--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Happiness in this world, when it comes…" description: "\"Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a wild-goose chase, and is never attained. F..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_caught_happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-co_2292394.jpg" --- # Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes… ![“Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a wild-goose chase, and is never attained. Follow some other object, and very possibly we may find that we have caught happiness without dreaming of it.” quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_caught_happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-co_2292394.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_caught_happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-co_2292394.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_caught_happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-co_2292394.jpg) > “Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a wild-goose chase, and is never attained. Follow some other object, and very possibly we may find that we have caught happiness without dreaming of it.” [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pursuing happiness directly often leads to frustration; it’s better to focus on other goals, which may bring happiness unexpectedly. **In simple terms:** Chasing happiness can be futile. Key Takeaway Seek purpose, not happiness itself. Themes happiness pursuit contentment Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career goals - relationships - creative endeavors Key Concepts philosophy psychology goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What activities bring you joy without effort? - How can you align purpose with happiness? A Different Perspective Happiness may still be elusive if underlying issues remain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caught/) [Caught Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caught-happiness-2834448/) [Dreaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreaming/) [Follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Dreaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-dreaming-1162029/) [Happiness World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-world/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Laughing isn't wrong if it's done out of happiness. Dreaming is essential because it gives us wings, and forgetting...well, there's a difference between living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bradford/laughing-isn-t-wrong-if-it-s-done-out-of-happiness-dreaming-is/) [Laura Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bradford/) > [I caught the happiness virus last night When I was out singing beneath the stars. Hafiz of Persia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafiz-of-persia/i-caught-the-happiness-virus-last-night-when-i-was-out-singing/) [Hafiz Of Persia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafiz-of-persia/) > [Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a wild-goose chase, and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-comes-incidentally-make-it-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/resolved-to-endeavor-to-obtain-for-myself-as-much-happiness-in-the/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Those who seek for something more than happiness in this world must not complain if happiness is not their portion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/those-who-seek-for-something-more-than-happiness-in-this-world-must/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [We are here on this planet to add to the happiness of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-stiles/we-are-here-on-this-planet-to-add-to-the-happiness-of-the-world/) [Tara Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-stiles/) > [Imagination disposes of everything; it creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which is everything in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/imagination-disposes-of-everything-it-creates-beauty-justice-and/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I think we will never find ultimate happiness. But I see a world of peace, harmony, laughter, love and non-violence and the elimination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/i-think-we-will-never-find-ultimate-happiness-but-i-see-a-world-of/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“All the happiness in the world stems from wanting others to be happy, and all the suffering in the world stems from wanting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timber-hawkeye/all-the-happiness-in-the-world-stems-from-wanting-others-to-be-happy-2/) [Timber Hawkeye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timber-hawkeye/) > [“I wished for happiness in a world full of sorrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-sorensen/i-wished-for-happiness-in-a-world-full-of-sorrow/) [Jessica Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-sorensen/) > [Hope is itself a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness, which this world affords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hope-is-itself-a-species-of-happiness-and-perhaps-the-chief-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So that we pursue the happiness of this world just as little Children chase birds, when we think we are come very near it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/so-that-we-pursue-the-happiness-of-this-world-just-as-little-children/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [“All the happiness in the world stems from wanting others to be happy, and all the suffering in the world stems from wanting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timber-hawkeye/all-the-happiness-in-the-world-stems-from-wanting-others-to-be-happy/) [Timber Hawkeye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timber-hawkeye/) > [The greatest happiness in the world is to make others happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-burbank/the-greatest-happiness-in-the-world-is-to-make-others-happy/) [Luther Burbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-burbank/) > [I have enjoyed the happiness of the world; I have loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/i-have-enjoyed-the-happiness-of-the-world-i-have-loved/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) ## More by Nathaniel Hawthorne > [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The trees reflected in the river - they are unconscious of a spiritual world so near to them. So are we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-trees-reflected-in-the-river-they-are-unconscious-of-a-spiritual/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The dismaying thing about the classic totalitarian mind is that any given gear, though mutilated, will have at its circumference unbroken sequences of teeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-dismaying-thing-about-the-classic-totalitarian-mind-is-that-any/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“My heart was a habitation large enough for many guests, but lonely and chill, and without a household fire, I longed to kindle one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/my-heart-was-a-habitation-large-enough-for-many-guests-but-lonely-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Wherever there is a heart and an intellect, the diseases of the physical frame are tinged with the peculiarities of these.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/wherever-there-is-a-heart-and-an-intellect-the-diseases-of-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-founders-of-a-new-colony-whatever-utopia-of-human-virtue-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Generosity is the flower of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/generosity-is-the-flower-of-justice/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“he seemed to be in quest for mental food, not heart sustenance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/he-seemed-to-be-in-quest-for-mental-food-not-heart-sustenance/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/unfathomable-to-mere-mortals-is-the-lore-of-fiends/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Possibly, he was in a state of second growth and recovery, and was constantly assimilating nutriment for his spirit and intellect from sights, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/possibly-he-was-in-a-state-of-second-growth-and-recovery-and-was/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“What wonder, then, should we be frightened by the aspect of a monster, which, after all,—though we can point to every feature of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-wonder-then-should-we-be-frightened-by-the-aspect-of-a-monster/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [As the architecture of a country always follows the earliest structures, American architecture should be a refinement of the log-house. The Egyptian is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/as-the-architecture-of-a-country-always-follows-the-earliest/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [What we call real estate - the solid ground to build a house on - is the broad foundation on which nearly all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-we-call-real-estate-the-solid-ground-to-build-a-house-on-is-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The bookworm of great libraries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-bookworm-of-great-libraries/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [There are many things in this world that a child must not ask about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-are-many-things-in-this-world-that-a-child-must-not-ask-about/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) [Explore all 526 Nathaniel Hawthorne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## More Caught quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Hollywood is very much an industry town. Your life becomes caught up in all of the parties and this list and that list. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-johnson/hollywood-is-very-much-an-industry-town-your-life-becomes-caught-up/) [Don Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-johnson/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Sam reached his hand toward mine and I automatically put my fingers in his. With a guilty little smile he pulled my hand toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/sam-reached-his-hand-toward-mine-and-i-automatically-put-my-fingers/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I never caught on to being a bully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/i-never-caught-on-to-being-a-bully/) [Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/) > [“I caught you!" he beamed. "See, girls really do throw themselves at me. Hey, guys!" His voice echoed off the carved stone and marble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-kirk/i-caught-you-he-beamed-see-girls-really-do-throw-themselves-at-me-hey/) [A&E Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-kirk/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [Everybody here is so caught up in the game of life they don't see death. They don't see beyond their deaths. They are on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everybody-here-is-so-caught-up-in-the-game-of-life-they-don-t-see/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [America today is a confused society, caught up in a terror war, a culture war, and a media war, where honesty and professional standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/america-today-is-a-confused-society-caught-up-in-a-terror-war-a/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [My phone rings, they call me up and say, 'Chael, your testosterone level is too high.' I say, 'Well, how high was it?' They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/my-phone-rings-they-call-me-up-and-say-chael-your-testosterone-level/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [Do not be caught up in materialism, one of the real plagues of our generation-that is, acquiring things, fast-paced living, and securing career success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/do-not-be-caught-up-in-materialism-one-of-the-real-plagues-of-our/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) [Browse all 2,627 Caught quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caught/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a wild-goose chase, and is never attained. Follow some other object, and very possibly we may find that we have caught happiness without dreaming of it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathaniel Hawthorne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-comes-incidentally-make-it-the-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Caught" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-comes-incidentally-make-it-the-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_caught_happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-co_2292394.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_caught_happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-co_2292394.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_caught_happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-co_2292394.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a…” — Nathaniel Hawthorne", "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": "Nathaniel Hawthorne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Happiness in this world, when it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-comes-incidentally-make-it-the-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/happiness-in-this-world-when-it-comes-comes-incidentally-make-it-the-2/#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 } } ] } ```