--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A person can't know what happiness is…" description: "\"A person can't know what happiness is without experiencing sadness. And I think that's healthy.\" — Jai Courtney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/jai-courtney-27984_happiness_a-person-can-t-know-what-happiness-is-wi_2297012.png" --- # A person can't know what happiness is without experiencing… ![“A person can't know what happiness is without experiencing sadness. And I think that's healthy.” quote by Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/jai-courtney-27984_happiness_a-person-can-t-know-what-happiness-is-wi_2297012.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/jai-courtney-27984_happiness_a-person-can-t-know-what-happiness-is-wi_2297012.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ca/jai-courtney-27984_happiness_a-person-can-t-know-what-happiness-is-wi_2297012.png) > “A person can't know what happiness is without experiencing sadness. And I think that's healthy.” [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness is understood only after feeling sadness, which makes emotional balance healthy. **In simple terms:** Sadness reveals happiness. Key Takeaway Embrace both joy and sorrow. Themes emotions balance growth Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - mental health counseling - creative writing Key Concepts psychology human experience Questions to Reflect On - How does sadness shape your view of joy? - Can you find meaning in painful moments? A Different Perspective Happiness can be fleeting without contrast. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Just being with a group of girls and experiencing sadness together - it's a pretty powerful thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/just-being-with-a-group-of-girls-and-experiencing-sadness-together-it/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [“A period of darkness is essential in order to expand personal awareness. Experiencing sadness and loss makes a person appreciative of life, more tenderhearted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-period-of-darkness-is-essential-in-order-to-expand-personal/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“We cannot experience free joy and happiness without experiencing the depths of pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-brenner/we-cannot-experience-free-joy-and-happiness-without-experiencing-the/) [Natalie Brenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-brenner/) > [It gave me a sharp kind of sadness to think that no matter how much I loved him and tried to put him back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/it-gave-me-a-sharp-kind-of-sadness-to-think-that-no-matter-how-much-i/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [Self-pity” is just sadness, I think, in the pejorative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renata-adler/self-pity-is-just-sadness-i-think-in-the-pejorative/) [Renata Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renata-adler/) > [“I cannot think of it without sadness. I think of the day-long, intimate hours in her apartment with the same record playing over and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/i-cannot-think-of-it-without-sadness-i-think-of-the-day-long-intimate/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [under our love making I felt a bleakness that couldnt be dispelled. The sadness was in both of us, and I think we pitied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/under-our-love-making-i-felt-a-bleakness-that-couldnt-be-dispelled/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [Part of me is drawn to the nature of sadness because I think life is sad, and sadness is not something that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/part-of-me-is-drawn-to-the-nature-of-sadness-because-i-think-life-is/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [Looking for happiness is a sure way to sadness, I think. You have to take each moment as it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/looking-for-happiness-is-a-sure-way-to-sadness-i-think-you-have-to/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [“I became part of the air that surrounded Sui, and breathed her incomprehensible sadness. I think that part of those feelings live within my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/i-became-part-of-the-air-that-surrounded-sui-and-breathed-her/) [Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/) > [Dying in unfamiliar surroundings miles away from home, it cannot possibly be good. There is a great sadness about that I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/dying-in-unfamiliar-surroundings-miles-away-from-home-it-cannot/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Nobody's life is filled with perfect little moments. And if it were, they wouldn't be perfect little moments. They would just be normal. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/nobody-s-life-is-filled-with-perfect-little-moments-and-if-it-were/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [If each one of us could make just one other happy, the whole world would know happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-simenon/if-each-one-of-us-could-make-just-one-other-happy-the-whole-world/) [Georges Simenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-simenon/) > [When Love Is Unknown For You, You Know What Is Happiness, When You Know Love... You Know What Is Pain, When You Lose It,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/when-love-is-unknown-for-you-you-know-what-is-happiness-when-you-know/) Pacifiersucker > [Those who are the most happy appear to know it the least; happiness is something that for the most part seems to mainly consist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/those-who-are-the-most-happy-appear-to-know-it-the-least-happiness-is/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) ## More by Jai Courtney > [I was always realistic about the fact I wanted to be involved with big films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-was-always-realistic-about-the-fact-i-wanted-to-be-involved-with/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [I was too young to be an avid enthusiast for the franchise, but like billions of people I remember as a child sitting around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-was-too-young-to-be-an-avid-enthusiast-for-the-franchise-but-like/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [I had this alter ego where I would go to the theater with mom. I wasn't embarrassed by it; it was separate for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-had-this-alter-ego-where-i-would-go-to-the-theater-with-mom-i-wasn/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [I've always played sport. I played rugby, I was involved in athletics, I played cricket... I'm an outdoors kind of guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-ve-always-played-sport-i-played-rugby-i-was-involved-in-athletics-i/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [There are roles out there I want to play that I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to. But I'm not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/there-are-roles-out-there-i-want-to-play-that-i-don-t-know-if-i-ll/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [When you're working with people you've seen in hundreds of films... it's a bit crazy to step outside yourself for a minute and think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/when-you-re-working-with-people-you-ve-seen-in-hundreds-of-films-it-s/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [If I had the chance to spend a day with Werner Herzog, I would want there to be a canoe involved. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/if-i-had-the-chance-to-spend-a-day-with-werner-herzog-i-would-want/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [I'm not someone who has a lengthy attention span, and that applies to my exercise routine as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-m-not-someone-who-has-a-lengthy-attention-span-and-that-applies-to/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [The news business is simple but it's not easy to do well. You know the story, you have to cover it, you need pictures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/the-news-business-is-simple-but-it-s-not-easy-to-do-well-you-know-the/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [I love that about filmmaking - seeing final product and getting to see everyone else that you don't necessarily engage with on set every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-love-that-about-filmmaking-seeing-final-product-and-getting-to-see/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [I went to the Avengers: Age of Ultron and I'm like, "These guys are Olympians now." There's no place for a Walter Matthau in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-went-to-the-avengers-age-of-ultron-and-i-m-like-these-guys-are/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [I started coming to L.A. as often as I could, for three months on and three months off, because immigration kicks you out after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-started-coming-to-l-a-as-often-as-i-could-for-three-months-on-and/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [I was a show-off as a kid and loved to dress up. I was constantly in costume, drawing mustaches on with eyeliner and letting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-was-a-show-off-as-a-kid-and-loved-to-dress-up-i-was-constantly-in/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [My mum is a school teacher and my dad is an electrician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/my-mum-is-a-school-teacher-and-my-dad-is-an-electrician/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [I was a bit of a show-off in school and loved playing dress-up, and my passion for it just grew as I got older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/i-was-a-bit-of-a-show-off-in-school-and-loved-playing-dress-up-and-my/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) [Explore all 20 Jai Courtney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A person can't know what happiness is without experiencing sadness. 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