--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The life which men praise and regard as…" description: "\"“The life which men praise and regard as successful is but one kind. Why should we exaggerate any one kind at the expense of the others?”\" — Henry Davi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/henry-david-thoreau-20_kind_the-life-which-men-praise-and-regard-as_70988.jpg" --- # The life which men praise and regard as successful is but… ![“The life which men praise and regard as successful is but one kind. Why should we exaggerate any one kind at the expense of the others?” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/henry-david-thoreau-20_kind_the-life-which-men-praise-and-regard-as_70988.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/henry-david-thoreau-20_kind_the-life-which-men-praise-and-regard-as_70988.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/henry-david-thoreau-20_kind_the-life-which-men-praise-and-regard-as_70988.jpg) > ““The life which men praise and regard as successful is but one kind. Why should we exaggerate any one kind at the expense of the others?”” [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 is often defined narrowly, ignoring diverse ways of living meaningfully; the quote urges recognition of multiple valid life paths. **In simple terms:** Success is not one‑size‑fits‑all. Key Takeaway Embrace varied definitions of a good life. Themes individualism values diversity purpose societal norms Mood thoughtful inquisitive reflective Type philosophical motivational critical When to use this quote - career planning - educational counseling - life coaching - family discussions - public policy debates Key Concepts definition of success cultural bias personal fulfillment Practical Applications - reframing success metrics in workplaces - designing inclusive curricula Questions to Reflect On - What criteria do you use to judge a life as successful? - How might limiting success to a single model affect personal well‑being? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) ## Related quotes > [The life without men praise and regard as successful is but one kind. Why should we exaggerate any one kind at the expense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-life-without-men-praise-and-regard-as-successful-is-but-one-kind/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Being on a successful show is kind of like being a sea turtle. Every year, sea turtles lay hundreds and hundreds of eggs, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/being-on-a-successful-show-is-kind-of-like-being-a-sea-turtle-every/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [I've been curious about certain things, but didn't let them get in the way of my life. I don't know how people becoem successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobey-maguire/i-ve-been-curious-about-certain-things-but-didn-t-let-them-get-in-the/) [Tobey Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobey-maguire/) > [Being successful is kind of dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/being-successful-is-kind-of-dull/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > ['Oh that men praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the Children and Men!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-that-men-praise-the-lord-for-his-goodness-and-for-his-wonderful/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“I felt a kind of impersonal kinship with them and a joy in that kinship. 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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. 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