--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Misfortune, no less than happiness…" description: "\"Misfortune, no less than happiness, inspires us to dream.\" — Honore de Balzac" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/honor-de-balzac-197_dream_misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspir_238483.png" --- # Misfortune, no less than happiness, inspires us to dream. ![“Misfortune, no less than happiness, inspires us to dream.” quote by Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/honor-de-balzac-197_dream_misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspir_238483.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/honor-de-balzac-197_dream_misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspir_238483.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/honor-de-balzac-197_dream_misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspir_238483.png) > “Misfortune, no less than happiness, inspires us to dream.” [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Both hardship and joy can spark imagination, pushing us toward new aspirations. **In simple terms:** Hardship and happiness inspire dreams. Key Takeaway Embrace all emotions to fuel imagination. Themes adversity joy inspiration dreams Mood hopeful inspirational contemplative Type literary motivational When to use this quote - personal setbacks - celebrations - artistic creation - career pivots - relationship challenges Key Concepts psychology of motivation creative spark emotional resilience Questions to Reflect On - What dream has emerged from a recent challenge? - How does happiness shape your aspirations? A Different Perspective Joy alone may not sustain effort without purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Inspires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-inspires-1596837/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspire/) [Inspires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspires/) [Inspires Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspires-dream-849137/) [Misfortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortune/) [Misfortune Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortune-happiness-2396954/) [Misfortunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes/) ## Related quotes > [The dower of great beauty has always been misfortune, since happiness and beauty do not agree together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-calder-n-de-la-barca/the-dower-of-great-beauty-has-always-been-misfortune-since-happiness/) [Pedro Calderon de la Barca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-calder-n-de-la-barca/) > [The misfortune of others is our misfortune. Our happiness is the happiness of others. To see ourselves in others and feel an inner oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/the-misfortune-of-others-is-our-misfortune-our-happiness-is-the/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [“Be the light that inspires others to dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-poirot/be-the-light-that-inspires-others-to-dream/) [Ken Poirot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-poirot/) > [Happiness inspires productivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/happiness-inspires-productivity/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/if-your-actions-create-a-legacy-that-inspires-others-to-dream-more/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [We exaggerate misfortune and happiness alike. We are never as bad off or as happy as we say we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/we-exaggerate-misfortune-and-happiness-alike-we-are-never-as-bad-off/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All men can bear a familiar, definite misfortune better than the cruel alternations of a fate which, from one moment to another, brings excessive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-men-can-bear-a-familiar-definite-misfortune-better-than-the-cruel/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Great minds always tend to see virtue in misfortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/great-minds-always-tend-to-see-virtue-in-misfortune/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Le bonheur engloutit nos forces, comme le malheur e teint nos vertus. Happiness engulfs our strength, just as misfortune extinguishes our virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/le-bonheur-engloutit-nos-forces-comme-le-malheur-e-teint-nos-vertus/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Lofty souls are always inclined to make a virtue of misfortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/lofty-souls-are-always-inclined-to-make-a-virtue-of-misfortune/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Events are never absolute, their outcome depends entirely upon the individual. Misfortune is a stepping stone for a genius, a piscina for a Christian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/events-are-never-absolute-their-outcome-depends-entirely-upon-the/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [When you strive for your own happiness, it inspires others to strive for their happiness. When you envy others happiness, it denies you of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-zounis/when-you-strive-for-your-own-happiness-it-inspires-others-to-strive/) [Nicholas Zounis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-zounis/) > [ My mom is my hero. \[She\] inspired me to dream when I was a kid, so anytime anyone inspires you to dream, that's gotta… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mcgraw/my-mom-is-my-hero-she-inspired-me-to-dream-when-i-was-a-kid-so/) [Tim McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mcgraw/) > [“I was also thinking about right here and now, surrounded by you, my friends, and Ava – how laughter in the moment fosters hope,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-bowhay/i-was-also-thinking-about-right-here-and-now-surrounded-by-you-my/) [Heather Bowhay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-bowhay/) > [“When there is no peace in prosperity, then how can there be peace in misfortune? Happiness is not in misfortune or prosperity, happiness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-there-is-no-peace-in-prosperity-then-how-can-there-be-peace-in/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More by Honore de Balzac > [“Oh, my friend, when you love, love a woman whom you are sure that you can love always. Never forsake a woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/oh-my-friend-when-you-love-love-a-woman-whom-you-are-sure-that-you/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“You have broken the ice, though you have not even scratched its glossy surface: you have placed your hand upon the croup of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/you-have-broken-the-ice-though-you-have-not-even-scratched-its-glossy/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [In a world of hunchbacks, a fine figure becomes a monstrosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/in-a-world-of-hunchbacks-a-fine-figure-becomes-a-monstrosity/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [It is quite right what they say: the three most beautiful sights in the world are a ship in full sail, a galloping horse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-is-quite-right-what-they-say-the-three-most-beautiful-sights-in/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [My writing table has seen all my wretchedness, knows all my plans, has overheard all my thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/my-writing-table-has-seen-all-my-wretchedness-knows-all-my-plans-has/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Foppery, being the chronic condition of women, is not so much noticed as it is when it breaks out on the person of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/foppery-being-the-chronic-condition-of-women-is-not-so-much-noticed/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A married woman is a slave you must know how to seat upon a throne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-married-woman-is-a-slave-you-must-know-how-to-seat-upon-a-throne/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [I am a galley slave to pen and ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/i-am-a-galley-slave-to-pen-and-ink/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [One can imagine the look the two lovers exchanged; it was like a flame, for virtuous lovers have not a shred of hypocrisy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/one-can-imagine-the-look-the-two-lovers-exchanged-it-was-like-a-flame/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All men can bear a familiar, definite misfortune better than the cruel alternations of a fate which, from one moment to another, brings excessive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-men-can-bear-a-familiar-definite-misfortune-better-than-the-cruel/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The mind, too, has its regimen. It needs gymnastics, just like the body does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-mind-too-has-its-regimen-it-needs-gymnastics-just-like-the-body/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Hatred like love feeds on the merest trifles. Everything adds to it. Just as the being we love can do no wrong, so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/hatred-like-love-feeds-on-the-merest-trifles-everything-adds-to-it/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All human power is a compound of time and patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-human-power-is-a-compound-of-time-and-patience/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) [Explore all 793 Honore de Balzac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. 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I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Misfortune, no less than happiness, inspires us to dream.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Honore de Balzac" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspires-us-to-dream/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspires-us-to-dream/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/honor-de-balzac-197_dream_misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspir_238483.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/honor-de-balzac-197_dream_misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspir_238483.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/honor-de-balzac-197_dream_misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspir_238483.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Misfortune, no less than happiness, inspires us to dream.” — Honore de Balzac", "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": "Honore de Balzac", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Misfortune, no less than happiness, inspires...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspires-us-to-dream/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/misfortune-no-less-than-happiness-inspires-us-to-dream/#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 } } ] } ```