--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is by his activities and not by…" description: "\"It is by his activities and not by enjoyment that man feels he is alive. In idleness we not only feel that life is fleeting, but we also feel lifeless...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/immanuel-kant-532_activity_it-is-by-his-activities-and-not-by-enjoy_1947744.jpg" --- # It is by his activities and not by enjoyment that man… ![“It is by his activities and not by enjoyment that man feels he is alive. In idleness we not only feel that life is fleeting, but we also feel lifeless.” quote by Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/immanuel-kant-532_activity_it-is-by-his-activities-and-not-by-enjoy_1947744.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/immanuel-kant-532_activity_it-is-by-his-activities-and-not-by-enjoy_1947744.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/immanuel-kant-532_activity_it-is-by-his-activities-and-not-by-enjoy_1947744.jpg) > “It is by his activities and not by enjoyment that man feels he is alive. In idleness we not only feel that life is fleeting, but we also feel lifeless.” [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Kant argues that activity, not mere pleasure, defines a feeling of aliveness; idleness brings a sense of life's fleetingness and emptiness. **In simple terms:** Purposeful action gives life meaning; idleness feels empty. Key Takeaway Engage in purposeful work. Themes meaning purpose existential Mood motivational reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career - creative projects - volunteering - personal development Key Concepts ethics philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What activities make you feel alive? - How can you balance work and rest? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on activity can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Alive Idleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-idleness-3142789/) [Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) [Feel Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-life/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Fleeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleeting/) [Idleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idleness/) [Idleness Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idleness-feel-3142788/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Life Is Fleeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-fleeting/) [Lifeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifeless/) [Man Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-feels/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [The whole world is fleeting. 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We must seize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-anekeya/life-is-fleeting-and-we-have-limited-chances-to-make-our-mark-we-don/) [Carson Anekeya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-anekeya/) > [Life is fleeting. It is to be enjoyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/life-is-fleeting-it-is-to-be-enjoyed/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [“In the face of relentless challenges that test the very core of human strength, I’ve emerged, not unscathed, but enduring. Each day I choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-harnisch/in-the-face-of-relentless-challenges-that-test-the-very-core-of-human/) [Jonathan Harnisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-harnisch/) > [Life is fleeting. Say what u need to say, do what you need to do and never hold back when it comes to 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-fleeting-say-what-u-need-to-say-do-what-you-need-to-do-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is both tragic and strange that people do not value every breath, every smile and every act of love. Life is fleeting, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/it-is-both-tragic-and-strange-that-people-do-not-value-every-breath/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“True love cannot be denied,” Layla said. “You know that yourself, Betsy, given your sad experiences. Life is fleeting and one should gather rosebuds—or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloisa-james/true-love-cannot-be-denied-layla-said-you-know-that-yourself-betsy/) [Eloisa James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloisa-james/) > [Move out man! Life is fleeting by. Do something worthwhile, berfore you die. Leave Behind a work sublime, that will outline you and time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-armand-montapert/move-out-man-life-is-fleeting-by-do-something-worthwhile-berfore-you/) [Alfred Armand Montapert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-armand-montapert/) > [“IMPERMANENCE means that the essence of life is fleeting. Some people are so skillful at their mindfulness practice that they can actually see each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/impermanence-means-that-the-essence-of-life-is-fleeting-some-people/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Oh my God, but art is long / and our life is fleeting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-my-god-but-art-is-long-and-our-life-is-fleeting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is fleeting. And if you're ever distressed, cast your eyes to the summer sky when when the stars are strung across the velvety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/life-is-fleeting-and-if-you-re-ever-distressed-cast-your-eyes-to-the/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Life is fleeting. Don't waste a single moment of your precious life. Wake up now! And now! And now!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/life-is-fleeting-don-t-waste-a-single-moment-of-your-precious-life/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [“Please, don't worry so much. Because in the end, none of us have very long on this Earth. Life is fleeting. And if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams-dead-poets-society/please-don-t-worry-so-much-because-in-the-end-none-of-us-have-very-2/) [Robin williams dead poets society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams-dead-poets-society/) ## More by Immanuel Kant > [Even if a civil society were to be dissolved by the consent of all its members (e.g., if a people inhabiting an island decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/even-if-a-civil-society-were-to-be-dissolved-by-the-consent-of-all/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [How then is perfection to be sought? Wherein lies our hope? In education, and in nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/how-then-is-perfection-to-be-sought-wherein-lies-our-hope-in/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Heaven has given human beings three things to balance the odds of life: hope, sleep, and laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/heaven-has-given-human-beings-three-things-to-balance-the-odds-of/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Beauty presents an indeterminate concept of Understanding, the sublime an indeterminate concept of Reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/beauty-presents-an-indeterminate-concept-of-understanding-the-sublime/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Freedom is that faculty that enlarges the usefulness of all other faculties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/freedom-is-that-faculty-that-enlarges-the-usefulness-of-all-other/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Philosophical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from concepts ; mathematical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from the construction of concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/philosophical-knowledge-is-the-knowledge-gained-by-reason-from/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [A categorical imperative would be one which represented an action as objectively necessary in itself, without reference to any other purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-categorical-imperative-would-be-one-which-represented-an-action-as/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [When I could have used a wife, I could not support one; and when I could support one, I no longer needed any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/when-i-could-have-used-a-wife-i-could-not-support-one-and-when-i/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Enlightenment is the liberation of man from his self-caused state of minority... Supere aude! Dare to use your own understanding!is thus the motto of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/enlightenment-is-the-liberation-of-man-from-his-self-caused-state-of/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [The ideal of the supreme being is nothing but a regulative principle of reason which directs us to look upon all connection in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/the-ideal-of-the-supreme-being-is-nothing-but-a-regulative-principle/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [“Jeg skal alltid handle slik at den regelen jeg handler etter kunne gjelde som allmenn lov.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/jeg-skal-alltid-handle-slik-at-den-regelen-jeg-handler-etter-kunne/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Deaths, births, and marriages, considering how much they are separately dependent on the freedom of the human will, should seem to be subject to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/deaths-births-and-marriages-considering-how-much-they-are-separately/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [It is precisely in knowing its limits that philosophy consists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/it-is-precisely-in-knowing-its-limits-that-philosophy-consists/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [A society that is not willing to demand a life of somebody who has taken somebody else’s life is simply immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-society-that-is-not-willing-to-demand-a-life-of-somebody-who-has/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [. . . as to moral feeling, this supposed special sense, the appeal to it is indeed superficial when those who cannot think believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/as-to-moral-feeling-this-supposed-special-sense-the-appeal-to-it-is/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) [Explore all 476 Immanuel Kant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) [Gero Miesenbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gero-miesenbock/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is by his activities and not by enjoyment that man feels he is alive. 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