--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The belief that we can rely on shortcuts…" description: "\"The belief that we can rely on shortcuts to happiness, joy, rapture, comfort, and ecstasy, rather than be entitled to these feelings by the exercise of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/martin-seligman-5268_belief_the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts_1859638.png" --- # The belief that we can rely on shortcuts to happiness… ![“The belief that we can rely on shortcuts to happiness, joy, rapture, comfort, and ecstasy, rather than be entitled to these feelings by the exercise of personal strengths and virtues, leads to legions of people who, in the middle of great wealth, are starving spiritually.” quote by Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/martin-seligman-5268_belief_the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts_1859638.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/martin-seligman-5268_belief_the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts_1859638.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/martin-seligman-5268_belief_the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts_1859638.png) > “The belief that we can rely on shortcuts to happiness, joy, rapture, comfort, and ecstasy, rather than be entitled to these feelings by the exercise of personal strengths and virtues, leads to legions of people who, in the middle of great wealth, are starving spiritually.” [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying on external shortcuts for joy deprives us of spiritual fulfillment that comes from cultivating personal virtues. **In simple terms:** Shortcuts to happiness starve the soul. Key Takeaway Cultivate strengths for lasting fulfillment. Themes virtue spirituality well‑being materialism self‑growth Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - mental health counseling - education on character strengths - leadership training Key Concepts Positive psychology eudaimonia intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice virtue daily? - What strengths can you develop now? A Different Perspective External pleasures cannot replace inner growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Ecstasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecstasy/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Legion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Personal strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-strength/) [Rapture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapture/) [Shortcuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shortcuts/) [Strengths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strengths/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [There are what we call shortcuts to happiness. And for me, seeing my family is one of those.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-what-we-call-shortcuts-to-happiness-and-for-me-seeing-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-baum/there-are-shortcuts-to-happiness-and-dancing-is-one-of-them/) [Vicki Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-baum/) > [“Because money permits a constant stream of luxuries and indulgences, it can take away their savor, and by permitting instant gratification, money shortcuts the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/because-money-permits-a-constant-stream-of-luxuries-and-indulgences/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The living are always trying to find the shortcuts to happiness in life. But look what happens when someone achieves premature success: they bloom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wells-bennett/the-living-are-always-trying-to-find-the-shortcuts-to-happiness-in/) Susan Wells Bennett > [“Bricks could be used to neatly pack your suitcase. It would promote personal strength and frugality. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/bricks-could-be-used-to-neatly-pack-your-suitcase-it-would-promote/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“It is also important to give and receive within a team. Too often, the corporate world forces individuals to strive and show their personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/it-is-also-important-to-give-and-receive-within-a-team-too-often-the/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“post-traumatic growth could take five different forms: finding personal strength, gaining appreciation, forming deeper relationships, discovering more meaning in life, and seeing new possibilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/post-traumatic-growth-could-take-five-different-forms-finding/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“Put the right people in the right positions to ensure their personal strengths and talents are being utilized and appreciated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/put-the-right-people-in-the-right-positions-to-ensure-their-personal/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [My philosophy of life is that the meek shall inherit nothing but debasement, frustration and ignoble deaths; that there is security in personal strength;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/my-philosophy-of-life-is-that-the-meek-shall-inherit-nothing-but/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [My sense of personal strength has always come from my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/my-sense-of-personal-strength-has-always-come-from-my-family/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [People and organizations don't grow much without delegation and completed staff work because they are confined to the capacities of the boss and reflect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/people-and-organizations-don-t-grow-much-without-delegation-and/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Getting up for sadhana in the morning is a totally selfish act - for personal strength, for personal intuition, for personal sharpness, for personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/getting-up-for-sadhana-in-the-morning-is-a-totally-selfish-act-for/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [Life is the will to power; our natural desire to dominate and reshape the world to fit our own preferences and assert our personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/life-is-the-will-to-power-our-natural-desire-to-dominate-and-reshape/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Security represents your sense of worth, your identity, your emotional anchorage, your self-esteem, your basic personal strength or lack of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/security-represents-your-sense-of-worth-your-identity-your-emotional/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [It takes great courage and personal strength to hold on to our center during times of great hurt. It takes wisdom to understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-takes-great-courage-and-personal-strength-to-hold-on-to-our-center/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More by Martin Seligman > [It used to be that whenever I introduced myself to people and told them I was a psychologist, they would shrink away from me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-used-to-be-that-whenever-i-introduced-myself-to-people-and-told/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I have never worked on interrogation; I have never seen an interrogation, and I have only a passing knowledge of the literature on interrogation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-have-never-worked-on-interrogation-i-have-never-seen-an/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I'm trying to broaden the scope of positive psychology well beyond the smiley face. Happiness is just one-fifth of what human beings choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-m-trying-to-broaden-the-scope-of-positive-psychology-well-beyond/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [It's a matter of ABC: When we encounter ADVERSITY, we react by thinking about it. Our thoughts rapidly congeal into BELIEFS. These beliefs may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-s-a-matter-of-abc-when-we-encounter-adversity-we-react-by-thinking/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [One of the things psychologists used to say was that if you are depressed, anxious or angry, you couldn't be happy. Those were at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/one-of-the-things-psychologists-used-to-say-was-that-if-you-are/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [It is the combination of reasonable talent and the ability to keep going in the face of defeat that leads to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-is-the-combination-of-reasonable-talent-and-the-ability-to-keep/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [Psychology is much bigger than just medicine, or fixing unhealthy things. It's about education, work, marriage - it's even about sports. What I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/psychology-is-much-bigger-than-just-medicine-or-fixing-unhealthy/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [What humans want is not just happiness. They want justice; they want meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/what-humans-want-is-not-just-happiness-they-want-justice-they-want/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I have spent most of my life working with mental illness. I have been president of the world's largest association of mental-illness workers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-working-with-mental-illness-i-have-been/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [Finding permanent and universal causes for misfortune is the practice of despair...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/finding-permanent-and-universal-causes-for-misfortune-is-the-practice/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [We deprive our children, our charges, of persistence. What I am trying to say is that we need to fail, children need to fail,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/we-deprive-our-children-our-charges-of-persistence-what-i-am-trying/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [One of my worries about America is the epidemic of depression we've been in. One of the possibilities about that is that the 'I'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/one-of-my-worries-about-america-is-the-epidemic-of-depression-we-ve/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [The Fundamentalist Religions simply seem to offer more hope for a brighter future than do the more liberal, humanistic ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/the-fundamentalist-religions-simply-seem-to-offer-more-hope-for-a/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [If the point of the inner-child movement is to cure adult problems, it doesn't work. Reliving childhood traumas gives you a nice afterglow, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/if-the-point-of-the-inner-child-movement-is-to-cure-adult-problems-it/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I don't mind being wrong, and I don't mind changing my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-don-t-mind-being-wrong-and-i-don-t-mind-changing-my-mind/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) [Explore all 102 Martin Seligman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The belief that we can rely on shortcuts to happiness, joy, rapture, comfort, and ecstasy, rather than be entitled to these feelings by the exercise of personal strengths and virtues, leads to legions of people who, in the middle of great wealth, are starving spiritually.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Seligman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts-to-happiness-joy-rapture/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts-to-happiness-joy-rapture/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/martin-seligman-5268_belief_the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts_1859638.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/martin-seligman-5268_belief_the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts_1859638.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/martin-seligman-5268_belief_the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts_1859638.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The belief that we can rely on shortcuts to happiness, joy, rapture, comfort, and ecstasy, rather than be…” — Martin Seligman", "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": "Martin Seligman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The belief that we can rely...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts-to-happiness-joy-rapture/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/the-belief-that-we-can-rely-on-shortcuts-to-happiness-joy-rapture/#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 } } ] } ```