--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I think about it, if I had to…" description: "\"When I think about it, if I had to choose, I'd rather be happy than write.\" — Jean Rhys" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/jean-rhys-2447_choose_when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose_2220073.png" --- # When I think about it, if I had to choose, I'd rather be… ![“When I think about it, if I had to choose, I'd rather be happy than write.” quote by Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/jean-rhys-2447_choose_when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose_2220073.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/jean-rhys-2447_choose_when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose_2220073.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/jean-rhys-2447_choose_when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose_2220073.png) > “When I think about it, if I had to choose, I'd rather be happy than write.” [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He would choose happiness over writing, valuing personal joy above creative work. **In simple terms:** He prefers happiness to writing. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal happiness. Themes happiness creativity choice Mood contemplative melancholic Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - career decisions - personal fulfillment Key Concepts life balance artistic sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice for joy? - Can creativity coexist with happiness? A Different Perspective Choosing happiness may limit artistic legacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“If I could choose I would rather be happy than write.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/if-i-could-choose-i-would-rather-be-happy-than-write/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [I think we can choose to be happy in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-trudeau/i-think-we-can-choose-to-be-happy-in-our-lives/) [Margaret Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-trudeau/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [I can't control what people think about me or how they choose to remember me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-sanu/i-can-t-control-what-people-think-about-me-or-how-they-choose-to/) [Mohamed Sanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-sanu/) > [“Figure out how to balance Oliver with a career you’ve wanted your whole life,” he tells me. “Because you’ll end up with neither if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/figure-out-how-to-balance-oliver-with-a-career-you-ve-wanted-your/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [I'm happy to write 10 times too much music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-greenwood/i-m-happy-to-write-10-times-too-much-music/) [Jonny Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-greenwood/) > [My accountancy experience could come in handy if ever I find myself in the right position. For now, I'm very happy to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sefi-atta/my-accountancy-experience-could-come-in-handy-if-ever-i-find-myself/) [Sefi Atta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sefi-atta/) > [“The depressed don’t write books. People who are happy write, people who travel, are in love, and talk and talk with the conviction that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-ferrante/the-depressed-don-t-write-books-people-who-are-happy-write-people-who/) [Elena Ferrante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-ferrante/) > [It's really funny - when I'm depressed or I'm having a hard time, I'll write really fun stuff. And then when I'm really happy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/it-s-really-funny-when-i-m-depressed-or-i-m-having-a-hard-time-i-ll/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [I write because it makes God happy that I write. I sing because it makes God happy that I sing. 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No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-salick/i-m-happy-when-i-write-i-ve-written-my-first-novel-my-pencil-is-down/) Missy Salick > [I love song writing, so I'm always happy to write for other musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-kingston/i-love-song-writing-so-i-m-always-happy-to-write-for-other-musicians/) [Sean Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-kingston/) ## More by Jean Rhys > [Of course she had some pathetic illusions about herself or she would not be able to go on living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/of-course-she-had-some-pathetic-illusions-about-herself-or-she-would/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [As soon as I turned the key I saw it hanging, the color of fire and sunset. the colour of flamboyant flowers. ‘If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/as-soon-as-i-turned-the-key-i-saw-it-hanging-the-color-of-fire-and/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [Human beings are struggling, and so they are egoists. But it's wrong to say that they are wholy cruel - it's a deformed view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/human-beings-are-struggling-and-so-they-are-egoists-but-it-s-wrong-to/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [“THe room was large and low-ceilinged, the striped wallpaper faded to inoffensiveness. A huge dark wardrobe faced a huge dark bed. The rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/the-room-was-large-and-low-ceilinged-the-striped-wallpaper-faded-to/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [There is no doubt that running away on a fresh, blue morning can be exhilarating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/there-is-no-doubt-that-running-away-on-a-fresh-blue-morning-can-be/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [Blot out the moon, Pull down the stars. Love in the dark, for we're for the dark So soon, so soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/blot-out-the-moon-pull-down-the-stars-love-in-the-dark-for-we-re-for/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [“But in the daytime it was all right. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/she-could-give-herself-up-to-the-written-word-as-naturally-as-a-good/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [“There is no control over memory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/there-is-no-control-over-memory/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) [Explore all 165 Jean Rhys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) ## More Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [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 > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. 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Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) RoderickTheFirst > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I think about it, if I had to choose, I'd rather be happy than write.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean Rhys" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose-i-d-rather-be-happy-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choose" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose-i-d-rather-be-happy-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/jean-rhys-2447_choose_when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose_2220073.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/jean-rhys-2447_choose_when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose_2220073.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/jean-rhys-2447_choose_when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose_2220073.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I think about it, if I had to choose, I'd rather be happy than write.” — Jean Rhys", "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 Rhys", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I think about it, if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose-i-d-rather-be-happy-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/when-i-think-about-it-if-i-had-to-choose-i-d-rather-be-happy-than/#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 } } ] } ```