--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything has an opportunity cost, and…" description: "\"Everything has an opportunity cost, and the big things we want in life - like happiness and healthy relationships and wealth - they all have big opport..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/mark-manson-537_big-things_everything-has-an-opportunity-cost-and-t_2067444.jpg" --- # Everything has an opportunity cost, and the big things we… ![“Everything has an opportunity cost, and the big things we want in life - like happiness and healthy relationships and wealth - they all have big opportunity costs.” quote by Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/mark-manson-537_big-things_everything-has-an-opportunity-cost-and-t_2067444.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/mark-manson-537_big-things_everything-has-an-opportunity-cost-and-t_2067444.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/mark-manson-537_big-things_everything-has-an-opportunity-cost-and-t_2067444.jpg) > “Everything has an opportunity cost, and the big things we want in life - like happiness and healthy relationships and wealth - they all have big opportunity costs.” [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. All valuable life goals require sacrificing other options, highlighting the necessity of trade‑offs. **In simple terms:** Big goals cost other things. Key Takeaway Prioritize and accept trade‑offs. Themes life values choices Mood reflective pragmatic Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - relationship building - financial investing Key Concepts opportunity cost decision making Questions to Reflect On - What are you willing to give up? - How do you measure true value? A Different Perspective Ignoring costs can lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-opportunity-882564/) [Big things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-things/) [Cost Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost-big-3975007/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Healthy Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthy-relationships/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Opportunity cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-cost/) [Opportunity Costs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-costs-518098/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wealth Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth-big-3975008/) ## Related quotes > [We're guessing at our future opportunity cost. Warrenis guessing that he'll have the opportunity to put capital out at high rates of return, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/we-re-guessing-at-our-future-opportunity-cost-warrenis-guessing-that/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Intelligent people make decisions based on opportunity costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/intelligent-people-make-decisions-based-on-opportunity-costs/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Be sure that you are well compensated for illiquidity - especially illiquidity without control - because it can create particularly high opportunity costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/be-sure-that-you-are-well-compensated-for-illiquidity-especially/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [After nearly making a terrible mistake not buying See's, we've made this mistake many times. We are apparently slow learners. These opportunity costs don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/after-nearly-making-a-terrible-mistake-not-buying-see-s-we-ve-made/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Obviously, consideration of costs is key, including opportunity costs. Of course capital isn't free. It's easy to figure out your cost of borrowing, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/obviously-consideration-of-costs-is-key-including-opportunity-costs/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Even when you are right, there are costs and taxes associated with being tactical. 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It is a big opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amrita-rao/for-me-satyagraha-is-a-big-film-as-i-am-working-with-amitabh-bachchan/) [Amrita Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amrita-rao/) > [It's tough to walk away from something like this but at the same time, it's a big opportunity and I felt like I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/it-s-tough-to-walk-away-from-something-like-this-but-at-the-same-time/) [Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/) > [We have a big opportunity in China. We think the number of stores here can rival the number in North America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/we-have-a-big-opportunity-in-china-we-think-the-number-of-stores-here/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) ## More by Mark Manson > [“What pain do you want in your life? What are you willing to struggle for?” Because that seems to be a greater determinant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/what-pain-do-you-want-in-your-life-what-are-you-willing-to-struggle/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“death is the light by which the shadow of all of life’s meaning is measured.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/death-is-the-light-by-which-the-shadow-of-all-of-life-s-meaning-is/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“Many people measure their self-worth based on how much money they make... once one is able to provide for basic physical needs (food shelter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/many-people-measure-their-self-worth-based-on-how-much-money-they/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“Because when you give too many fucks—when you give a fuck about everyone and everything—you will feel that you’re perpetually entitled to be comfortable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/because-when-you-give-too-many-fucks-when-you-give-a-fuck-about/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“Once upon a time, there were two youngsters, a boy and a girl. 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But there’s a better version of this quote, a version that actually is profound, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility-it-is-true-but-there-s-a/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“If someone is better than you at something, then it’s likely because she has failed at it more than you have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/if-someone-is-better-than-you-at-something-then-it-s-likely-because/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“Or let’s say you have an anger problem. You get pissed off at the stupidest, most inane stuff, and you have no idea why.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/or-let-s-say-you-have-an-anger-problem-you-get-pissed-off-at-the/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“Some examples of good, healthy values: honesty, innovation, vulnerability, standing up for oneself, standing up for others, self-respect, curiosity, charity, humility, creativity. 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Everyone is well prepared in the big things, but only the winners perfect the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/little-things-make-the-difference-everyone-is-well-prepared-in-the/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [I would not have lasted a minute, literally a minute, on this Earth without God and angels by my side, because I was born.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-would-not-have-lasted-a-minute-literally-a-minute-on-this-earth/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [It's silly to have as one's sole object in life just making money, accumulating wealth. 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