--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have not earned what I have already…" description: "\"I have not earned what I have already enjoyed.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/henry-david-thoreau-20_enjoyed_i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-en_2089995.jpg" --- # I have not earned what I have already enjoyed. ![“I have not earned what I have already enjoyed.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/henry-david-thoreau-20_enjoyed_i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-en_2089995.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/henry-david-thoreau-20_enjoyed_i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-en_2089995.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/henry-david-thoreau-20_enjoyed_i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-en_2089995.jpg) > “I have not earned what I have already enjoyed.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Enjoyment should be earned through effort, not taken for granted. **In simple terms:** Earn what you enjoy. Key Takeaway Align effort with reward. Themes work gratitude ethics Mood reflective contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career achievements - personal hobbies - financial gains Key Concepts philosophy self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly earn? - Can enjoyment exist without effort? A Different Perspective Some joys are gifts, not earned. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earned/) [Earned Enjoyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earned-enjoyed-4126570/) [Enjoyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyed/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) ## Related quotes > [I did 30 Minute Meals for five years on local television, and I earned nothing the first two years. Then I earned $50 a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-ray/i-did-30-minute-meals-for-five-years-on-local-television-and-i-earned/) [Rachael Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-ray/) > [I liked the game, I enjoyed the game, and the game fed me enough, and gave me enough rewards to reinforce that this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-liked-the-game-i-enjoyed-the-game-and-the-game-fed-me-enough-and/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I see young men, my townsmen, whose misfortune it is to have inherited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools; for these are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-see-young-men-my-townsmen-whose-misfortune-it-is-to-have-inherited/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You must get your living by loving. But as it is said of the merchants that ninety-seven in a hundred fail, so the life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/you-must-get-your-living-by-loving-but-as-it-is-said-of-the-merchants/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A man may travel fast enough and earn his living on the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-man-may-travel-fast-enough-and-earn-his-living-on-the-road/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ And, inasmuch \[as\] most good things are produced by labour, it follows that all such things of right belong to those whose labour has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/and-inasmuch-as-most-good-things-are-produced-by-labour-it-follows/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The question is whether you can bear freedom. At present the vast majority of men, whether white or black, require the discipline of labor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-question-is-whether-you-can-bear-freedom-at-present-the-vast/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Man, being essentially active, must find in activity his joy, as well as his beauty and glory; and labor, like every thing else that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-benjamin-whipple/man-being-essentially-active-must-find-in-activity-his-joy-as-well-as/) [Henry Benjamin Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-benjamin-whipple/) > [Those who labor for bread or money alone are condemned to their reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-grudin/those-who-labor-for-bread-or-money-alone-are-condemned-to-their-reward/) [Robert Grudin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-grudin/) > [Marx saw exploitation in terms of the rewards of human labor, but we can see it in terms of all the values of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/marx-saw-exploitation-in-terms-of-the-rewards-of-human-labor-but-we/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [Our office...subjects us to great burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Always reward your long hours of labor and toil in the very best way, surrounded by your family. Nurture their love carefully, remembering that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/always-reward-your-long-hours-of-labor-and-toil-in-the-very-best-way/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I began with small roles in successful movies like 'No Country For Old Men' by the Coen brothers; but it was 'The Last Exorcism'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-landry-jones/i-began-with-small-roles-in-successful-movies-like-no-country-for-old/) [Caleb Landry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-landry-jones/) > [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Earned quotes > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [I began with small roles in successful movies like 'No Country For Old Men' by the Coen brothers; but it was 'The Last Exorcism'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-landry-jones/i-began-with-small-roles-in-successful-movies-like-no-country-for-old/) [Caleb Landry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-landry-jones/) > [At Inter, I earned my wages based on the results on the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/at-inter-i-earned-my-wages-based-on-the-results-on-the-field/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-earned-every-cent-and-in-all-of-my-years-of-public-life-i-have/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I moved to New York aged 16, and worked part-time in a Korean store in South Bronx selling groceries, bread and confectionery. I earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/i-moved-to-new-york-aged-16-and-worked-part-time-in-a-korean-store-in/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [I could have earned lots of crores by doing hundreds of more 'Rangeela' that came my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urmila-matondkar/i-could-have-earned-lots-of-crores-by-doing-hundreds-of-more-rangeela/) [Urmila Matondkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urmila-matondkar/) > [We often learn the hard way that our world is ruled by external factors. We don't always get what is rightfully ours, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-often-learn-the-hard-way-that-our-world-is-ruled-by-external/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“As far as I could tell, he earned his hundred thousand a year by wandering the hallway with a Styrofoam cup of coffee, smiling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/as-far-as-i-could-tell-he-earned-his-hundred-thousand-a-year-by/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [It took me nine years to get my first release. I have worked for it. I have earned it. I couldn't have asked for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-tripathi/it-took-me-nine-years-to-get-my-first-release-i-have-worked-for-it-i/) [Shweta Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-tripathi/) > [“President Trump has earned the title of ‘The Lying President’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/president-trump-has-earned-the-title-of-the-lying-president/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Trust is earned, Never bought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-wagner/trust-is-earned-never-bought/) [Jacob Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-wagner/) > [There is a legitimate concern about wealth distribution in the United States, but the answer is not to scapegoat any individual who makes over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/there-is-a-legitimate-concern-about-wealth-distribution-in-the-united/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [Women have shown their skills and that's why they have been accepted in the industry. It's through their skill that they have managed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/women-have-shown-their-skills-and-that-s-why-they-have-been-accepted/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) > [“They can take me as they find me,' says Ron. 'I've earned this face, it tells a story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-osman/they-can-take-me-as-they-find-me-says-ron-i-ve-earned-this-face-it/) [Richard Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-osman/) [Browse all 350 Earned quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earned/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have not earned what I have already enjoyed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-enjoyed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Earned" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-enjoyed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/henry-david-thoreau-20_enjoyed_i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-en_2089995.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/henry-david-thoreau-20_enjoyed_i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-en_2089995.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/henry-david-thoreau-20_enjoyed_i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-en_2089995.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have not earned what I have already enjoyed.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have not earned what I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-enjoyed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-not-earned-what-i-have-already-enjoyed/#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 } } ] } ```