--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is not in having and getting, but in…" description: "\"Life is not in having and getting, but in being and becoming.\" — Matthew Arnold" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/matthew-arnold-1235_life_life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in_1581281.jpg" --- # Life is not in having and getting, but in being and… ![“Life is not in having and getting, but in being and becoming.” quote by Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/matthew-arnold-1235_life_life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in_1581281.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/matthew-arnold-1235_life_life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in_1581281.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/matthew-arnold-1235_life_life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in_1581281.jpg) > “Life is not in having and getting, but in being and becoming.” [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True fulfillment comes from personal growth and self‑realization, not material accumulation. **In simple terms:** Being and becoming matter more than possessions. Key Takeaway Focus on personal development. Themes self‑growth philosophy fulfillment Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - spiritual practice - education - relationships Key Concepts existentialism humanism Questions to Reflect On - What personal qualities are you cultivating? - How do you measure growth beyond wealth? A Different Perspective Material success can distract from inner development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting/) [Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having/) [Having Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-getting-2309926/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-having/) [Self actualization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-actualization/) ## Related quotes > [Life is not having and getting, but being and becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/life-is-not-having-and-getting-but-being-and-becoming/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Life, is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/life-is-not-a-having-and-a-getting-but-a-being-and-a-becoming/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [Life is not about having and getting. It's about being and becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/life-is-not-about-having-and-getting-it-s-about-being-and-becoming/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [Its not the having, its the getting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/its-not-the-having-its-the-getting/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/remember-that-there-is-no-happiness-in-having-or-in-getting-but-only-2/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [“There is no happiness in having and getting, only in giving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/there-is-no-happiness-in-having-and-getting-only-in-giving/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-drummond/there-is-no-happiness-in-having-or-in-getting-but-only-in-giving/) [Henry Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-drummond/) > [There is no real happiness in having or getting, but only in giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-eldon-tanner/there-is-no-real-happiness-in-having-or-getting-but-only-in-giving/) [Nathan Eldon Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-eldon-tanner/) > [It's not the having, it's the getting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/it-s-not-the-having-it-s-the-getting/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [I talk to Oprah several times a week, and I see the side of Oprah that's having the time of her life. What she's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-zaslav/i-talk-to-oprah-several-times-a-week-and-i-see-the-side-of-oprah-that/) [David Zaslav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-zaslav/) > [I loathe hair salons. People have always told me I am in the wrong business because I can't stand getting my hair cut or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-wasson/i-loathe-hair-salons-people-have-always-told-me-i-am-in-the-wrong/) [Erin Wasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-wasson/) > [Getting up quite late in the morning, going and trying to clean my bikes - I have quite a few of them in Ranchi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-up-quite-late-in-the-morning-going-and-trying-to-clean-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you are having fun on the set, you are not getting things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/if-you-are-having-fun-on-the-set-you-are-not-getting-things-done/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [I'm just not interested in getting judged or getting people to love me. Being seen and taking my photo and having to follow this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/i-m-just-not-interested-in-getting-judged-or-getting-people-to-love/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [For me, getting comfortable with being famous was hard - that whole side of it, the loss of anonymity, the loss of privacy. Giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/for-me-getting-comfortable-with-being-famous-was-hard-that-whole-side/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) ## More by Matthew Arnold > [Culture looks beyond machinery, culture hates hatred; culture has one great passion, the passion for sweetness and light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/culture-looks-beyond-machinery-culture-hates-hatred-culture-has-one/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [We must hold fast to the austere but true doctrine as to what really governs politics and saves or destroys states. Having in mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/we-must-hold-fast-to-the-austere-but-true-doctrine-as-to-what-really/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [“Culture is the endeavour to know the best and to make this knowledge prevail for the good of all humankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/culture-is-the-endeavour-to-know-the-best-and-to-make-this-knowledge/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [The difference between genuine poetry and the poetry of Dryden, Pope, and all their school, is briefly this: their poetry is conceived and composed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/the-difference-between-genuine-poetry-and-the-poetry-of-dryden-pope/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Culture, the acquainting ourselves with the best that has been known and said in the world, and thus with the history of the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/culture-the-acquainting-ourselves-with-the-best-that-has-been-known/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Strew on her roses, roses, And never a spray of yew! In quiet she reposes; Ah, would that I did too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/strew-on-her-roses-roses-and-never-a-spray-of-yew-in-quiet-she/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Nature, with equal mind, Sees all her sons at play, Sees man control the wind, The wind sweep man away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/nature-with-equal-mind-sees-all-her-sons-at-play-sees-man-control-the/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Six years-six little years-six drops of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/six-years-six-little-years-six-drops-of-time/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Let the long contention cease! / Geese are swans, and swans are geese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/let-the-long-contention-cease-geese-are-swans-and-swans-are-geese/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [It is almost impossible to exaggerate the proneness of the human mind to take miracles as evidence, and to seek for miracles as evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/it-is-almost-impossible-to-exaggerate-the-proneness-of-the-human-mind/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Religion is ethics heightened, enkindled, lit up by feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/religion-is-ethics-heightened-enkindled-lit-up-by-feeling/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Genius is mainly an affair of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/genius-is-mainly-an-affair-of-energy/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Culture is both an intellectual phenomenon and a moral one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/culture-is-both-an-intellectual-phenomenon-and-a-moral-one/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [English civilization the humanizing, the bringing into one harmonious and truly humane life, of the whole body of English society that is what interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/english-civilization-the-humanizing-the-bringing-into-one-harmonious/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [“Wandering between two worlds, one dead The other powerless to be born, With nowhere yet to rest my head Like these, on earth I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/wandering-between-two-worlds-one-dead-the-other-powerless-to-be-born/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) [Explore all 267 Matthew Arnold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) ## More Getting quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [I am getting nowhere with you and I can't let you go and I cant get through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-am-getting-nowhere-with-you-and-i-can-t-let-you-go-and-i-cant-get/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [People look at me like I'm on my way out of the game. I'm just getting started.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/people-look-at-me-like-i-m-on-my-way-out-of-the-game-i-m-just-getting/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [I never liked Hans Christian Andersen because I knew he was always getting at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-never-liked-hans-christian-andersen-because-i-knew-he-was-always/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [I know a lot of people that have had fake Twitters... actors and musicians that I know. It's sort of a problem. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-know-a-lot-of-people-that-have-had-fake-twitters-actors-and/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Sometimes the challenge of beating the jet lag and getting a decent sleep can be as hard to solve as finding the right setup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-grosjean/sometimes-the-challenge-of-beating-the-jet-lag-and-getting-a-decent/) [Romain Grosjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-grosjean/) > [I hate to say this, but this place is getting to me. I think I'm getting the Fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-gonzo/i-hate-to-say-this-but-this-place-is-getting-to-me-i-think-i-m/) [Dr Gonzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-gonzo/) > [Some people are great at dieting and train somewhat inconsistently - for those people, getting on a great training program and following it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-romaniello/some-people-are-great-at-dieting-and-train-somewhat-inconsistently/) [John Romaniello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-romaniello/) [Browse all 3,109 Getting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is not in having and getting, but in being and becoming.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthew Arnold" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in-being-and-becoming/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Getting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in-being-and-becoming/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/matthew-arnold-1235_life_life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in_1581281.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/matthew-arnold-1235_life_life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in_1581281.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/matthew-arnold-1235_life_life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in_1581281.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life is not in having and getting, but in being and becoming.” — Matthew Arnold", "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": "Matthew Arnold", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Life is not in having and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in-being-and-becoming/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/life-is-not-in-having-and-getting-but-in-being-and-becoming/#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 } } ] } ```