--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One is only happy before he is happy" description: "\"One is only happy before he is happy\" — Jean-Jacques Rousseau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_happiest_one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy-267_2678798.png" --- # One is only happy before he is happy ![“One is only happy before he is happy” quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_happiest_one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy-267_2678798.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_happiest_one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy-267_2678798.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_happiest_one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy-267_2678798.png) > “One is only happy before he is happy” [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) ## 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 often anticipated before it actually arrives; expectation precedes fulfillment. **In simple terms:** We feel happy before truly being happy. Key Takeaway Manage expectations to enjoy present moments. Themes psychology happiness anticipation Mood contemplative balanced Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - mental health - goal setting Key Concepts expectation theory mindfulness temporal perception Questions to Reflect On - How does expectation shape your satisfaction? - What practices reduce premature happiness? A Different Perspective Over‑anticipation can lead to disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I mean, I’m quite happy. I’m happy in all aspects of my life. I'm very happy in all aspects of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-mean-i-m-quite-happy-i-m-happy-in-all-aspects-of-my-life-i-m-very/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [Man must be happy, as happy as a poor child cheerfully playing with his poor toy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/man-must-be-happy-as-happy-as-a-poor-child-cheerfully-playing-with/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [It may sound too good to be true, but once you've seen the happiest people in your life who have nothing, you really start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/it-may-sound-too-good-to-be-true-but-once-you-ve-seen-the-happiest/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [“A man is always in a hurry to be happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/a-man-is-always-in-a-hurry-to-be-happy/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [I'm quite a happy person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-comer/i-m-quite-a-happy-person/) [Jodie Comer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-comer/) > [“Will I ever be happy again?” “Do we even know we’re happy when we’re happy?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-ross/will-i-ever-be-happy-again-do-we-even-know-we-re-happy-when-we-re/) [Rodney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-ross/) > [Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave deserves the fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/happy-happy-happy-pair-none-but-the-brave-deserves-the-fair/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The happiest is he who suffers least; the most miserable is he who enjoys least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-happiest-is-he-who-suffers-least-the-most-miserable-is-he-who/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Happy (if mortals can be) is the man,Who, not by priest but Reason, rules his span:Reason, to its possessor a sure guide,Reason, a thorn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton/happy-if-mortals-can-be-is-the-man-who-not-by-priest-but-reason-rules/) [Thomas Chatterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton/) > [I am completely happy with my life. I love everything about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-roberts/i-am-completely-happy-with-my-life-i-love-everything-about-it/) [Julia Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-roberts/) > [Happy is he who can give himself up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/happy-is-he-who-can-give-himself-up/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [No, I'm happy to go on living the life I've chosen. I'm a university teacher and I like my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-tabucchi/no-i-m-happy-to-go-on-living-the-life-i-ve-chosen-i-m-a-university/) [Antonio Tabucchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-tabucchi/) > [I've got so much to be happy about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/i-ve-got-so-much-to-be-happy-about/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [“ I Like For You To Be Still I like for you to be still It is as though you are absent And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/i-like-for-you-to-be-still-i-like-for-you-to-be-still-it-is-as-though/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) ## More by Jean-Jacques Rousseau > [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/) > [Take the course opposite to custom and you will almost always do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-the-course-opposite-to-custom-and-you-will-almost-always-do-well/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given to us by education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/everything-we-do-not-have-at-our-birth-and-which-we-need-when-we-are/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-first-person-who-having-enclosed-a-plot-of-land-took-it-into-his/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [...in respect of riches, no citizen shall ever be wealthy enough to buy another, and none poor enough to be forced to sell himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/in-respect-of-riches-no-citizen-shall-ever-be-wealthy-enough-to-buy/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Take from the philosopher the pleasure of being heard and his desire for knowledge ceases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-from-the-philosopher-the-pleasure-of-being-heard-and-his-desire/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Men, in general, are not this or that, they are what they are made to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/men-in-general-are-not-this-or-that-they-are-what-they-are-made-to-be/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I would rather be a man of paradoxes than a man of prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-would-rather-be-a-man-of-paradoxes-than-a-man-of-prejudices/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“O Fabricius! What would your great soul have thought, if to your own misfortune you had been called back to life and had seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/o-fabricius-what-would-your-great-soul-have-thought-if-to-your-own/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“The sword wears out its sheath, as it is sometimes said. That is my story. My passions have made me live, and my passions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-sword-wears-out-its-sheath-as-it-is-sometimes-said-that-is-my/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Whence do I get my rules of conduct? I find them in my heart. Whatever I feel to be good is good. Whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/whence-do-i-get-my-rules-of-conduct-i-find-them-in-my-heart-whatever/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“If one divided all of human science into two parts - the one common to all men, the other particular to the learned -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/if-one-divided-all-of-human-science-into-two-parts-the-one-common-to/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The social compact sets up among the citizens as equality of such kind, that they all bind themselves to observe the same conditions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-compact-sets-up-among-the-citizens-as-equality-of-such/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I do not know is a phrase which becomes us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-do-not-know-is-a-phrase-which-becomes-us/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“How could I become wicked, when I had nothing but examples of gentleness before my eyes, and none around me but the best people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/how-could-i-become-wicked-when-i-had-nothing-but-examples-of/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) [Explore all 518 Jean-Jacques Rousseau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) ## More Happiest quotes > [“Truth is, I’m generally happiest when it’s just me. It’s okay to be madly in love with yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/truth-is-i-m-generally-happiest-when-it-s-just-me-it-s-okay-to-be/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [I'm the happiest when I'm in the studio, not on a beauty parade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fka-twigs/i-m-the-happiest-when-i-m-in-the-studio-not-on-a-beauty-parade/) [FKA twigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fka-twigs/) > [Happy (if mortals can be) is the man,Who, not by priest but Reason, rules his span:Reason, to its possessor a sure guide,Reason, a thorn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton/happy-if-mortals-can-be-is-the-man-who-not-by-priest-but-reason-rules/) [Thomas Chatterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton/) > [Most happy is he, who is entirely self-reliant, and who centres all his requirements in himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/most-happy-is-he-who-is-entirely-self-reliant-and-who-centres-all-his/) Senoraroy > [I'm quite a happy person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-comer/i-m-quite-a-happy-person/) [Jodie Comer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-comer/) > [I've got so much to be happy about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/i-ve-got-so-much-to-be-happy-about/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [It may sound too good to be true, but once you've seen the happiest people in your life who have nothing, you really start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/it-may-sound-too-good-to-be-true-but-once-you-ve-seen-the-happiest/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [The happiest people among us are those who can sleep when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-sufyan-ibn-harb/the-happiest-people-among-us-are-those-who-can-sleep-when-they-want-to/) [Abu Sufyan ibn Harb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abu-sufyan-ibn-harb/) > [“A man is always in a hurry to be happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/a-man-is-always-in-a-hurry-to-be-happy/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [The happiest she'd ever been was with him, and the saddest. Was that the true test of love?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-o-nan/the-happiest-she-d-ever-been-was-with-him-and-the-saddest-was-that/) [Stewart O'Nan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-o-nan/) > [“My family was poor, but my childhood days in Mizonokuchi were the happiest of my life. Even now, when I think about my hometown,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/my-family-was-poor-but-my-childhood-days-in-mizonokuchi-were-the/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [The happiest people in the world are those who feel absolutely terrific about themselves, and this is the natural outgrowth of accepting total responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-happiest-people-in-the-world-are-those-who-feel-absolutely/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“She loves the sun and the sea. She is her happiest there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-barolini/she-loves-the-sun-and-the-sea-she-is-her-happiest-there/) Helen Barolini > [No, I'm happy to go on living the life I've chosen. I'm a university teacher and I like my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-tabucchi/no-i-m-happy-to-go-on-living-the-life-i-ve-chosen-i-m-a-university/) [Antonio Tabucchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-tabucchi/) > [I've had a good life. Enough happiness, enough success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-landon/i-ve-had-a-good-life-enough-happiness-enough-success/) [Michael Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-landon/) Browse all 880 Happiest quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One is only happy before he is happy", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean-Jacques Rousseau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happiest" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_happiest_one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy-267_2678798.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_happiest_one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy-267_2678798.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_happiest_one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy-267_2678798.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One is only happy before he is happy” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau", "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": "Jean-Jacques Rousseau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One is only happy before he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/one-is-only-happy-before-he-is-happy/#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 } } ] } ```