--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seeking happiness in material things is a…" description: "\"Seeking happiness in material things is a sure way of being unhappy.\" — Pope Francis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/pope-francis-85_being-unhappy_seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is_2910836.png" --- # Seeking happiness in material things is a sure way of… ![“Seeking happiness in material things is a sure way of being unhappy.” quote by Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/pope-francis-85_being-unhappy_seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is_2910836.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/pope-francis-85_being-unhappy_seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is_2910836.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/pope-francis-85_being-unhappy_seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is_2910836.png) > “Seeking happiness in material things is a sure way of being unhappy.” [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Material pursuits often lead to dissatisfaction; true happiness comes from spiritual fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Chasing things makes you unhappy. Key Takeaway Seek inner peace, not possessions. Themes happiness materialism spirituality Mood contemplative hopeful Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - consumerism - career ambition - personal finance - relationships Key Concepts Christian ethics psychology of well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What non‑material sources give you joy? - Can you find contentment without wealth? A Different Perspective Not everyone values spiritual over material goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-unhappy/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Material things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-things/) [Seeking happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeking-happiness/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) ## Related quotes > [If you base your happiness on material things you'll never be happy because you'll always think you need more things in order to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-you-base-your-happiness-on-material-things-you-ll-never-be-happy/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“One of the worst doctrines ever set afloat is that real happiness is in material things instead of in a condition of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/one-of-the-worst-doctrines-ever-set-afloat-is-that-real-happiness-is/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Happiness is not about material things, it becomes in a real you..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hottiedevil/happiness-is-not-about-material-things-it-becomes-in-a-real-you/) HOttieDeviL > [“The easy way to be unhappy is to love something and not let yourself have it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conquering-your-quarterlife-crisis/the-easy-way-to-be-unhappy-is-to-love-something-and-not-let-yourself/) Conquering Your Quarterlife Crisis > [I've come to believe that seeking happiness is not a frivolous pursuit. It's honorable and necessary. And most people forget even to thing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/i-ve-come-to-believe-that-seeking-happiness-is-not-a-frivolous/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) > [You know that saying 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing'? That's so true of positive psychology. Our latest research tells us that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-fredrickson/you-know-that-saying-a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-that-s/) [Barbara Fredrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-fredrickson/) > [Theres no idea original theres nothing new under the sun, its not what you do its how its done. What you base your happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/theres-no-idea-original-theres-nothing-new-under-the-sun-its-not-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Philosophers, priests and poets have brooded over the nature of happiness for millennia, and many have concluded that social, ethical and spiritual factors have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/philosophers-priests-and-poets-have-brooded-over-the-nature-of/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Success doesn't bring happiness. Only material stuff like money, cars and iPods can do that. And I've already got all that. So I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murdoc-niccals/success-doesn-t-bring-happiness-only-material-stuff-like-money-cars/) [Murdoc Niccals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murdoc-niccals/) > [What you base your happiness around? Material, women, and large paper? That means you inferior, not major.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/what-you-base-your-happiness-around-material-women-and-large-paper/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance, says Jesus. This is where true wealth is found, not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-have-come-that-they-may-have-life-and-have-it-in-abundance-says/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [When we are generous in welcoming people and sharing something with them-some food, a place in our homes, our time-not only do we no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/when-we-are-generous-in-welcoming-people-and-sharing-something-with/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [If money and material things become the center of our lives, they seize us and make us slaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/if-money-and-material-things-become-the-center-of-our-lives-they/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Let us encourage the generosity which is typical of the young and help them to work actively in building a better world. Youth do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/let-us-encourage-the-generosity-which-is-typical-of-the-young-and/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [If you have to go through life being unhappy to conform to society around you, that's not a very good deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/if-you-have-to-go-through-life-being-unhappy-to-conform-to-society/) [Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/) ## More by Pope Francis > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Most people nowadays would not consider love as related in any way to truth. Love is seen as an experience associated with the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/most-people-nowadays-would-not-consider-love-as-related-in-any-way-to/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Listen to Jesus and follow him. That's the message of the Transfiguration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/listen-to-jesus-and-follow-him-that-s-the-message-of-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Proceed calmly in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/proceed-calmly-in-life/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I like to say that women are those who form life in their wombs - and this is a comparison I make - they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-like-to-say-that-women-are-those-who-form-life-in-their-wombs-and/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [You cannot insult the faith of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/you-cannot-insult-the-faith-of-others/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-want-to-remind-priests-that-the-confessional-must-not-be-a-torture/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [To all people of good will who are working for social justice: never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-all-people-of-good-will-who-are-working-for-social-justice-never/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [In Confession, Jesus welcomes us with all our sinfulness, to give us a new heart, capable of loving as he loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-confession-jesus-welcomes-us-with-all-our-sinfulness-to-give-us-a/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I pray every day for all who are suffering in Iraq. Please join me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-pray-every-day-for-all-who-are-suffering-in-iraq-please-join-me/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I entrust this Twenty-second World Day of the Sick to the intercession of Mary. I ask her to help the sick to bear their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-entrust-this-twenty-second-world-day-of-the-sick-to-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Certain realities in life are only seen through eyes that are cleansed through our tears. Let us learn how to weep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/certain-realities-in-life-are-only-seen-through-eyes-that-are/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) [Explore all 1,479 Pope Francis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## More Being unhappy quotes > [If you have to go through life being unhappy to conform to society around you, that's not a very good deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/if-you-have-to-go-through-life-being-unhappy-to-conform-to-society/) [Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/) > [Never compromise and sell yourself short. I've been in the music business, a girl group . . . I've been through so many different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/never-compromise-and-sell-yourself-short-i-ve-been-in-the-music/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) > [You can be fully satisfied with where you are, understanding that you're eternally evolving. When you get into that place of feeling appreciation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/you-can-be-fully-satisfied-with-where-you-are-understanding-that-you/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Why be unhappy about something if it can be remedied? And what is the use of being unhappy about something if it cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shantideva/why-be-unhappy-about-something-if-it-can-be-remedied-and-what-is-the/) [Shantideva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shantideva/) > [... there are two ways of being unhappy. Not getting what you want is one. Getting what you want is the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/there-are-two-ways-of-being-unhappy-not-getting-what-you-want-is-one/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [If you walk away and they dont follow you. Keep going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-walk-away-and-they-dont-follow-you-keep-going/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What's the good of dragging up sufferings which are over, of being unhappy now just because you were then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/what-s-the-good-of-dragging-up-sufferings-which-are-over-of-being/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [It was a silly, silly dream, being unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-was-a-silly-silly-dream-being-unhappy/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Happiness to me is simply not being unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-carrott/happiness-to-me-is-simply-not-being-unhappy/) [Jasper Carrott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-carrott/) > [I find to my astonishment that an unhappy marriage goes on being unhappy when it is over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-find-to-my-astonishment-that-an-unhappy-marriage-goes-on-being/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-have-just-one-day-today-and-i-m-going-to-be-happy-in-it/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [All happy people are grateful. Ungrateful people cannot be happy. We tend to think that being unhappy leads people to complain, but it’s truer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/all-happy-people-are-grateful-ungrateful-people-cannot-be-happy-we/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [If you want to be happy, learn to be alone without being lonely. Learn that being alone does not mean being unhappy. The world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/if-you-want-to-be-happy-learn-to-be-alone-without-being-lonely-learn/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [Putin has made life difficult for a lot of Russia's richest men; they don't like the sanctions; they don't like the war with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/putin-has-made-life-difficult-for-a-lot-of-russia-s-richest-men-they/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [It never occurred to me to be a film director, partly because I hadn't seen a single film by a female director, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-harron/it-never-occurred-to-me-to-be-a-film-director-partly-because-i-hadn-t/) [Mary Harron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-harron/) [Browse all 44 Being unhappy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-unhappy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Seeking happiness in material things is a sure way of being unhappy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pope Francis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is-a-sure-way-of-being-unhappy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being unhappy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is-a-sure-way-of-being-unhappy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/pope-francis-85_being-unhappy_seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is_2910836.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/pope-francis-85_being-unhappy_seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is_2910836.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/pope-francis-85_being-unhappy_seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is_2910836.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Seeking happiness in material things is a sure way of being unhappy.” — Pope Francis", "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": "Pope Francis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Seeking happiness in material things is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is-a-sure-way-of-being-unhappy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/seeking-happiness-in-material-things-is-a-sure-way-of-being-unhappy/#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 } } ] } ```