--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many people are unhappy because there was…" description: "\"Many people are unhappy because there was some point in their past where there was some glory day, and as they get older they're not creating more glor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_age_many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-wa_2179925.png" --- # Many people are unhappy because there was some point in… ![“Many people are unhappy because there was some point in their past where there was some glory day, and as they get older they're not creating more glory days. They reflect on a time that they will never reach again, and it brings some level of dissatisfaction into their lives. I have circumvented…” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_age_many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-wa_2179925.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_age_many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-wa_2179925.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_age_many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-wa_2179925.png) > “Many people are unhappy because there was some point in their past where there was some glory day, and as they get older they're not creating more glory days. They reflect on a time that they will never reach again, and it brings some level of dissatisfaction into their lives. I have circumvented that by simply making incumbent upon myself to always be productive in ways that are consistent with my physical body, my mental state of knowledge, but more important, my presumed growth in wisdom that would come with age.” [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often mourn past achievements and feel dissatisfied when they stop creating new successes; staying productive and growing with age can counteract this. **In simple terms:** Missing past glory causes unhappiness; staying productive and learning helps. Key Takeaway Focus on continual growth and purposeful activity. Themes self-improvement aging purpose productivity Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career development - personal health - learning new skills - community service - creative projects Key Concepts psychology lifelong learning wisdom motivation Questions to Reflect On - What new daily habits can you adopt to feel productive? - How does redefining success with age affect your wellbeing? A Different Perspective If physical or mental limits prevent productivity, satisfaction may still wane. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Glory days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory-days/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Mental state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-state/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Physical body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-body/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) ## Related quotes > [I was very unhappy at one point and dealt with my unhappiness by hitting people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/i-was-very-unhappy-at-one-point-and-dealt-with-my-unhappiness-by/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [Happiness may have but one night, as glory but one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-musset/happiness-may-have-but-one-night-as-glory-but-one-day/) [Alfred de Musset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-musset/) > [ The Scripture says, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" \[Psalm 118:24\].Glory days are days… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-scripture-says-this-is-the-day-the-lord-has-made-let-us-rejoice/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Maybe these are my glory days, and I'm not ever realizing it because they involve a ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/maybe-these-are-my-glory-days-and-i-m-not-ever-realizing-it-because/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I never wanted to go back and relive the glory days; I just want to keep moving forward. That's what I took from punk.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simonon/i-never-wanted-to-go-back-and-relive-the-glory-days-i-just-want-to/) [Paul Simonon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simonon/) > [The reason that we called the album 'Glory Days' is because we're gonna look back on this time and say that it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perrie-edwards/the-reason-that-we-called-the-album-glory-days-is-because-we-re-gonna/) [Perrie Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perrie-edwards/) > [For the minimum-wager with Caligulan needs, the glory days are soon over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/for-the-minimum-wager-with-caligulan-needs-the-glory-days-are-soon/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [“Alexandros points to the bronze sculpture of Socrates. "His society didn't collapse because of an outside aggressor. It collapsed from within, from the complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-phillips/alexandros-points-to-the-bronze-sculpture-of-socrates-his-society/) [Christopher Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-phillips/) > [I think in daily newspapers, the way comic strips are treated, it's as if newspaper publishers are going out of their way to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/i-think-in-daily-newspapers-the-way-comic-strips-are-treated-it-s-as/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [I never want to say that I had glory days. I like to think that every new year there's something great that can happen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-moore/i-never-want-to-say-that-i-had-glory-days-i-like-to-think-that-every/) [Maya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-moore/) > [But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it. I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded That for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-couldn-t-stay-away-i-couldn-t-fight-it-i-had-hoped-you-d-see-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So, explain this," Avery said, "You just, what, hang around the Academy all day? Are you trying to redo your high school experience?" "Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/so-explain-this-avery-said-you-just-what-hang-around-the-academy-all/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I'm post-cynical on this stuff. I look at the El Salvador model as the glory days: Why don't we just fund the death squads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-m-post-cynical-on-this-stuff-i-look-at-the-el-salvador-model-as-the/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [I don't buy into the glory days thing. I think every time has its great things to it. The '60s were such a glorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-don-t-buy-into-the-glory-days-thing-i-think-every-time-has-its/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [Im one of those foolish people who believe the glory days of the record industry arent behind us. Theyre actually ahead of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-reid/im-one-of-those-foolish-people-who-believe-the-glory-days-of-the/) [L.A. Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-reid/) ## More by Neil deGrasse Tyson > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The Pacific is the best toilet for satellites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-pacific-is-the-best-toilet-for-satellites/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [If you seek only easy problems to solve, then ultimately, there'll be nothing about you to distinguish yourself from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/if-you-seek-only-easy-problems-to-solve-then-ultimately-there-ll-be/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The caricature of science is that we hold tight to the theories we have, and shun challenges to them. That's just not true. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-caricature-of-science-is-that-we-hold-tight-to-the-theories-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I've said multiple times that the world's first trillionaire is going to be the person who exploits the resources of asteroids, the natural resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-ve-said-multiple-times-that-the-world-s-first-trillionaire-is-going/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ They \[scientists of centuries past\] call on God only from the lonely and precarious edge of incomprehension. Where they feel certain about their explanations,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/they-scientists-of-centuries-past-call-on-god-only-from-the-lonely/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We explore our environment, more than we are compelled to utter poetry, when we're toddlers. We start doing that later. Before that happens, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/we-explore-our-environment-more-than-we-are-compelled-to-utter-poetry/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/you-can-t-have-people-making-decisions-about-the-future-of-the-world/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Science surrounds you. It's not something that you can step aside, step over or push out of your way because you were never good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-surrounds-you-it-s-not-something-that-you-can-step-aside-step/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The idea that God resides in the unknown is what philosophers call the God of the gaps. And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Everybody's got money for vacation time. Look at how much we all spend just to get - well, I get sick on the loop-the-loop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/everybody-s-got-money-for-vacation-time-look-at-how-much-we-all-spend/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) [Explore all 1,143 Neil deGrasse Tyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [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/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many people are unhappy because there was some point in their past where there was some glory day, and as they get older they're not creating more glory days. They reflect on a time that they will never reach again, and it brings some level of dissatisfaction into their lives. I have circumvented that by simply making incumbent upon myself to always be productive in ways that are consistent with my physical body, my mental state of knowledge, but more important, my presumed growth in wisdom that would come with age.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil deGrasse Tyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-was-some-point-in-their-past/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-was-some-point-in-their-past/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_age_many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-wa_2179925.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_age_many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-wa_2179925.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_age_many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-wa_2179925.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Many people are unhappy because there was some point in their past where there was some glory day, and as…” — Neil deGrasse Tyson", "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": "Neil deGrasse Tyson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Many people are unhappy because there...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-was-some-point-in-their-past/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/many-people-are-unhappy-because-there-was-some-point-in-their-past/#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 } } ] } ```