--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... having a dream and being on the…" description: "\"“... having a dream and being on the journey to fulfilling it sometimes brings more happiness than actually achieving it. We have a habit, do we not, o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/mary-balogh-914_dream_having-a-dream-and-being-on-the-journey_2653424.png" --- # ... having a dream and being on the journey to fulfilling… ![“... having a dream and being on the journey to fulfilling it sometimes brings more happiness than actually achieving it. We have a habit, do we not, of thinking happiness is a future state if only this and that condition can be met. And so much of life passes us by without our realizing how happy…” quote by Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/mary-balogh-914_dream_having-a-dream-and-being-on-the-journey_2653424.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/mary-balogh-914_dream_having-a-dream-and-being-on-the-journey_2653424.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f85/mary-balogh-914_dream_having-a-dream-and-being-on-the-journey_2653424.png) > ““... having a dream and being on the journey to fulfilling it sometimes brings more happiness than actually achieving it. We have a habit, do we not, of thinking happiness is a future state if only this and that condition can be met. And so much of life passes us by without our realizing how happy we can be in this present moment, or how nearly happy.”” [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pursuing a dream can be more fulfilling than achieving it; present‑moment happiness is often overlooked. **In simple terms:** Chasing dreams can feel happier than reaching them. Key Takeaway Savor the journey, not just the goal. Themes happiness journey mindfulness Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts present‑moment awareness goal setting contentment Questions to Reflect On - How can you find joy in current efforts? - What practices keep you grounded while pursuing goals? A Different Perspective Future‑oriented thinking can cause neglect of now. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Present moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-moment/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [...who can say where a voyage starts - not the the actual passage but the dream of a journey and its urge to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-least-heat-moon/who-can-say-where-a-voyage-starts-not-the-the-actual-passage-but-the/) [William Least Heat-Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-least-heat-moon/) > [We dream of the perfect wave, the perfect job, the perfect house, the perfect love, and when we get there, we dream of something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-machado/we-dream-of-the-perfect-wave-the-perfect-job-the-perfect-house-the/) [Rob Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-machado/) > [“In every dream journey, there comes a moment when you have to quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/in-every-dream-journey-there-comes-a-moment-when-you-have-to-quit/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [“Lady and gentleman, when my parents left Korea with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the considerable wealth they had amassed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/lady-and-gentleman-when-my-parents-left-korea-with-nothing-but-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Life can be frustrating sometimes. Take a nap, exercise, meditate or do whatever it takes to 'reboot' your thinking. Happiness is just a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-giaquinto/life-can-be-frustrating-sometimes-take-a-nap-exercise-meditate-or-do/) [Tom Giaquinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-giaquinto/) > [A man who as a physical being is always turned toward the outside, thinking that his happiness lies outside him, finally turns inward and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-man-who-as-a-physical-being-is-always-turned-toward-the-outside/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“I remember watching it all and getting the tickling in my chest and thinking to myself: This is what happiness feels like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-remember-watching-it-all-and-getting-the-tickling-in-my-chest-and/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [Sometimes in life you have to put your feelings aside and really start thinking about yourself and your happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-in-life-you-have-to-put-your-feelings-aside-and-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [From the moment you start thinking that other people are thinking about your thinking, your happiness ends the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/from-the-moment-you-start-thinking-that-other-people-are-thinking/) Mak\_786 > [Take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way. (Closing statement of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/take-the-risk-of-thinking-for-yourself-much-more-happiness-truth-2/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Take the risk of thinking for yourself; much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/take-the-risk-of-thinking-for-yourself-much-more-happiness-truth/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“What about thinking of happiness as a right instead than as a gift?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rossana-condoleo/what-about-thinking-of-happiness-as-a-right-instead-than-as-a-gift/) [Rossana Condoleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rossana-condoleo/) > [Because gratification of a desire leads to the temporary stilling of the mind and the experience of the peaceful, joyful Self, it's no wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/because-gratification-of-a-desire-leads-to-the-temporary-stilling-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [“Thinking about happiness makes us less happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/thinking-about-happiness-makes-us-less-happy/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [“We fooled ourselves into thinking happiness was a gift we would be given time and time again. It’s so much scarier to admit that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/we-fooled-ourselves-into-thinking-happiness-was-a-gift-we-would-be/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) ## More by Mary Balogh > [“Why is it," she asked, snuggling closer, "that I so often imagine myself running away and running free?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/why-is-it-she-asked-snuggling-closer-that-i-so-often-imagine-myself/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“Ah, but dreams cannot be captured with promises," he said. "Like water, they elude our grasp. But water is the staff of life. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/ah-but-dreams-cannot-be-captured-with-promises-he-said-like-water/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“What sort of man could you love for a lifetime?" he asked her. She was silent for a while. He guessed that she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/what-sort-of-man-could-you-love-for-a-lifetime-he-asked-her-she-was/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“Even at its darkest moment, life was a precious gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/even-at-its-darkest-moment-life-was-a-precious-gift/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“Sometimes children do not realize by how fragile a thread their security hangs. Perhaps it is as well they do not - most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/sometimes-children-do-not-realize-by-how-fragile-a-thread-their/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“Would she be able to bear never seeing him again? Never in this life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/would-she-be-able-to-bear-never-seeing-him-again-never-in-this-life/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“Sometimes love was to be grasped in any form and in any manner it was offered. And sometimes love must be given in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/sometimes-love-was-to-be-grasped-in-any-form-and-in-any-manner-it-was/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“When we last out at ourselves for having lost control, we are reminded that we never can be in total control, that all life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/when-we-last-out-at-ourselves-for-having-lost-control-we-are-reminded/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“Love does not deck the beloved in chains. It just is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/love-does-not-deck-the-beloved-in-chains-it-just-is/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“This is your home,’ he said. ‘You are mistress of Finchley Park, Vanessa. You may do whatever you wish.’ Her smile broadened. ‘Within reason,’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/this-is-your-home-he-said-you-are-mistress-of-finchley-park-vanessa/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“She bit her lower lip hard and blinked her eyes. There was such wistfulness and longing in his voice. Oh, she was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/she-bit-her-lower-lip-hard-and-blinked-her-eyes-there-was-such/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“following spring to find himself a”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/following-spring-to-find-himself-a/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“But that is what life is all about, he said. "It is about dreaming and making those dreams come true with effort and determination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/but-that-is-what-life-is-all-about-he-said-it-is-about-dreaming-and/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“One could not change the past anyway. Why let it blight the present and the future?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/one-could-not-change-the-past-anyway-why-let-it-blight-the-present/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I prefer to believe the opposite - that there is always an indestructible beauty at the heart of darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/i-prefer-to-believe-the-opposite-that-there-is-always-an/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) [Explore all 298 Mary Balogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“... having a dream and being on the journey to fulfilling it sometimes brings more happiness than actually achieving it. We have a habit, do we not, of thinking happiness is a future state if only this and that condition can be met. 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