--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Success usually comes to those who are…" description: "\"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/henry-david-thoreau-20_busy_success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-t_1527420.jpg" --- # Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be… ![“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/henry-david-thoreau-20_busy_success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-t_1527420.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/henry-david-thoreau-20_busy_success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-t_1527420.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/henry-david-thoreau-20_busy_success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-t_1527420.jpg) > “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” [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. Success arrives for those occupied with purpose, not those actively seeking it. **In simple terms:** Busy people often find success without chasing it. Key Takeaway Focus on meaningful work, not the chase. Themes productivity success focus purpose Mood motivational thoughtful Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career development - personal projects - volunteering Key Concepts serendipity intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - Are you busy with purpose or distraction? - How can you align work with values? A Different Perspective Success isn’t guaranteed by busyness alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [It simply comes down to this, Get Busy Living, or Get Busy Dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-robbins/it-simply-comes-down-to-this-get-busy-living-or-get-busy-dying/) [Tim Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-robbins/) > [When we give from a place of love, rather than from a place of expectation, more usually comes back to us than we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/when-we-give-from-a-place-of-love-rather-than-from-a-place-of/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [What attracts usually comes from a place you'd never think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-cerati/what-attracts-usually-comes-from-a-place-you-d-never-think/) [Gustavo Cerati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-cerati/) > [Pleasure usually comes when called, but not happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/pleasure-usually-comes-when-called-but-not-happiness/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Anything you think you "must have" usually comes to own you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-lunden/anything-you-think-you-must-have-usually-comes-to-own-you/) [Joan Lunden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-lunden/) > [Fame usually comes to those who are thinking about something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fame-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-thinking-about-something-else/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What usually comes first is the contract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-gershwin/what-usually-comes-first-is-the-contract/) [Ira Gershwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-gershwin/) > [That is probable which for the most part usually comes to pass, or which is a part of the ordinary beliefs of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/that-is-probable-which-for-the-most-part-usually-comes-to-pass-or/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Grace is a gift. It's always a gift of love, but it usually comes in an unexpected way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-greene-angle/grace-is-a-gift-it-s-always-a-gift-of-love-but-it-usually-comes-in-an/) [Kimberly Greene Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-greene-angle/) > [Whenever I reference something, it usually comes back at some point. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-pettibon/whenever-i-reference-something-it-usually-comes-back-at-some-point-i/) [Raymond Pettibon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-pettibon/) > [Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/inspiration-usually-comes-during-work-rather-than-before-it/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“Most of the time, they’re just determined to chase impossible things. And most of them are so busy looking at the horizon that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-matson/most-of-the-time-they-re-just-determined-to-chase-impossible-things/) [morgan matson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-matson/) > [I was too busy looking into Yeltsin's eyes to notice what was under the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennart-meri/i-was-too-busy-looking-into-yeltsin-s-eyes-to-notice-what-was-under/) [Lennart Meri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennart-meri/) > [“That you do, Tink, but you also gotta keep your eyes open or the right one is going to pass you by because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-crownover/that-you-do-tink-but-you-also-gotta-keep-your-eyes-open-or-the-right/) [Jay Crownover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-crownover/) > [The men were so busy looking at the women, they didn't drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-leslie/the-men-were-so-busy-looking-at-the-women-they-didn-t-drink/) Hank Leslie ## 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 Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) Victoria Derbyshire > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) The Shawshank Redemption Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-too-busy-to-be-looking-for-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Busy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-too-busy-to-be-looking-for-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/henry-david-thoreau-20_busy_success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-t_1527420.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/henry-david-thoreau-20_busy_success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-t_1527420.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/henry-david-thoreau-20_busy_success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-t_1527420.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” — 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": "Success usually comes to those who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-too-busy-to-be-looking-for-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/success-usually-comes-to-those-who-are-too-busy-to-be-looking-for-it/#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 } } ] } ```