---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even people who believe they deserve to…"
description: "\"Even people who believe they deserve to be happy and have nice things often don't feel worthy once they have them.\" — Oprah Winfrey"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/oprah-winfrey-186_be-happy_even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to_3018702.png"
---

#  Even people who believe they deserve to be happy and have…

![“Even people who believe they deserve to be happy and have nice things often don't feel worthy once they have them.” quote by Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/oprah-winfrey-186_be-happy_even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to_3018702.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/oprah-winfrey-186_be-happy_even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to_3018702.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/oprah-winfrey-186_be-happy_even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to_3018702.png)

> “Even people who believe they deserve to be happy and have nice things often don't feel worthy once they have them.”

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

## About This Quote

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

Desire for happiness and material goods can trigger feelings of unworthiness after attainment.

**In simple terms:** Success can cause self‑doubt.

Key Takeaway

Practice self‑compassion after achieving goals.

Themes

self‑esteem success psychology

Mood

reflective empathetic

Type

self‑help psychological

When to use this quote

- career promotion
- wealth acquisition
- personal milestones

Key Concepts

self‑worth cognitive dissonance

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do you feel unworthy after success?
- How can you sustain confidence?

A Different Perspective

Success may also bring new pressures.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [I realized I deserve to be happy and have all the things I want in life. It might be scary and outside the norm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-realized-i-deserve-to-be-happy-and-have-all-the-things-i-want-in/)

[Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/)

> [There is a difference between thinking you deserve to be happy and knowing you are worthy to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/there-is-a-difference-between-thinking-you-deserve-to-be-happy-and/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [There’s a difference between thinking you deserve to be happy and knowing that you are worthy of being happy. Your being alive makes worthiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/there-s-a-difference-between-thinking-you-deserve-to-be-happy-and/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [“Where do we get the energy to keep on hoping and praying that things will get better? What makes us believe we DESERVE a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-kenley/where-do-we-get-the-energy-to-keep-on-hoping-and-praying-that-things/)

Jessica Kenley

> [Sometimes you'd fall for someone you'd never expected, but that doesn't make it wrong. Doesn't everyone deserve to be happy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-d-fall-for-someone-you-d-never-expected-but-that-doesn/)

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

> [“You deserve to be happy," he whispers. "No matter what you think or what you did. You deserve to be happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-messenger/you-deserve-to-be-happy-he-whispers-no-matter-what-you-think-or-what/)

[Shannon Messenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-messenger/)

> [I don't like you but I don't hate you. I don't want anyone else to have you but you deserve to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-like-you-but-i-don-t-hate-you-i-don-t-want-anyone-else-to/)

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

> [“This is your moment now. Go for it. LIVE. Choose to be happy. Choose the life you always wanted. Never settle for anything nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/happy-positivity/this-is-your-moment-now-go-for-it-live-choose-to-be-happy-choose-the/)

Happy Positivity

> [You deserve to be happy, so love yourself. Be proud of the outcast you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-deserve-to-be-happy-so-love-yourself-be-proud-of-the-outcast-you/)

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

> [You are worthy of love and you deserve to be happy. You have these beautiful qualities and many more because you are living the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/you-are-worthy-of-love-and-you-deserve-to-be-happy-you-have-these/)

[David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/)

> [You deserve to be happy always, not only sometimes but always. I'd like to be the one to make that happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-espino/you-deserve-to-be-happy-always-not-only-sometimes-but-always-i-d-like/)

Lucia Espino

> [“Have a nice life, Clara,” he says. “You deserve to be happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/have-a-nice-life-clara-he-says-you-deserve-to-be-happy/)

[Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/)

> [“Here is what you deserve no matter what you think you have done: You deserve to be happy. You deserve to stop eating when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-castillo/here-is-what-you-deserve-no-matter-what-you-think-you-have-done-you/)

[Brooke Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-castillo/)

> [We all deserve to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-deserve-to-be-happy/)

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

> [“You’ve come to this juncture in your life, merely because something in you kept saying, “You deserve to be happy.” You were born to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/you-ve-come-to-this-juncture-in-your-life-merely-because-something-in/)

[Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/)

## More by Oprah Winfrey

> [I've seen that many times in rural African villages where people have nothing but a hut and a bowl. The joy in the children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-ve-seen-that-many-times-in-rural-african-villages-where-people-have/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [These French-style caramels are handmade in California. It's always hard to give them away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/these-french-style-caramels-are-handmade-in-california-it-s-always/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [“Forgiveness is about letting go of the past and not holding on to it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/forgiveness-is-about-letting-go-of-the-past-and-not-holding-on-to-it/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [The deepest courage we can exercise is continuing to believe in our dreams until we make them come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/the-deepest-courage-we-can-exercise-is-continuing-to-believe-in-our/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [If you can see it, and believe it, it is a LOT easier to achieve it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-can-see-it-and-believe-it-it-is-a-lot-easier-to-achieve-it/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It's why you were born. And how you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/there-is-no-greater-gift-you-can-give-or-receive-than-to-honor-your/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [Gratitude is the single greatest treasure I will take with me from this experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/gratitude-is-the-single-greatest-treasure-i-will-take-with-me-from/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-disappointed-by-this-controversy-surrounding-a-million-little/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. What it will begin to do is change our perspective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/keep-a-grateful-journal-every-night-list-five-things-that-you-are/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [I want every day to be a fresh start on expanding what is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-want-every-day-to-be-a-fresh-start-on-expanding-what-is-possible/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [We often block our own blessings because we don't feel inherently good enough or smart enough or pretty enough or worthy enough... You're worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/we-often-block-our-own-blessings-because-we-don-t-feel-inherently/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [One if the hardest things in life to learn are which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/one-if-the-hardest-things-in-life-to-learn-are-which-bridges-to-cross/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [You must feed your mind with reading material, thoughts, and ideas that open you to new possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/you-must-feed-your-mind-with-reading-material-thoughts-and-ideas-that/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [Your soul tells you when it's time to move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/your-soul-tells-you-when-it-s-time-to-move-on/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

[Explore all 971 Oprah Winfrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

## More Be happy quotes

> [Come on, if you lose, no one's going to be happy and nor should they be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-spoelstra/come-on-if-you-lose-no-one-s-going-to-be-happy-and-nor-should-they-be/)

[Erik Spoelstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-spoelstra/)

> [Obviously you'd always be happy to have another tour on the side, earning extra money, but for most of the players I think we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-trump/obviously-you-d-always-be-happy-to-have-another-tour-on-the-side/)

[Judd Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-trump/)

> [Nothing has power over you unless you allow it. No matter what happens, you can choose what and how to think, act, and speak!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-has-power-over-you-unless-you-allow-it-no-matter-what-happens/)

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

> [I've got so much to be happy about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/i-ve-got-so-much-to-be-happy-about/)

[Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/)

> [It may sound too good to be true, but once you've seen the happiest people in your life who have nothing, you really start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/it-may-sound-too-good-to-be-true-but-once-you-ve-seen-the-happiest/)

[Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/)

> [If I tell a man he needs to quit his soul-sucking job, he has to go home and fight with his wife or fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/if-i-tell-a-man-he-needs-to-quit-his-soul-sucking-job-he-has-to-go/)

[Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/)

> [“Be happy with yourself to encourage others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/be-happy-with-yourself-to-encourage-others/)

[Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/)

> [A message to women in general is be happy with yourself first. Be sure that you take care of yourself and find yourself. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raven-goodwin/a-message-to-women-in-general-is-be-happy-with-yourself-first-be-sure/)

[Raven Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raven-goodwin/)

> [I would be happy if people just called me an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawazuddin-siddiqui/i-would-be-happy-if-people-just-called-me-an-actor/)

[Nawazuddin Siddiqui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawazuddin-siddiqui/)

> [So it doesn't have to be happy music to be inspiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-fleck/so-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-happy-music-to-be-inspiring/)

[Bela Fleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-fleck/)

> [I'm not sure the Russians would be happy that their iconic wooly mammoth has North American origins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-poinar/i-m-not-sure-the-russians-would-be-happy-that-their-iconic-wooly/)

[Hendrik Poinar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-poinar/)

> [“To be happy, make others happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/to-be-happy-make-others-happy/)

[Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/)

> [“From this point forward, you don’t even know how to quit in life.” ~ Aaron Lauritsen, ‘100 Days Drive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-lauritsen/from-this-point-forward-you-don-t-even-know-how-to-quit-in-life-aaron/)

[Aaron Lauritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-lauritsen/)

> [I've gotten e-mails asking, 'Are you taking students?' Well, come visit and I'll be happy to talk to you. But I'm not a degree-granting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-garrett-lisi/i-ve-gotten-e-mails-asking-are-you-taking-students-well-come-visit/)

[Antony Garrett Lisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-garrett-lisi/)

> [When I first moved out to Los Angeles I was thinking, you know, I wanted to be an actor but I didn't really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-biehn/when-i-first-moved-out-to-los-angeles-i-was-thinking-you-know-i/)

[Michael Biehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-biehn/)

Browse all 601 Be happy quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Even people who believe they deserve to be happy and have nice things often don't feel worthy once they have them.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Oprah Winfrey"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to-be-happy-and-have-nice-things/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Be happy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to-be-happy-and-have-nice-things/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/oprah-winfrey-186_be-happy_even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to_3018702.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/oprah-winfrey-186_be-happy_even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to_3018702.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/oprah-winfrey-186_be-happy_even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to_3018702.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Even people who believe they deserve to be happy and have nice things often don't feel worthy once they have…” — Oprah Winfrey",
                "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": "Oprah Winfrey",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Even people who believe they deserve...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to-be-happy-and-have-nice-things/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/even-people-who-believe-they-deserve-to-be-happy-and-have-nice-things/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
