--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It requires more than a day's devotion to…" description: "\"It requires more than a day's devotion to know and to possess the wealth of a day.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/henry-david-thoreau-20_devotion_it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-t_486394.jpg" --- # It requires more than a day's devotion to know and to… ![“It requires more than a day's devotion to know and to possess the wealth of a day.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/henry-david-thoreau-20_devotion_it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-t_486394.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/henry-david-thoreau-20_devotion_it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-t_486394.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/henry-david-thoreau-20_devotion_it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-t_486394.jpg) > “It requires more than a day's devotion to know and to possess the wealth of a day.” [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. True mastery of wealth requires more than a single day's effort; it demands sustained dedication. **In simple terms:** Wealth requires ongoing effort. Key Takeaway Commit daily to building wealth. Themes philosophy economics self-improvement Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - personal finance - career development - investment strategies Key Concepts sustainability long-term planning Questions to Reflect On - How to balance short-term needs with long-term wealth? - What habits support sustained financial growth? A Different Perspective Counterpoint: Immediate needs may limit long-term focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-devotion-726184/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Possess Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possess-wealth-1378415/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Requires Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requires-day-4170846/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wealth Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth-day-343503/) ## Related quotes > [“You will get your father's wealth one day but not his legacy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-will-get-your-father-s-wealth-one-day-but-not-his-legacy/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [One single day of devotion is worth more than a thousand years of worldly life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-single-day-of-devotion-is-worth-more-than-a-thousand-years-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In today’s world, marked by a mental health epidemic and a loneliness epidemic, coupled with burnout and work stress, rising costs of living, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keisha-blair/in-today-s-world-marked-by-a-mental-health-epidemic-and-a-loneliness/) [Keisha Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keisha-blair/) > [If someone ensures us two square meals a day, we will sing and pray all our waking hours. If one has to hoe sugarcane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munshi-premchand/if-someone-ensures-us-two-square-meals-a-day-we-will-sing-and-pray/) [Munshi Premchand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munshi-premchand/) > [“People who are free to choose will choose the best use for whatever it is they possess. Wealth and prosperity begin with the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-meissner/people-who-are-free-to-choose-will-choose-the-best-use-for-whatever/) [Susan Meissner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-meissner/) > [He does not possess wealth; it possesses him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-does-not-possess-wealth-it-possesses-him/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [What a rare gift, by the by, is that of manners! how difficult to define, how much more difficult to impart! Better for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/what-a-rare-gift-by-the-by-is-that-of-manners-how-difficult-to-define/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [The wealthy seldom possess wealth: oftener they are possessed by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-panin/the-wealthy-seldom-possess-wealth-oftener-they-are-possessed-by-it/) [Ivan Panin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-panin/) > [Rich people should consider that they are only trustees for what they possess, and should show their wealth to be more in doing good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hall/rich-people-should-consider-that-they-are-only-trustees-for-what-they/) [Joseph Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hall/) > [The few men who possess the wealth of the material things of the earth at the present time are not truly happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-franklin-rutherford/the-few-men-who-possess-the-wealth-of-the-material-things-of-the/) [Joseph Franklin Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-franklin-rutherford/) > [The lust of avarice as so totally seized upon mankind that their wealth seems rather to possess them than they possess their wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/the-lust-of-avarice-as-so-totally-seized-upon-mankind-that-their/) [Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/) > [“You may not possess a body that everyone want to admire. You may not possess wealth that everyone want to have. However you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-d-gonsalves/you-may-not-possess-a-body-that-everyone-want-to-admire-you-may-not/) [Gloria D. Gonsalves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-d-gonsalves/) > [If money be not thy servant, it will be thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/if-money-be-not-thy-servant-it-will-be-thy-master-the-covetous-man/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Not to share our own wealth with the poor is theft from the poor and deprivation of their means of life; we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/not-to-share-our-own-wealth-with-the-poor-is-theft-from-the-poor-and/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Are you not ashamed of your eagerness to possess as much wealth, reputation, and honors as possible, while you do not care for nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/are-you-not-ashamed-of-your-eagerness-to-possess-as-much-wealth/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## 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 Devotion quotes > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Devotion required by the Gita is no soft-hearted effusiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/devotion-required-by-the-gita-is-no-soft-hearted-effusiveness/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In freedom can be found many devotions: a devotion to love, a desire to believe, a willingness to be happy, a perseverance to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-freedom-can-be-found-many-devotions-a-devotion-to-love-a-desire-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can remember coming downstairs before school every day and my mom would be reading her Bible and doing her devotion and praying. Both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-fisher/i-can-remember-coming-downstairs-before-school-every-day-and-my-mom/) [Mike Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-fisher/) > [I have fallen in love with you my angel. I sought nothing of you but only to see that dazzling smile of yours once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-el-hallab/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-you-my-angel-i-sought-nothing-of-you-but/) [Mahmoud El Hallab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-el-hallab/) > [The discipline of daily devotion to God undergirds decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-louis-cole/the-discipline-of-daily-devotion-to-god-undergirds-decisions/) [Edwin Louis Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-louis-cole/) > [I’d never known it was possible to love as he did— with complete devotion yet devoid of promises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/i-d-never-known-it-was-possible-to-love-as-he-did-with-complete/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [Every Holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual and material graces which we, ourselves, do not know...It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/every-holy-mass-heard-with-devotion-produces-in-our-souls-marvelous/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Daily simple, sincere, and mighty prayers lift our lives to a higher spiritual altitude. In our prayers we praise God, give thanks to Him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/daily-simple-sincere-and-mighty-prayers-lift-our-lives-to-a-higher/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [True love is like religion. It is full of devotion and free of doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/true-love-is-like-religion-it-is-full-of-devotion-and-free-of-doubt/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/never-despise-a-drink-because-it-is-easy-to-make-and-or-uses/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“It didn’t break the trance. She wasn’t sure that anything could, and briefly wondered if they’d stay like this until flesh rotted away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-morgan/it-didn-t-break-the-trance-she-wasn-t-sure-that-anything-could-and/) [Ashton Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-morgan/) > [“Godliness is a devotion to God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/godliness-is-a-devotion-to-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Devotion is when your involvement with life is so absolute that you yourself do not matter anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/devotion-is-when-your-involvement-with-life-is-so-absolute-that-you/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [The general public have a warped view of the speed at which an investigation proceeds. They like to imagine tense conversations going on behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/the-general-public-have-a-warped-view-of-the-speed-at-which-an/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) [Browse all 1,481 Devotion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It requires more than a day's devotion to know and to possess the wealth of a day.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-to-know-and-to-possess-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Devotion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-to-know-and-to-possess-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/henry-david-thoreau-20_devotion_it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-t_486394.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/henry-david-thoreau-20_devotion_it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-t_486394.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/henry-david-thoreau-20_devotion_it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-t_486394.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It requires more than a day's devotion to know and to possess the wealth of a day.” — 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": "It requires more than a day's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-to-know-and-to-possess-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-requires-more-than-a-day-s-devotion-to-know-and-to-possess-the/#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 } } ] } ```