--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The soul's joy lies in doing." description: "\"The soul's joy lies in doing.\" — Percy Bysshe Shelley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_doing_the-soul-s-joy-lies-in-doing-2978142_2978142.jpg" --- # The soul's joy lies in doing. ![“The soul's joy lies in doing.” quote by Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_doing_the-soul-s-joy-lies-in-doing-2978142_2978142.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_doing_the-soul-s-joy-lies-in-doing-2978142_2978142.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_doing_the-soul-s-joy-lies-in-doing-2978142_2978142.jpg) > “The soul's joy lies in doing.” [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Joy emerges from purposeful activity, not passive contemplation. **In simple terms:** Joy comes from doing things. Key Takeaway Engage actively to feel joy. Themes purpose joy activity creativity Mood inspired energetic Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - work projects - artistic creation - volunteering - learning new skills Key Concepts Existentialism humanism Questions to Reflect On - What tasks make you feel alive? - How can you turn routine into purposeful action? A Different Perspective Joy may be fleeting if activity lacks meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Joy Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy-lies-1282427/) [Lies Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies-doing-4617770/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Soul Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-joy-441240/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [Joy in joy can only be strong If after the pangs of pain A ray of joy shines So joy is even incomplete without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorna-grace/joy-in-joy-can-only-be-strong-if-after-the-pangs-of-pain-a-ray-of-joy/) [Lorna Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorna-grace/) > [My passion lies with whatever I'm doing at the time... I only see what is front of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cher/my-passion-lies-with-whatever-i-m-doing-at-the-time-i-only-see-what/) [Cher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cher/) > [You needn't love your enemy, but if you refrain from telling lies about him, you are doing well enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-needn-t-love-your-enemy-but-if-you-refrain-from-telling-lies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What is the point of our lives? There isn't any. I can't seem to decide how much horror and how much joy lies within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashly-lorenzana/what-is-the-point-of-our-lives-there-isn-t-any-i-can-t-seem-to-decide/) [Ashly Lorenzana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashly-lorenzana/) > [“In the joy of others, lies our own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramukh-swami-maharaj/in-the-joy-of-others-lies-our-own/) [Pramukh Swami Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramukh-swami-maharaj/) > [Your joy lies within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/your-joy-lies-within-you/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [“In the good of others lies our own; in the joy of others lies our own; in the progress of others lies our own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-soni/in-the-good-of-others-lies-our-own-in-the-joy-of-others-lies-our-own/) [Divya Soni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-soni/) > [So much sadness exists in the world that we are all under obligation to contribute as much joy as lies within our powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sutherland-bonnell/so-much-sadness-exists-in-the-world-that-we-are-all-under-obligation/) [John Sutherland Bonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sutherland-bonnell/) > [You must...know that you are great. Never forget that. It is where true joy lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurumayi-chidvilasananda/you-must-know-that-you-are-great-never-forget-that-it-is-where-true/) [Gurumayi Chidvilasananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurumayi-chidvilasananda/) > [If you feel sad and depressed. Call on the name of God and the joy of the Lord will be your strength to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunita-penny/if-you-feel-sad-and-depressed-call-on-the-name-of-god-and-the-joy-of/) [Sunita Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunita-penny/) > [Joy is there everywhere; it is superfluous, unnecessary; nay, it very often contradicts the most peremptory behests of necessity. It exists to show that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/joy-is-there-everywhere-it-is-superfluous-unnecessary-nay-it-very/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Happiness is the legal-tender of the soul. Joy is wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/happiness-is-the-legal-tender-of-the-soul-joy-is-wealth/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [From the greatest to the smallest, happiness and usefulness are largely found in the same soul, and the joy of life is won in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/from-the-greatest-to-the-smallest-happiness-and-usefulness-are/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“The support of our Soul and the joy that it bestows is sufficient to our need and carries us forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-gerard/the-support-of-our-soul-and-the-joy-that-it-bestows-is-sufficient-to/) [Genevieve Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-gerard/) > [Be good, keep your feet dry, your eyes open, your heart at peace and your soul in the joy of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/be-good-keep-your-feet-dry-your-eyes-open-your-heart-at-peace-and/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## More by Percy Bysshe Shelley > [The everlasting universe of things Flows through the mind, and rolls its rapid waves, Now dark--now glittering--now reflecting gloom-- Now lending splendour, where from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-everlasting-universe-of-things-flows-through-the-mind-and-rolls/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The quick Dreams, The passion-winged Ministers of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-quick-dreams-the-passion-winged-ministers-of-thought/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/hail-to-thee-blithe-spirit/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The jealous keys of truth's eternal doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-jealous-keys-of-truth-s-eternal-doors/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Though we eat little flesh and drink no wine, Yet let's be merry; we'll have tea and toast; Custards for supper, and an endless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/though-we-eat-little-flesh-and-drink-no-wine-yet-let-s-be-merry-we-ll/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [A dream has power to poison sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/a-dream-has-power-to-poison-sleep/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Titles are tinsel, power a corrupter, glorya bubble, and excessive wealth a libel on its possessor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/titles-are-tinsel-power-a-corrupter-glorya-bubble-and-excessive/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-fall-upon-the-thorns-of-life-i-bleed/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Poets and philosophers are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/poets-and-philosophers-are-the-unacknowledged-legislators-of-the-world/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Dar'st thou amid the varied multitude To live alone, an isolated thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/dar-st-thou-amid-the-varied-multitude-to-live-alone-an-isolated-thing/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/spirit-of-beauty-that-dost-consecrate-with-thine-own-hues-all-thou/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [I love tranquil solitude, And such society As is quiet, wise, and good; Between thee and me What difference? but thou dost possess The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-love-tranquil-solitude-and-such-society-as-is-quiet-wise-and-good/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The practice of utter sincerity towards other men would avail to no good end, if they were incapable of practising it towards their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-practice-of-utter-sincerity-towards-other-men-would-avail-to-no/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Thou shoreless flood, which in thy ebb and flow claspest the limits of mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/thou-shoreless-flood-which-in-thy-ebb-and-flow-claspest-the-limits-of/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Senseless is the breast and cold Which relenting love would fold; Bloodless are the veins and chill Which the pulse of pain did fill;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/senseless-is-the-breast-and-cold-which-relenting-love-would-fold/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) [Explore all 533 Percy Bysshe Shelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## More Doing quotes > [I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm damn well gonna do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geri-halliwell/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-but-i-m-damn-well-gonna-do-it/) [Geri Halliwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geri-halliwell/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [If I'm not thinking about you then I am texting you , if I am not texting you then I am on the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-m-not-thinking-about-you-then-i-am-texting-you-if-i-am-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [.\*. why u hate me..Bitches be doing the most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty/why-u-hate-me-bitches-be-doing-the-most/) [Kitty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. 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