--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pleasure comes through toil, and not by…" description: "\"Pleasure comes through toil, and not by self indulgence and indolence. When one gets to love work, his life is a happy one.\" — John Ruskin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/john-ruskin-314_indolence_pleasure-comes-through-toil-and-not-by-s_2494856.jpg" --- # Pleasure comes through toil, and not by self indulgence… ![“Pleasure comes through toil, and not by self indulgence and indolence. When one gets to love work, his life is a happy one.” quote by John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/john-ruskin-314_indolence_pleasure-comes-through-toil-and-not-by-s_2494856.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/john-ruskin-314_indolence_pleasure-comes-through-toil-and-not-by-s_2494856.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/john-ruskin-314_indolence_pleasure-comes-through-toil-and-not-by-s_2494856.jpg) > “Pleasure comes through toil, and not by self indulgence and indolence. When one gets to love work, his life is a happy one.” [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Finding fulfillment comes from diligent work, not idle pleasure; loving one's labor leads to happiness. **In simple terms:** Work brings joy, not selfish indulgence. Key Takeaway Embrace work, find happiness. Themes work fulfillment happiness discipline Mood content motivated Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career - personal projects - daily routines Key Concepts industrialism self-actualization Questions to Reflect On - Do you enjoy your work? - How can you find meaning in chores? A Different Perspective Work alone may not guarantee happiness without balance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Indolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indolence/) [Indulgence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indulgence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-happy/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Love Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-work/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasure Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure-comes-785800/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self indulgence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-indulgence/) [Toil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toil/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Seeming contentment is real discontent, combined with indolence or self-indulgence, which, while taking no legitimate means of raising itself, delights in bringing others down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/seeming-contentment-is-real-discontent-combined-with-indolence-or/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [When you and I are inclined to nestle down in indolence and self indulgence. God "stirs up our nests" and bids us fly upward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-l-cuyler/when-you-and-i-are-inclined-to-nestle-down-in-indolence-and-self/) [Theodore L. Cuyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-l-cuyler/) > [The Buddha's message was simple but profound. Neither a life of self-indulgence nor one of self-mortification can bring happiness. Only a middle path, avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henepola-gunaratana/the-buddha-s-message-was-simple-but-profound-neither-a-life-of-self/) [Henepola Gunaratana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henepola-gunaratana/) > [Three enemies that will weaken your ministry over time: Self-indulgence, bitterness, and carelessness. Strong people discipline their desires, restrain their reactions, and keep their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/three-enemies-that-will-weaken-your-ministry-over-time-self/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“When prayer, rituals and ascetic life are just a means of self-indulgence, they are harmful rather than beneficial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/when-prayer-rituals-and-ascetic-life-are-just-a-means-of-self/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [American art in general... takes to surreal exaggerations and metaphors; but its Puritan work ethic has little use for the playful self-indulgence behind Parisian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/american-art-in-general-takes-to-surreal-exaggerations-and-metaphors/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Shame can be self-indulgence too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/shame-can-be-self-indulgence-too/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [Self-indulgence produces a vanity of all vanities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/self-indulgence-produces-a-vanity-of-all-vanities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is ensnared in self-indulgence and its future hangs in the balance. Our moral and spiritual foundations are rapidly being destroyed. Our arrogance is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/america-is-ensnared-in-self-indulgence-and-its-future-hangs-in-the/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“Ambition means tying your well-being to what other people say or do. Self-indulgence means tying it to the things that happen to you. Sanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/ambition-means-tying-your-well-being-to-what-other-people-say-or-do/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Penitence is nothing but a form of self-indulgence. Some things you cannot wash from your hands, and there’s no use in trying.” He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-keyes/penitence-is-nothing-but-a-form-of-self-indulgence-some-things-you/) [Greg Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-keyes/) > [“Guilt is a self-indulgence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/guilt-is-a-self-indulgence/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [Las Vegas is the therapeutic ethos of our time run amok, our socio-psychological promise to ourselves to be eternally young writ large on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-rothman/las-vegas-is-the-therapeutic-ethos-of-our-time-run-amok-our-socio/) [Hal Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-rothman/) > [“Some will call this self-indulgence (They are lucky not to know its truth) Some will know the simple fact of pain This is becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kane/some-will-call-this-self-indulgence-they-are-lucky-not-to-know-its/) [Sarah Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kane/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) ## More by John Ruskin > [“Occult Theft,--Theft which hides itself even from itself, and is legal, respectable, and cowardly,--corrupts the body and soul of man, to the last fibre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/occult-theft-theft-which-hides-itself-even-from-itself-and-is-legal/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Mighty of heart, mighty of mind, magnanimous-to be this is indeed to be great in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/mighty-of-heart-mighty-of-mind-magnanimous-to-be-this-is-indeed-to-be/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Life is a magic vase filled to the brim, so made that you cannot dip from it nor draw from it; but it overflows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/life-is-a-magic-vase-filled-to-the-brim-so-made-that-you-cannot-dip/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am far more provoked at being thought foolish by foolish people, than pleased at being thought sensible by sensible people; and the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/i-am-far-more-provoked-at-being-thought-foolish-by-foolish-people/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [When we build ... let it not be for present delights nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/when-we-build-let-it-not-be-for-present-delights-nor-for-present-use/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated; far more difficult to sacrifice skill and easy execution in the proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-far-more-difficult-to-be-simple-than-to-be-complicated-far-more/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-a-good-and-safe-rule-to-sojourn-in-every-place-as-if-you-meant/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“You may trust to the truth of my sympathy; but you must remember that I am engaged in the investigation of enormous religious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-trust-to-the-truth-of-my-sympathy-but-you-must-remember-that/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [And remember, child, that nothing is ever done beautifully, which is done in rivalship; or nobly, which is done in pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/and-remember-child-that-nothing-is-ever-done-beautifully-which-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-s-unwise-to-pay-too-much-but-it-s-worse-to-pay-too-little/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-world-is-full-of-vulgar-purists-who-bring-discredit-on-all/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Like other beautiful things in this world, its end (that of a shaft) is to be beautiful; and, in proportion to its beauty, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/like-other-beautiful-things-in-this-world-its-end-that-of-a-shaft-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-are-to-be-men-of-genius-in-their-degree-rivulets-or-rivers-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-art-of-drawing-which-is-of-more-real-importance-to-the-human-race/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) [Explore all 696 John Ruskin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## More Indolence quotes > [In our own time the whole of Greece has been subject to a low birth rate and a general decrease of the population, owing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/in-our-own-time-the-whole-of-greece-has-been-subject-to-a-low-birth/) [Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/) > [There are two sorts of content; one is connected with exertion, the other with habits of indolence. The first is a virtue; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/there-are-two-sorts-of-content-one-is-connected-with-exertion-the/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [And indeed nothing but the most determined scepticism, along with a great degree of indolence, can justify this aversion to metaphysics. For if truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/and-indeed-nothing-but-the-most-determined-scepticism-along-with-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The critic is a man who prefers the indolence of opinion to the trials of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mason-brown/the-critic-is-a-man-who-prefers-the-indolence-of-opinion-to-the/) [John Mason Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mason-brown/) > [To will the impossible is usually a sin of indolence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-lewald/to-will-the-impossible-is-usually-a-sin-of-indolence/) [Fanny Lewald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-lewald/) > [“A sloppy half-Windsor is the first symptom of serial indolence' she replied in the patronizing voice that Yellows reserved for Rule-breakers, 'and ignoring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/a-sloppy-half-windsor-is-the-first-symptom-of-serial-indolence-she/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“A man must find his occasions in himself, it is true. The natural day is very calm, and will hardly reprove his indolence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-man-must-find-his-occasions-in-himself-it-is-true-the-natural-day/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The love of indolence is universal, or next to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-love-of-indolence-is-universal-or-next-to-it/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [To an active mind, indolence is more painful than labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/to-an-active-mind-indolence-is-more-painful-than-labor/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [It is not error which opposes the progress of truth; it is indolence, obstinacy, the spirit of routine, every thing which favors inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-robert-jacques-turgot-baron-de-laune/it-is-not-error-which-opposes-the-progress-of-truth-it-is-indolence/) [Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot, Baron de Laune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-robert-jacques-turgot-baron-de-laune/) > [“You despise books; you whose lives are absorbed in the vanities of ambition, the pursuit of pleasure or indolence; but remember that all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/you-despise-books-you-whose-lives-are-absorbed-in-the-vanities-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Could you understand the meaning of light if there were no darkness to point the contrast? Day and night, life and death, love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/could-you-understand-the-meaning-of-light-if-there-were-no-darkness/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [I suppose that there is no point wasting time being lazy, though of course indolence in a divine way, actually has its advantages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-suppose-that-there-is-no-point-wasting-time-being-lazy-though-of/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Indolence is the dry rot of even a good mind and a good character; the practical uselessness of both. It is the waste of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/indolence-is-the-dry-rot-of-even-a-good-mind-and-a-good-character-the/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Pain, indolence, sterility, endless ennui have also their lesson for you, if you are great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/pain-indolence-sterility-endless-ennui-have-also-their-lesson-for-you/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Browse all 169 Indolence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indolence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pleasure comes through toil, and not by self indulgence and indolence. 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