--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A sense of growth is so important to…" description: "\"“A sense of growth is so important to happiness that it’s often preferable to be progressing to the summit rather than to be at the summit. Neither a s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/gretchen-rubin-867_happiness_a-sense-of-growth-is-so-important-to-hap_492942.png" --- # A sense of growth is so important to happiness that it’s… ![“A sense of growth is so important to happiness that it’s often preferable to be progressing to the summit rather than to be at the summit. Neither a scientist nor a philosopher but a novelist, Lisa Grunwald, came up with the most brilliant summation of this happiness principle: “Best is good…” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/gretchen-rubin-867_happiness_a-sense-of-growth-is-so-important-to-hap_492942.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/gretchen-rubin-867_happiness_a-sense-of-growth-is-so-important-to-hap_492942.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/gretchen-rubin-867_happiness_a-sense-of-growth-is-so-important-to-hap_492942.png) > ““A sense of growth is so important to happiness that it’s often preferable to be progressing to the summit rather than to be at the summit. Neither a scientist nor a philosopher but a novelist, Lisa Grunwald, came up with the most brilliant summation of this happiness principle: “Best is good, better is best.”” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Progress and continual improvement bring more lasting happiness than reaching a static goal. **In simple terms:** Keep improving, don’t just reach the top. Key Takeaway Focus on ongoing growth. Themes happiness progress self‑improvement Mood hopeful optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - skill learning - personal health - creative projects Key Concepts growth mindset goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What small improvement can you make today? - How does striving for better affect your well‑being? A Different Perspective Stagnation can feel safe but limits fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growth Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth-important-299049/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Preferable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-preferable-4214711/) [Happiness Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-principle-1275100/) [Important Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-happiness-581458/) [Principle Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-best-4214712/) ## Related quotes > [Happiness is the first principle of life. Happiness basically means well-being. It is always good and always a choice... We need to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-stoddard/happiness-is-the-first-principle-of-life-happiness-basically-means/) [Alexandra Stoddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-stoddard/) > [My message is that happiness is the first principle of life. But you must choose it. We all have pain, but suffering is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-stoddard/my-message-is-that-happiness-is-the-first-principle-of-life-but-you/) [Alexandra Stoddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-stoddard/) > [Philosophers should consider the fact that the greatest happiness principle can easily be made an excuse for a benevolent dictatorship. We should replace it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/philosophers-should-consider-the-fact-that-the-greatest-happiness/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest-Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-creed-which-accepts-as-the-foundation-of-morals-utility-or-the/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [One of my greatest fears is not being able to change, to be caught in a never-ending cycle of sameness. Growth is so important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillon/one-of-my-greatest-fears-is-not-being-able-to-change-to-be-caught-in/) [Matt Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillon/) > [Economic growth is very important, but it is not the only thing, and it must be accompanied by sharing with those who are left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/economic-growth-is-very-important-but-it-is-not-the-only-thing-and-it/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [“While there is always room for improvement and personal growth, it is important to remember that you are enough in this moment - just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bruna/while-there-is-always-room-for-improvement-and-personal-growth-it-is/) [John Bruna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bruna/) > [Economic growth is important. But we cannot count on economic growth alone to fund the public education system our children need and deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-brown/economic-growth-is-important-but-we-cannot-count-on-economic-growth/) [Kate Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-brown/) > [Growth becomes less important than stability; we have to give people changes slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliyahu-goldratt/growth-becomes-less-important-than-stability-we-have-to-give-people/) [Eliyahu Goldratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliyahu-goldratt/) > [Economic growth is the key to everything. But once you have economic growth, it is important that we reach out to people who live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/economic-growth-is-the-key-to-everything-but-once-you-have-economic/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [Self reflection and growth is always important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-zarin/self-reflection-and-growth-is-always-important/) [Jill Zarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-zarin/) > [Economic growth is the most important initiative every governor faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-heineman/economic-growth-is-the-most-important-initiative-every-governor-faces/) [Dave Heineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-heineman/) > [The last part, the part you're now approaching, was for Aristotle the most important for happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-van-doren/the-last-part-the-part-you-re-now-approaching-was-for-aristotle-the/) [Charles Van Doren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-van-doren/) > [It appears that the way people perceive the world is much more important to happiness than objective circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-diener/it-appears-that-the-way-people-perceive-the-world-is-much-more/) [Ed Diener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-diener/) > [“Savoring special moments as they happen is an important happiness skill. Sometimes we miss out on what life is really about because we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valorie-burton/savoring-special-moments-as-they-happen-is-an-important-happiness/) [Valorie Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valorie-burton/) ## More by Gretchen Rubin > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-the-findings-that-really-interests-me-is-that-although-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [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/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A sense of growth is so important to happiness that it’s often preferable to be progressing to the summit rather than to be at the summit. 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