--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The real world has its limits; the…" description: "\"“The real world has its limits; the imaginary world is infinite. Unable to enlarge the one, let us restrict the other, for it is from the difference be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_imaginary-world_the-real-world-has-its-limits-the-imagin_3105807.png" --- # The real world has its limits; the imaginary world is… ![“The real world has its limits; the imaginary world is infinite. Unable to enlarge the one, let us restrict the other, for it is from the difference between the two alone that are born all the pains which make us truly unhappy.” quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_imaginary-world_the-real-world-has-its-limits-the-imagin_3105807.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_imaginary-world_the-real-world-has-its-limits-the-imagin_3105807.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71c/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_imaginary-world_the-real-world-has-its-limits-the-imagin_3105807.png) > ““The real world has its limits; the imaginary world is infinite. Unable to enlarge the one, let us restrict the other, for it is from the difference between the two alone that are born all the pains which make us truly unhappy.”” [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. We suffer because we compare limited reality with boundless imagination, creating a gap that fuels discontent. **In simple terms:** Comparing real limits with imagined infinity causes unhappiness. Key Takeaway Accept reality’s limits and cherish imagination separately. Themes philosophy psychology contentment Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative work - personal growth - mental health - goal setting Key Concepts existentialism perception desire Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance realistic expectations with creative dreaming? - What limits do you accept without resentment? A Different Perspective If we fully embrace reality, we may lose inspiration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Imaginary world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginary-world/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Infinite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite/) [Limits Imaginary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits-imaginary-5403079/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [World Infinite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-infinite-898199/) [World Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-limits-2045026/) ## Related quotes > [From this hour I ordain myself loos'd of limits and imaginary lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/from-this-hour-i-ordain-myself-loos-d-of-limits-and-imaginary-lines/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [There is no more honorable thing any of us can do with our lives than to work to put part of the world off-limits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foreman/there-is-no-more-honorable-thing-any-of-us-can-do-with-our-lives-than/) [David Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foreman/) > [“A blind man's world is bounded by the limits of his touch; an ignorant man's world by the limits of his knowledge: a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-paul-hovey/a-blind-man-s-world-is-bounded-by-the-limits-of-his-touch-an-ignorant/) [E. Paul Hovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-paul-hovey/) > [I think that when you live in a world with limits... when you've met everyone and seem everything you're going to see - you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-think-that-when-you-live-in-a-world-with-limits-when-you-ve-met/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The problem is not so much that the world limits your imagination as your imagination limits the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ove-knausgard/the-problem-is-not-so-much-that-the-world-limits-your-imagination-as/) [Karl Ove Knausgård](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ove-knausgard/) > [Logic pervades the world; the limits of the world are also the limits of logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/logic-pervades-the-world-the-limits-of-the-world-are-also-the-limits/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [It would take me years of reading, thought, and experience to learn again that in this world limits are not only inescapable but indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/it-would-take-me-years-of-reading-thought-and-experience-to-learn/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The garden of the world has no limits, except in your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/the-garden-of-the-world-has-no-limits-except-in-your-mind/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [The film from the beginning is not the real world; it's an imaginary world. And this imaginary world is both inside and outside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucile-hadzihalilovic/the-film-from-the-beginning-is-not-the-real-world-it-s-an-imaginary/) [Lucile Hadzihalilovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucile-hadzihalilovic/) > [“What the real world is: that is a very difficult problem,' the man called Leader said as he lay on his stomach. 'What it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/what-the-real-world-is-that-is-a-very-difficult-problem-the-man/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [There is a Boundary between Real world and an imaginary World, you can only stay in one at a time, if you stay on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashif-zaman/there-is-a-boundary-between-real-world-and-an-imaginary-world-you-can/) [Kashif Zaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kashif-zaman/) > [“Then you'll see the world as it is—infinite”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-craire/then-you-ll-see-the-world-as-it-is-infinite/) [Cassandra Craire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-craire/) > [“I believe in a world of infinite possibilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/i-believe-in-a-world-of-infinite-possibilities/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In a world of infinite choice people are struggling to figure out what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-world-of-infinite-choice-people-are-struggling-to-figure-out/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The plan of this world is infinite similarity and yet infinite variety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/the-plan-of-this-world-is-infinite-similarity-and-yet-infinite-variety/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) ## 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 Imaginary world quotes > [In creating the strange milieu in which your story takes place, you must first understand as well as you possibly can the familiar milieu…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/in-creating-the-strange-milieu-in-which-your-story-takes-place-you/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I did not get my Spaghetti-O's, I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-grasso/i-did-not-get-my-spaghetti-o-s-i-got-spaghetti-i-want-the-press-to/) [Thomas J. Grasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-grasso/) > [All writers are obviously neurotic... For various reasons, writers retreat into an imaginary world because they find ordinary life rather difficult or boring or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-koch/all-writers-are-obviously-neurotic-for-various-reasons-writers/) [Christopher Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-koch/) > [“But suppose casting all these things into an imaginary world, stripping them of their stained-glass and Sunday school associations, one could make them for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rigney/but-suppose-casting-all-these-things-into-an-imaginary-world/) [Joe Rigney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rigney/) > [I’ve learned the most from Randy Harrison. Because of his fantastic imaginary world filled with bizarre friends. He is constantly giving us good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-harold/i-ve-learned-the-most-from-randy-harrison-because-of-his-fantastic/) [Gale Harold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-harold/) > [There is a Boundary between Real world and an imaginary World, you can only stay in one at a time, if you stay on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashif-zaman/there-is-a-boundary-between-real-world-and-an-imaginary-world-you-can/) [Kashif Zaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kashif-zaman/) > [To lovers, I devise their imaginary world, with whatever they may need, as the stars of the sky, the red, red roses by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/williston-fish/to-lovers-i-devise-their-imaginary-world-with-whatever-they-may-need/) [Williston Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/williston-fish/) > [“This place has struggles, triumphs, failures, and true joy, because happiness must be earned to be appreciated. This is a world that makes perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marius-forte/this-place-has-struggles-triumphs-failures-and-true-joy-because/) [Marius Forte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marius-forte/) > [No doubt the world is entirely an imaginary world, but it is only once removed from the true world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/no-doubt-the-world-is-entirely-an-imaginary-world-but-it-is-only-once/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Using the device of an imaginary world allows me in some strange way to go to the central issues - it's one of many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/using-the-device-of-an-imaginary-world-allows-me-in-some-strange-way/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Initially I probably didn't even call it acting, but dressing up or something. As a kid I think you fully imagine the world in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-weaving/initially-i-probably-didn-t-even-call-it-acting-but-dressing-up-or/) [Hugo Weaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-weaving/) > [“I lived in New York City back in the 1980s, which is when the Bordertown series was created. New York was a different place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-windling/i-lived-in-new-york-city-back-in-the-1980s-which-is-when-the/) [Terri Windling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-windling/) > [“Border crossing' is a recurrent theme in all aspects of my work -- editing, writing, and painting. I'm interested in the various ways artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-windling/border-crossing-is-a-recurrent-theme-in-all-aspects-of-my-work/) [Terri Windling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-windling/) > [The good thing about writing a novel is that you're creating an imaginary world and can take a break when you need to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/the-good-thing-about-writing-a-novel-is-that-you-re-creating-an/) [Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/) > [Being an actor has taken me to places I never imagined I would go - both in the imaginary world and in the physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myha-la/being-an-actor-has-taken-me-to-places-i-never-imagined-i-would-go/) [Myha'la](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myha-la/) [Browse all 87 Imaginary world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginary-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The real world has its limits; the imaginary world is infinite. 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