal-466_being-successful_for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-b_1541551.jpg) > “For true happiness, it is not enough to be successful oneself . . . one's friends must fail.” [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True happiness requires not only personal success but also seeing friends succeed, not just failing. **In simple terms:** Happiness needs friends' success too. Key Takeaway Celebrate others' achievements. Themes success friendship happiness comparison empathy Mood reflective encouraging Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - teamwork - leadership - community building - mentorship - conflict resolution Key Concepts social psychology relative well‑being Questions to Reflect On - How do you support friends' success? - What prevents you from sharing joy? A Different Perspective If friends succeed, you may feel inadequate or jealous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Friends Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-fail-834125/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-successful-2255284/) [Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself/) [Oneself Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself-friends-5742899/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-oneself-5742900/) [True happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-happiness/) ## Related quotes > [“For a man to successful, not only must he succeed but his friends must also fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/for-a-man-to-successful-not-only-must-he-succeed-but-his-friends-must/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Most people keep waiting on happiness, putting off happiness until they're successful or until they achieve some goal, which means we limit both happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/most-people-keep-waiting-on-happiness-putting-off-happiness-until/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [To become successful, first learn how to be happy. Too many think that the route to happiness is to get successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/to-become-successful-first-learn-how-to-be-happy-too-many-think-that/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [Life is full of happiness, but be successful to bring more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-vigil/life-is-full-of-happiness-but-be-successful-to-bring-more-happiness/) [David Vigil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-vigil/) > [It is not enough that we should succeed, but our friends must fail as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-not-enough-that-we-should-succeed-but-our-friends-must-fail-as/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [My books are friends that never fail me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/my-books-are-friends-that-never-fail-me/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Trust in God alone, and lean not on the needs of human help. Be not surprised when friends fail you; it is a failing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/trust-in-god-alone-and-lean-not-on-the-needs-of-human-help-be-not/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“There is a fine line between compassion and a victim mentality. Compassion though is a healing force and comes from a place of kindness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronnie-ware/there-is-a-fine-line-between-compassion-and-a-victim-mentality/) [Bronnie Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bronnie-ware/) > [I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-washington/i-am-still-determined-to-be-cheerful-and-happy-in-whatever-situation/) [Martha Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-washington/) > [It's good to be happy and tell us how cool your life is and how awesome you are on social media. That's great because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden-smith/it-s-good-to-be-happy-and-tell-us-how-cool-your-life-is-and-how/) [Jaden Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden-smith/) > [“Seeking external validation brings disappointment. Validate yourself from within to find true happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-leigh-mercree/seeking-external-validation-brings-disappointment-validate-yourself/) [Amy Leigh Mercree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-leigh-mercree/) > [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [“I am persuaded from long years of experience amongst women of many nationalities that good midwifery is essential for the true happiness of motherhood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantly-dick-read/i-am-persuaded-from-long-years-of-experience-amongst-women-of-many/) [Grantly Dick-Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantly-dick-read/) > [“I only hope that for right now, you remember that there is no place for hate in a happy life. I don’t care who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/i-only-hope-that-for-right-now-you-remember-that-there-is-no-place/) [A.s. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [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/) ## More by Gore Vidal > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/style-is-knowing-who-you-are-what-you-want-to-say-and-not-giving-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The oligarchs think that the people are both dangerous and stupid. Their point is moot. But we do know that the oligarchs are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-oligarchs-think-that-the-people-are-both-dangerous-and-stupid/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is curious how often one prefers his enemies to his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-often-one-prefers-his-enemies-to-his-friends/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Rome ... at its most decadent, had never thought of hiring an actor to go through the motions of being an emperor while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/rome-at-its-most-decadent-had-never-thought-of-hiring-an-actor-to-go/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Sex is a continuum. You go through different phases along life's way... and if you don't, you've been sort of cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/sex-is-a-continuum-you-go-through-different-phases-along-life-s-way/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/all-i-want-is-that-americans-still-be-able-to-read-the-alphabet-in-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I do not admire 'the people,' as such. No one really does. Their folk wisdom is usually false, their instincts predatory. Even their sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-do-not-admire-the-people-as-such-no-one-really-does-their-folk/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/one-of-the-problems-of-a-society-as-tightly-controlled-as-ours-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) [Explore all 539 Gore Vidal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More Being successful quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [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/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) [Chris Kirubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirubi/) > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) > [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Also, it's not the mathematical skill that's critical to winning, it's the discipline of being able to stick to the system. There are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-hull/also-it-s-not-the-mathematical-skill-that-s-critical-to-winning-it-s/) [Blair Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-hull/) [Browse all 1,002 Being successful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For true happiness, it is not enough to be successful oneself . . . one's friends must fail.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gore Vidal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-be-successful-oneself-one-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being successful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-be-successful-oneself-one-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/gore-vidal-466_being-successful_for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-b_1541551.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/gore-vidal-466_being-successful_for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-b_1541551.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/gore-vidal-466_being-successful_for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-b_1541551.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For true happiness, it is not enough to be successful oneself . . . one's friends must fail.” — Gore Vidal", "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": "Gore Vidal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For true happiness, it is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-be-successful-oneself-one-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/for-true-happiness-it-is-not-enough-to-be-successful-oneself-one-s/#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 } } ] } ```