--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remember, you cannot be responsible for…" description: "\"Remember, you cannot be responsible for the happiness of other people. You can do your best to be sensitive to the needs and desires of others, but som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/kevin-leman-21208_being-responsible_remember-you-cannot-be-responsible-for-t_2214686.png" --- # Remember, you cannot be responsible for the happiness of… ![“Remember, you cannot be responsible for the happiness of other people. You can do your best to be sensitive to the needs and desires of others, but some people will not be happy no matter how much you do for them. If you decided you were responsible for their happiness, you could drive yourself…” quote by Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/kevin-leman-21208_being-responsible_remember-you-cannot-be-responsible-for-t_2214686.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/kevin-leman-21208_being-responsible_remember-you-cannot-be-responsible-for-t_2214686.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/kevin-leman-21208_being-responsible_remember-you-cannot-be-responsible-for-t_2214686.png) > “Remember, you cannot be responsible for the happiness of other people. You can do your best to be sensitive to the needs and desires of others, but some people will not be happy no matter how much you do for them. If you decided you were responsible for their happiness, you could drive yourself completely up the nearest wall.” [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. You cannot control others’ happiness; trying to do so harms you. Focus on empathy, not ownership. **In simple terms:** You aren’t responsible for others’ happiness. Key Takeaway Practice empathy, release control. Themes responsibility empathy boundaries Mood cautious empathetic Type advice reflective When to use this quote - friendships - family dynamics - workplace relations - volunteer work Key Concepts psychology well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What boundaries protect your well‑being? - How do you show care without over‑responsibility? A Different Perspective Attempting to fix others can create codependency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [To act well in this world, one must sacrifice all personal desires. The people who become missionaries of religious thought have no other Fatherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/to-act-well-in-this-world-one-must-sacrifice-all-personal-desires-the/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [Moved by their selfish desires, people seek after fame and glory. But when they have acquired it, they are already stricken in years. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/moved-by-their-selfish-desires-people-seek-after-fame-and-glory-but/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“Humans do not possess a single, focused will. In their hearts, they have countless bugs, buzzing in all directions. There are times when all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kouhei-kadono/humans-do-not-possess-a-single-focused-will-in-their-hearts-they-have/) [Kouhei Kadono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kouhei-kadono/) > [The world is going on because not all can be free of desires. People with desires are born again and again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarada-devi/the-world-is-going-on-because-not-all-can-be-free-of-desires-people/) [Sarada Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarada-devi/) > [“The flash opened up into something larger, an even more blasphemous notion that her brain contained too much. That the volume of information, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/the-flash-opened-up-into-something-larger-an-even-more-blasphemous/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [Happiness does not consist in things themselves but in the relish we have of them; and a man has attained it when he enjoys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/happiness-does-not-consist-in-things-themselves-but-in-the-relish-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“That the volume of information, of data, of judgements, of measurements, was too much, and there were too many people, and too many desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/that-the-volume-of-information-of-data-of-judgements-of-measurements/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [“And I began to realize that ultimately I was responsible for my own happiness, that blaming other people was counterproductive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-templeton/and-i-began-to-realize-that-ultimately-i-was-responsible-for-my-own/) Karen Templeton > [You are responsible for your own happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-tomasello/you-are-responsible-for-your-own-happiness/) [Mario Tomasello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-tomasello/) > [I think the difference between finding happiness, or moments of happiness, is how you choose to interpret things. That's a rather shocking responsibility. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natascha-mcelhone/i-think-the-difference-between-finding-happiness-or-moments-of/) [Natascha McElhone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natascha-mcelhone/) > [You are responsible for your own happiness. If you expect others to make you happy you'll always end up disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-responsible-for-your-own-happiness-if-you-expect-others-to-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Making someone responsible for your misery also makes them responsible for your happiness. Why give that power to anyone but yourself?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/making-someone-responsible-for-your-misery-also-makes-them/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [You're not RESPONSIBLE for somebody else's happiness. You're responsible for your own HAPPINESS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-re-not-responsible-for-somebody-else-s-happiness-you-re/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Sometimes loving each other isn't enough. You have to be responsible for your own happiness. You can't stay in a relationship because you're afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-silverman/sometimes-loving-each-other-isn-t-enough-you-have-to-be-responsible/) [Sarah Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-silverman/) > [You are responsible for your own happiness. If you expect others to make you happy, you will always be disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-responsible-for-your-own-happiness-if-you-expect-others-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Kevin Leman > [Moms are, in my opinion, the wonders of the universe. They can leap tall buildings in a single bound, they can go where no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/moms-are-in-my-opinion-the-wonders-of-the-universe-they-can-leap-tall/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [The problem with guilt is that it cements you to the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/the-problem-with-guilt-is-that-it-cements-you-to-the-past/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [“Reality discipline steers a course between an authoritarian style and a permissive style, giving kids some choices but also holding them accountable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/reality-discipline-steers-a-course-between-an-authoritarian-style-and/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [How you handle peer pressure - the pressure your children feel as well as the pressure you feel - in the early years will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/how-you-handle-peer-pressure-the-pressure-your-children-feel-as-well/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [“    32 Deciding to leave home     41 Life Events Scale for Children The death of a parent   ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/32-deciding-to-leave-home-41-life-events-scale-for-children-the-death/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [A fulfilling sex life is one of the most powerful marital glues a couple can have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/a-fulfilling-sex-life-is-one-of-the-most-powerful-marital-glues-a/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [Why does a dad matter so much to a daughter, in particular? 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Once again, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/when-we-live-life-at-the-pace-of-a-nascar-race-sex-is-one-of-the/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [“The only way to avoid failure is to sit in a corner and do nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/the-only-way-to-avoid-failure-is-to-sit-in-a-corner-and-do-nothing/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [“boys into sports programs where they’re expected to behave like seasoned professionals. It’s not tying your love and acceptance”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/boys-into-sports-programs-where-they-re-expected-to-behave-like/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [Sex is all that it can and should be only when it is surrounded by and wrapped in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/sex-is-all-that-it-can-and-should-be-only-when-it-is-surrounded-by/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [I believe that love takes time. I believe there is such a thing as infatuation at first sight, but not love at first sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/i-believe-that-love-takes-time-i-believe-there-is-such-a-thing-as/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [The older your teenagers are, the more they will have their own ideas and opinions. If you take them seriously, rather than assuming your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/the-older-your-teenagers-are-the-more-they-will-have-their-own-ideas/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) [Explore all 29 Kevin Leman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) ## More Being responsible quotes > [We can only be responsible for what we ourselves do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-peterfreund/we-can-only-be-responsible-for-what-we-ourselves-do/) [Diana Peterfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-peterfreund/) > [I tried to just do things like make some money, be responsible, help out other artists who I see have had a similar path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-pink/i-tried-to-just-do-things-like-make-some-money-be-responsible-help/) [Ariel Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-pink/) > [Taxpayers would likely be responsible for treating addicts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-warren-kindt/taxpayers-would-likely-be-responsible-for-treating-addicts/) [John Warren Kindt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-warren-kindt/) > [I don't really think in terms of the future of literature. I think literature will be around "forever" - but in a relatively niche…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-really-think-in-terms-of-the-future-of-literature-i-think/) [Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/) > [This is a difference between being a governor and being in a legislature. Because when something doesn't work in New Jersey, they look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/this-is-a-difference-between-being-a-governor-and-being-in-a/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [I think labels for the most part want to sign new discoveries so that that label alone is seen to be responsible for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/i-think-labels-for-the-most-part-want-to-sign-new-discoveries-so-that/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Clean your freakin' fryer. Be responsible for Christ's sake!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-taffer/clean-your-freakin-fryer-be-responsible-for-christ-s-sake/) [Jon Taffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-taffer/) > [When a health policy analyst went to heaven, he asked God the same question: 'Will America ever have a single-payer system?' And God said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-altman/when-a-health-policy-analyst-went-to-heaven-he-asked-god-the-same/) Stuart Altman > [I am involved with so many charitable organizations. Lung Cancer because of my dad, Breast Cancer because as a woman and mother of two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-robbins/i-am-involved-with-so-many-charitable-organizations-lung-cancer/) Lois Robbins > [People want a grounded government. They want a government that's going to be responsible to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-paladino/people-want-a-grounded-government-they-want-a-government-that-s-going/) [Carl Paladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-paladino/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [You cannot be responsible for Jim Crow. You can not be responsible for racism. This is much more a problem for the person exercising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/you-cannot-be-responsible-for-jim-crow-you-can-not-be-responsible-for/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [Let us be good stewards of the Earth we inherited. All of us have to share the Earth's fragile ecosystems and precious resources, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/let-us-be-good-stewards-of-the-earth-we-inherited-all-of-us-have-to/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [I think that today, more so than ever, corporate responsibility is the best strategic as well as financial path that most businesses can follow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-hollender/i-think-that-today-more-so-than-ever-corporate-responsibility-is-the/) [Jeffrey Hollender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-hollender/) > [If you recognize that self-driving cars are going to prevent car accidents, AI will be responsible for reducing one of the leading causes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/if-you-recognize-that-self-driving-cars-are-going-to-prevent-car/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) Browse all 281 Being responsible quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Remember, you cannot be responsible for the happiness of other people. 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