--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Real happiness, however, comes from who…" description: "\"“Real happiness, however, comes from who we are—from who we’ve become. Real happiness comes from within. Likewise, discontentment is also a result of w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/joshua-fields-millburn-18508_discontentment_real-happiness-however-comes-from-who-we_653828.jpg" --- # Real happiness, however, comes from who we are—from who… ![“Real happiness, however, comes from who we are—from who we’ve become. Real happiness comes from within. Likewise, discontentment is also a result of who we’ve become.” quote by Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/joshua-fields-millburn-18508_discontentment_real-happiness-however-comes-from-who-we_653828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/joshua-fields-millburn-18508_discontentment_real-happiness-however-comes-from-who-we_653828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/joshua-fields-millburn-18508_discontentment_real-happiness-however-comes-from-who-we_653828.jpg) > ““Real happiness, however, comes from who we are—from who we’ve become. Real happiness comes from within. Likewise, discontentment is also a result of who we’ve become.”” [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True happiness stems from personal growth and inner alignment, while dissatisfaction reflects the same. **In simple terms:** Happiness comes from who you become inside. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner growth for lasting joy. Themes self‑development inner peace contentment Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career - relationships - spiritual practice - creative projects Key Concepts identity self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What inner qualities do you need to develop? - How does your self‑image affect your happiness? A Different Perspective External achievements may mask deeper discontent if inner work is ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discontentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontentment/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Real happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-happiness/) ## Related quotes > [Real happiness comes from the things that can not be taken away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/real-happiness-comes-from-the-things-that-can-not-be-taken-away-from/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Real happiness comes from discovering a sense of importance in one's actions and in one's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/real-happiness-comes-from-discovering-a-sense-of-importance-in-one-s/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“Real happiness comes into your life when you accept yourself as you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nitin-namdeo/real-happiness-comes-into-your-life-when-you-accept-yourself-as-you/) [Nitin Namdeo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nitin-namdeo/) > [Real happiness comes from the heart,not for material things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coraege/real-happiness-comes-from-the-heart-not-for-material-things/) Coraege > [I really believe that happiness comes from things that cannot taken away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-really-believe-that-happiness-comes-from-things-that-cannot-taken/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Are you really happy or comfortable? Real happiness comes when you are contented with what you have at the moment while creating ways for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/are-you-really-happy-or-comfortable-real-happiness-comes-when-you-are/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [Real happiness comes from inside. Nobody can give it to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-stone/real-happiness-comes-from-inside-nobody-can-give-it-to-you/) [Sharon Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-stone/) > [“When a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage however, that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-sterne/when-a-man-is-discontented-with-himself-it-has-one-advantage-however/) Lawrence Sterne > [I've always been dissatisfied, I know that. But lately I find that I reek of discontentment. It fills my throat, and it floods my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-ve-always-been-dissatisfied-i-know-that-but-lately-i-find-that-i/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“The deep rumbling of discontent that we hear today is the thunder of disinherited masses rising from dungeons of oppression to the bright hills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/the-deep-rumbling-of-discontent-that-we-hear-today-is-the-thunder-of/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“How can one explain this trend towards a more colorless and shallow life? Well, the work was easier, if less healthy, and it brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-junger/how-can-one-explain-this-trend-towards-a-more-colorless-and-shallow/) [Ernst Jünger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-junger/) > [“The reality is that stuff does not bring happiness. Instead, buying more than we need breeds nothing but discontentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-soukup/the-reality-is-that-stuff-does-not-bring-happiness-instead-buying/) [Ruth Soukup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-soukup/) > [“So much of me longs to run after him and cry, 'Yes, yes, yes!' A few hours ago, when I wrote I could never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/so-much-of-me-longs-to-run-after-him-and-cry-yes-yes-yes-a-few-hours/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [If we are to say no to covetousness, we must learn to say yes to contentment. This involves learning to be content with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/if-we-are-to-say-no-to-covetousness-we-must-learn-to-say-yes-to/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [Without discontentment, without revolt, you can never attain harmony. It is a necessary stage, which must be gone through by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/without-discontentment-without-revolt-you-can-never-attain-harmony-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) ## More by Joshua Fields Millburn > [“We’re taught to work foolishly hard for a non-living entity, donating our most precious commodity—our time—for a paycheck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/we-re-taught-to-work-foolishly-hard-for-a-non-living-entity-donating/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/in-the-day-to-day-trenches-of-adult-life-there-is-actually-no-such/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOOD DEBT. Some”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/there-is-no-such-thing-as-good-debt-some/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“You can't change the people around you, but you can change the people around you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/you-can-t-change-the-people-around-you-but-you-can-change-the-people/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“Ultimately most of us come to believe there’s more value in a paycheck—and all the stuff that paycheck can buy us—than there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/ultimately-most-of-us-come-to-believe-there-s-more-value-in-a/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“Addition by subtraction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/addition-by-subtraction/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“We feel safe around authentic people, as if we could reveal to them our deepest, darkest secrets, as if we could trust them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/we-feel-safe-around-authentic-people-as-if-we-could-reveal-to-them/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“Truthfully, though, most organizing is nothing more than well-planned hoarding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/truthfully-though-most-organizing-is-nothing-more-than-well-planned/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“Now, before I spend money I ask myself one question: Is this worth my freedom? Like: Is this coffee worth two dollars of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/now-before-i-spend-money-i-ask-myself-one-question-is-this-worth-my/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“Honesty is a gift we can give others. It is also a source of power and an engine of simplicity,” Dr. Sam Harris wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/honesty-is-a-gift-we-can-give-others-it-is-also-a-source-of-power-and/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“So you’re left scratching your noggin, wondering how to convert them to your singularly valid viewpoint, which can be mind-numbingly frustrating. Don’t worry, though,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/so-you-re-left-scratching-your-noggin-wondering-how-to-convert-them/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“Five Values that allow us to live a meaningful life: 1. Health 2. Relationships 3. Passions 4. Growth 5. Contribution”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/five-values-that-allow-us-to-live-a-meaningful-life-1-health-2/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“Live a Meaningful Life, which uses the concepts of minimalism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/live-a-meaningful-life-which-uses-the-concepts-of-minimalism/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“The first jump—that’s the most difficult part. Because you’ll always have some people who say things like, ‘Why would you do that?’ or ‘How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/the-first-jump-that-s-the-most-difficult-part-because-you-ll-always/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [“Understand, every moth is drawn to light, even when that light is a flame, hot and burning, flickering, the fire tantalizing the drab creature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/understand-every-moth-is-drawn-to-light-even-when-that-light-is-a/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) [Explore all 33 Joshua Fields Millburn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) ## More Discontentment quotes > [Without discontentment, without revolt, you can never attain harmony. It is a necessary stage, which must be gone through by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/without-discontentment-without-revolt-you-can-never-attain-harmony-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [If we are to say no to covetousness, we must learn to say yes to contentment. This involves learning to be content with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/if-we-are-to-say-no-to-covetousness-we-must-learn-to-say-yes-to/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [“So much of me longs to run after him and cry, 'Yes, yes, yes!' A few hours ago, when I wrote I could never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/so-much-of-me-longs-to-run-after-him-and-cry-yes-yes-yes-a-few-hours/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“The reality is that stuff does not bring happiness. Instead, buying more than we need breeds nothing but discontentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-soukup/the-reality-is-that-stuff-does-not-bring-happiness-instead-buying/) [Ruth Soukup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-soukup/) > [“How can one explain this trend towards a more colorless and shallow life? Well, the work was easier, if less healthy, and it brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-junger/how-can-one-explain-this-trend-towards-a-more-colorless-and-shallow/) [Ernst Jünger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-junger/) > [“The deep rumbling of discontent that we hear today is the thunder of disinherited masses rising from dungeons of oppression to the bright hills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/the-deep-rumbling-of-discontent-that-we-hear-today-is-the-thunder-of/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [I've always been dissatisfied, I know that. But lately I find that I reek of discontentment. It fills my throat, and it floods my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-ve-always-been-dissatisfied-i-know-that-but-lately-i-find-that-i/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“When a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage however, that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-sterne/when-a-man-is-discontented-with-himself-it-has-one-advantage-however/) Lawrence Sterne > [But I am all for love, and I am against marriage, particularly the arranged kind, because the arranged marriage gives you satisfaction. And love?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/but-i-am-all-for-love-and-i-am-against-marriage-particularly-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“Discontentment happens when I don’t have what I want. Contentment happens when I realize that I have so much more than I deserve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-altrogge/discontentment-happens-when-i-don-t-have-what-i-want-contentment/) [Stephen Altrogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-altrogge/) > [“It was not desirable for the proles to have strong political feelings. All that was required of them was a primitive patriotism which could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/it-was-not-desirable-for-the-proles-to-have-strong-political-feelings/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We can start by living by the Spirit while we stop following the heart of discontentment and doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-start-by-living-by-the-spirit-while-we-stop-following-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will be able to love above all discontentment. To give even when I am stripped of everything. To dry tears even when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-will-be-able-to-love-above-all-discontentment-to-give-even-when-i/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Millions upon millions will attain your ceremony, but don't think all of them are in a ceremonius mood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/millions-upon-millions-will-attain-your-ceremony-but-don-t-think-all/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Ambition is torment enough for an enemy; for it affords as much discontentment in enjoying as in want, making men like poisoned rats, which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hall/ambition-is-torment-enough-for-an-enemy-for-it-affords-as-much/) [Joseph Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hall/) [Browse all 42 Discontentment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontentment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Real happiness, however, comes from who we are—from who we’ve become. 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