---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There must be more to life than having…"
description: "\"There must be more to life than having everything.\" — Maurice Sendak"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/maurice-sendak-1273_life_there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-e_858431.jpg"
---

#  There must be more to life than having everything.

![“There must be more to life than having everything.” quote by Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/maurice-sendak-1273_life_there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-e_858431.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/maurice-sendak-1273_life_there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-e_858431.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/maurice-sendak-1273_life_there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-e_858431.jpg)

> “There must be more to life than having everything.”

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Life offers more than material possessions; deeper meaning comes from experiences and relationships.

**In simple terms:** Life’s value exceeds material wealth.

Key Takeaway

Seek purpose beyond possessions.

Themes

meaning ful spirituality

Mood

thoughtful hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- volunteering
- travel
- relationship building

Key Concepts

existentialism human fulfillment

Questions to Reflect On

- What non‑material thing fulfills you?
- How can you prioritize deeper meaning?

A Different Perspective

Material success can still dominate priorities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/)

## Related quotes

> [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/)

> [I think you have to be who you truly are and love who you are (to be beautiful). It's also important to be free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cl/i-think-you-have-to-be-who-you-truly-are-and-love-who-you-are-to-be/)

CL

> [Life is for having fun. Don't be stupid and waste it on some guy/girl who is gonna act like he/she hates you tomorrow. Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-for-having-fun-don-t-be-stupid-and-waste-it-on-some-guy-girl/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Life is about having an attitude of gratitude. And grabitude. Seriously, you’ve got to take stuff. What, do you think someone’s just going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/life-is-about-having-an-attitude-of-gratitude-and-grabitude-seriously/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [“No one has truly become successful on life without having to organize his life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/no-one-has-truly-become-successful-on-life-without-having-to-organize/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [A lot of my life is about will - having the will to prove what my body can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/a-lot-of-my-life-is-about-will-having-the-will-to-prove-what-my-body/)

[Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/)

> [There is no normality in life. Having two houses means that we can get out of each other's hair - which, let's face it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-bonham-carter/there-is-no-normality-in-life-having-two-houses-means-that-we-can-get/)

[Helena Bonham Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-bonham-carter/)

> [You think you have the most amazing life by having your dreams come true as a musician and marrying the woman of your dreams.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coy-bowles/you-think-you-have-the-most-amazing-life-by-having-your-dreams-come/)

[Coy Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coy-bowles/)

> [“The first step to having something in your life is to see yourself having it in your mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-barone/the-first-step-to-having-something-in-your-life-is-to-see-yourself/)

[Danielle Barone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-barone/)

> [LIFE is not about having all that you want, it's about appreciating things that you have. FAILURE means you've tried, Getting HURT means you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-about-having-all-that-you-want-it-s-about-appreciating/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think I'll work all my life. When you're having fun, why stop having fun?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-think-i-ll-work-all-my-life-when-you-re-having-fun-why-stop-having/)

[Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/)

> [“There is joy in every step you take in life by having passion for what life has to offer you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bluemling-jr/there-is-joy-in-every-step-you-take-in-life-by-having-passion-for/)

Michael Bluemling Jr

> [One of the best things in life is having the ability to have a conversation for hours and not get bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-best-things-in-life-is-having-the-ability-to-have-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“That’s what life is about, having the right to choose, to make decisions that have the ability to span your entire existence, especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/addison-moore/that-s-what-life-is-about-having-the-right-to-choose-to-make/)

[Addison Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/addison-moore/)

> [I'm always jacked up. I'm pumped up. It's just, I love life and I'm having fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcauliffe/i-m-always-jacked-up-i-m-pumped-up-it-s-just-i-love-life-and-i-m/)

[Terry McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcauliffe/)

## More by Maurice Sendak

> [I never thought of Bumble-Ardy in that way. But I still have that same deep feeling for children who are in dire trouble. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-never-thought-of-bumble-ardy-in-that-way-but-i-still-have-that-same/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [I was a very sickly child. My parents were immigrants. They were not decorous. They were not discreet. They always thought I was gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-was-a-very-sickly-child-my-parents-were-immigrants-they-were-not/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [The distinctions of fine art bore me to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/the-distinctions-of-fine-art-bore-me-to-death/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [The fan mail I get from kids are asking me questions which they do not ask their mothers and fathers. Because if they had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/the-fan-mail-i-get-from-kids-are-asking-me-questions-which-they-do/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [“May I ask what you have in your black leather bag with gold buckles?" "Everything." They were climbing a narrow staircase. Rhoda stopped to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/may-i-ask-what-you-have-in-your-black-leather-bag-with-gold-buckles/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [I grew up in a house that was in a constant state of mourning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-grew-up-in-a-house-that-was-in-a-constant-state-of-mourning/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [Illustrations have as much to say as the text. The trick is to say the same thing, but in a different way. It's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/illustrations-have-as-much-to-say-as-the-text-the-trick-is-to-say-the/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [I'm a lucky buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-m-a-lucky-buck/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [I've convinced myself - I hope I'm right - that children despair of you if you don't tell them the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-ve-convinced-myself-i-hope-i-m-right-that-children-despair-of-you/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [It's no fun being lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/it-s-no-fun-being-lonely/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [It dawned on me that art was the way I could survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/it-dawned-on-me-that-art-was-the-way-i-could-survive/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [I cry a lot because I miss people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-cry-a-lot-because-i-miss-people/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [You cannot write for children They're much too complicated. You can only write books that are of interest to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/you-cannot-write-for-children-they-re-much-too-complicated-you-can/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [All I liked to do when I was a kid was draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/all-i-liked-to-do-when-i-was-a-kid-was-draw/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [I'm still as enamored and turned on by work as I was when I was young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-m-still-as-enamored-and-turned-on-by-work-as-i-was-when-i-was-young/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

[Explore all 262 Maurice Sendak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

## More Having quotes

> [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/)

[Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/)

> [I don't like working all hours of the night and having an unreliable working pattern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-don-t-like-working-all-hours-of-the-night-and-having-an-unreliable/)

[Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/)

> [With all the technology we're inventing and what they're coming up with scientifically, people are having longer lifetimes. It's scary, but in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-murphy/with-all-the-technology-we-re-inventing-and-what-they-re-coming-up/)

[Brittany Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-murphy/)

> [Having an economy that works for the 99% is achievable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/having-an-economy-that-works-for-the-99-is-achievable/)

[Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/)

> [I say this about everything: when I was on 'Neighbours,' I said, 'These are the best years of my life!' When I was filming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/i-say-this-about-everything-when-i-was-on-neighbours-i-said-these-are/)

[Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/)

> [“having sex with her boss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-henning/having-sex-with-her-boss/)

Stephen Henning

> [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/)

[Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/)

> [Life only avails, not the having lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/life-only-avails-not-the-having-lived/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [You get those hunger pains. 'I am so hungry. We don't have any food. What are we going to eat?' Your stomach hurts. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mclemore/you-get-those-hunger-pains-i-am-so-hungry-we-don-t-have-any-food-what/)

[Ben McLemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mclemore/)

> [Just think about the game. Think about playing great, having a great time. Helping my team win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/just-think-about-the-game-think-about-playing-great-having-a-great/)

[Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/)

> [“I'm against having emotions, not against using them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-specter/i-m-against-having-emotions-not-against-using-them/)

Harvey Specter

> [Don't compare your career to anyone else's. It's tough when you're in a business that's competitive. I was having a difficult time with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/don-t-compare-your-career-to-anyone-else-s-it-s-tough-when-you-re-in/)

[Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/)

> [There is a comfort zone of knowing where things are going and having characters in place, but the action gets more and more dramatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-b-jenkins/there-is-a-comfort-zone-of-knowing-where-things-are-going-and-having/)

[Jerry B. Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-b-jenkins/)

> [I think of a book and a play, or a book and a movie, as two separate things - I don't think of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/i-think-of-a-book-and-a-play-or-a-book-and-a-movie-as-two-separate/)

[Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/)

> [Having studied politics doesn't necessarily give you political nous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/having-studied-politics-doesn-t-necessarily-give-you-political-nous/)

[Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/)

Browse all 3,482 Having quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There must be more to life than having everything.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Maurice Sendak"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-everything/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Having"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-everything/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/maurice-sendak-1273_life_there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-e_858431.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/maurice-sendak-1273_life_there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-e_858431.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/maurice-sendak-1273_life_there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-e_858431.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There must be more to life than having everything.” — Maurice Sendak",
                "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": "Maurice Sendak",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There must be more to life...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-everything/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/there-must-be-more-to-life-than-having-everything/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
