--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I figured we could get by on what we got…" description: "\"“I figured we could get by on what we got. Not enough to make us happy, but enough to keep going.”\" — Neil Gaiman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/neil-gaiman-29_figured_i-figured-we-could-get-by-on-what-we-got_559093.jpg" --- # I figured we could get by on what we got. Not enough to… ![“I figured we could get by on what we got. Not enough to make us happy, but enough to keep going.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/neil-gaiman-29_figured_i-figured-we-could-get-by-on-what-we-got_559093.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/neil-gaiman-29_figured_i-figured-we-could-get-by-on-what-we-got_559093.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/neil-gaiman-29_figured_i-figured-we-could-get-by-on-what-we-got_559093.jpg) > ““I figured we could get by on what we got. Not enough to make us happy, but enough to keep going.”” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## 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 survive with minimal happiness, sufficient to keep moving but not to thrive; contentment is modest. **In simple terms:** We get by with enough, not joy. Key Takeaway Seek fulfillment beyond mere survival. Themes contentment survival aspiration Mood thoughtful hopeful Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career planning - financial stability - personal development - creative pursuits Key Concepts psychology economics well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What would make your life feel truly fulfilling? - How can you move from mere survival to thriving? A Different Perspective Settling for "enough" may limit growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I'm closer to being happy. I'm doing things that make me happy. In football I loved to practice and I loved to play, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-m-closer-to-being-happy-i-m-doing-things-that-make-me-happy-in/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [Never give up on something when in fact you know that it's the only thing that could make you happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariejoie-uro/never-give-up-on-something-when-in-fact-you-know-that-it-s-the-only/) [Mariejoie Uro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariejoie-uro/) > [If you make me happy, I'm going to make you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hardy/if-you-make-me-happy-i-m-going-to-make-you-smile/) [Greg Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-hardy/) > [Maybe you can keep me from never being happy, but you're not going to stop me from HAVING FUN!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/maybe-you-can-keep-me-from-never-being-happy-but-you-re-not-going-to/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [“I can’t be happy going out if it’s not . . . going anywhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daria-snadowsky/i-can-t-be-happy-going-out-if-it-s-not-going-anywhere/) [Daria Snadowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daria-snadowsky/) > [“I wanted him to be happy and it was also going to be the thing that hurt the most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-wanted-him-to-be-happy-and-it-was-also-going-to-be-the-thing-that/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [If you're happy on your own you are going to be okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/if-you-re-happy-on-your-own-you-are-going-to-be-okay/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [If you're not happy where you are, you will not be happy where you're going. 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There is something better to be done than I have done, and spurred by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-what-is-happy-it-is-a-going-always-on-there-is-something-better/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I'm going to be happy. I'm going to skip. I'm going to be glad. I'm going to be easy. I'm going to count my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/i-m-going-to-be-happy-i-m-going-to-skip-i-m-going-to-be-glad-i-m/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. 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If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Figured quotes > [Think you figured it out, but you don't have a clue. Think you on top of the world, but the world on top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/think-you-figured-it-out-but-you-don-t-have-a-clue-think-you-on-top/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [When I heard that the bees were in trouble, the fact that they're disappearing and not coming back to the hive, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-schwartzberg/when-i-heard-that-the-bees-were-in-trouble-the-fact-that-they-re/) [Louie Schwartzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-schwartzberg/) > [I figured my wife was about to start law school. 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'Star Trek' made me want to see alien creatures, creatures from a far-distant world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dickinson/i-grew-up-watching-star-trek-i-love-star-trek-star-trek-made-me-want/) [Michael Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dickinson/) > [Well, we promised our fans that we'd put out records faster, and that's what we're doing. 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