--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Success may be the ability to be happy…" description: "\"Success may be the ability to be happy with whatever we're stuck with.\" — Marilyn vos Savant" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_ability_success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-w_3225707.png" --- # Success may be the ability to be happy with whatever we're… ![“Success may be the ability to be happy with whatever we're stuck with.” quote by Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_ability_success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-w_3225707.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_ability_success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-w_3225707.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_ability_success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-w_3225707.png) > “Success may be the ability to be happy with whatever we're stuck with.” [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is finding contentment with the circumstances you have, rather than constantly seeking more. **In simple terms:** Success equals happiness with current life. Key Takeaway Cultivate gratitude for present conditions. Themes contentment success mindset Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - career stagnation - financial constraints - relationship issues - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy psychology well‑being Questions to Reflect On - Do you equate success with happiness? - How can you improve satisfaction without settling? A Different Perspective Accepting limits can hinder ambition and improvement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I'm happy to be stuck with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/i-m-happy-to-be-stuck-with-you/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I know this one is hard, especially if you are a single parent. But if you are determined, you can find some time every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/i-know-this-one-is-hard-especially-if-you-are-a-single-parent-but-if/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“Between natural ability and education choose natural ability, as it will keep you happy and will fetch you the glory sooner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/between-natural-ability-and-education-choose-natural-ability-as-it/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I am really happy that even though I am stuck in the comedy genre I have not been typecast. I am still getting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-pendse/i-am-really-happy-that-even-though-i-am-stuck-in-the-comedy-genre-i/) [Neha Pendse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-pendse/) > ['I'm so happy to be stuck in traffic.' Said no one ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-so-happy-to-be-stuck-in-traffic-said-no-one-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's okay to not know who you are and what you want. Those with the answers are usually very happy in their own stuck-ness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darnell-lamont-walker/it-s-okay-to-not-know-who-you-are-and-what-you-want-those-with-the/) [Darnell Lamont Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darnell-lamont-walker/) > [“Some people simply REFUSE to be happy. If they were stuck in a tunnel you can show them the way out and give them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-pierre/some-people-simply-refuse-to-be-happy-if-they-were-stuck-in-a-tunnel/) [Yvonne Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-pierre/) > [My success is due more to my ability to work continuously on one thing without stopping than to any other single quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/my-success-is-due-more-to-my-ability-to-work-continuously-on-one/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“One of the main secrets of success is the ability to foresee the situation a few steps forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sahara-sanders/one-of-the-main-secrets-of-success-is-the-ability-to-foresee-the/) [Sahara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sahara-sanders/) > [“They are probably the single most important deciding factor for long-term success, and your ability to set and make plans to achieve them is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/they-are-probably-the-single-most-important-deciding-factor-for-long/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [“It’s quite possible that the most important contributor to your ultimate success will be your ability to keep moving, to make progress, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-keller/it-s-quite-possible-that-the-most-important-contributor-to-your/) [Gary Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-keller/) > [A success, to me, is the ability to keep working. That's success. It has nothing to do with money; it's the ability to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/a-success-to-me-is-the-ability-to-keep-working-that-s-success-it-has/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [Success is the ability to continue to move through total disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/success-is-the-ability-to-continue-to-move-through-total-disaster/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“Success is the ability to change some one's perception of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeeshan-raza/success-is-the-ability-to-change-some-one-s-perception-of-life/) Zeeshan Raza ## More by Marilyn vos Savant > [There's plenty of intelligence in the world, but the courage to do things differently is in short supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/there-s-plenty-of-intelligence-in-the-world-but-the-courage-to-do/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Society needs people who can manage projects in addition to handling individual tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/society-needs-people-who-can-manage-projects-in-addition-to-handling/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [If you never heard opportunity knock, maybe you're never at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/if-you-never-heard-opportunity-knock-maybe-you-re-never-at-home/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Email, instant messaging, and cell phones give us fabulous communication ability, but because we live and work in our own little worlds, that communication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/email-instant-messaging-and-cell-phones-give-us-fabulous/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Experts say you can't concentrate on more than one task at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/experts-say-you-can-t-concentrate-on-more-than-one-task-at-a-time/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [“If your head tells you one thing and your heart tells you another ,before you do anything,you should first decide wether you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/if-your-head-tells-you-one-thing-and-your-heart-tells-you-another/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [What is the essence of America? Finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom 'to' and freedom 'from.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/what-is-the-essence-of-america-finding-and-maintaining-that-perfect/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [It is a lot easier to prove that you don't love someone than it is to prove that you do, but one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/it-is-a-lot-easier-to-prove-that-you-don-t-love-someone-than-it-is-to/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [I suspect that some apparently homosexual people are really heterosexuals who deeply phobic about the opposite sex or have other emotional problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/i-suspect-that-some-apparently-homosexual-people-are-really/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [A friend is someone who stays by your side all through the troubles he's caused you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/a-friend-is-someone-who-stays-by-your-side-all-through-the-troubles/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Loving behavior contributes to the group at the expense of the individual. Competition contributes to the survival of the individual at the expense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/loving-behavior-contributes-to-the-group-at-the-expense-of-the/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Be able to suffer wearing a necktie or slightly high heels for an entire evening without complaint or early removal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/be-able-to-suffer-wearing-a-necktie-or-slightly-high-heels-for-an/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Be able to describe anything visual, such as a street scene, in words that convey your meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/be-able-to-describe-anything-visual-such-as-a-street-scene-in-words/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Be able to sneeze without sounding ridiculous. That means neither stifling yourself or spraying your immediate vicinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/be-able-to-sneeze-without-sounding-ridiculous-that-means-neither/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [At first, I only laughed at myself. Then I noticed that life itself is amusing. I've been in a generally good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/at-first-i-only-laughed-at-myself-then-i-noticed-that-life-itself-is/) [Marilyn Vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) [Explore all 149 Marilyn vos Savant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Success may be the ability to be happy with whatever we're stuck with.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marilyn vos Savant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-with-whatever-we-re-stuck-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-with-whatever-we-re-stuck-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_ability_success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-w_3225707.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_ability_success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-w_3225707.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/marilyn-vos-savant-2806_ability_success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-w_3225707.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Success may be the ability to be happy with whatever we're stuck with.” — Marilyn vos Savant", "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": "Marilyn vos Savant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Success may be the ability to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-with-whatever-we-re-stuck-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/success-may-be-the-ability-to-be-happy-with-whatever-we-re-stuck-with/#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 } } ] } ```