--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is by not always thinking of yourself…" description: "\"“It is by not always thinking of yourself, if you can manage it, that you might somehow be happy. Until you can make room in your life for someone as i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/richard-bach-424_life_it-is-by-not-always-thinking-of-yourself_1460921.png" --- # It is by not always thinking of yourself, if you can… ![“It is by not always thinking of yourself, if you can manage it, that you might somehow be happy. Until you can make room in your life for someone as important to you as yourself, you will always be searching and lost…” quote by Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/richard-bach-424_life_it-is-by-not-always-thinking-of-yourself_1460921.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/richard-bach-424_life_it-is-by-not-always-thinking-of-yourself_1460921.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/richard-bach-424_life_it-is-by-not-always-thinking-of-yourself_1460921.png) > ““It is by not always thinking of yourself, if you can manage it, that you might somehow be happy. Until you can make room in your life for someone as important to you as yourself, you will always be searching and lost…”” [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness comes from making space for others as much as for yourself, not selfish self‑focus. **In simple terms:** Being selfless leads to joy. Key Takeaway Prioritize others while caring for yourself. Themes selflessness happiness relationships balance purpose Mood warm reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - team projects - friendship circles - volunteering - mentor relationships Key Concepts Altruism self‑actualization empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can you give without losing yourself? - What boundaries protect your well‑being? A Different Perspective Neglecting self‑care can lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Thinking of yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-of-yourself/) ## Related quotes > [If you can never manage to be happy with where you are at. Yo will never be happy wherever you go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athar-azeem/if-you-can-never-manage-to-be-happy-with-where-you-are-at-yo-will/) [Athar Azeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athar-azeem/) > [“Success is not measured on what you earn, it is how you manage to be happy, benevolent and contented with your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-salinas/success-is-not-measured-on-what-you-earn-it-is-how-you-manage-to-be/) Sherwin Salinas > [“The good news is, no one ever found anything truly amazing without searching. It is the lost who wander, and only the wanderers discover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-salma-farook/the-good-news-is-no-one-ever-found-anything-truly-amazing-without/) Dr Salma Farook > [Wasting away again in Margaritaville, searching for my lost shaker of salt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/wasting-away-again-in-margaritaville-searching-for-my-lost-shaker-of/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [Abode where lost bodies roam each searching for its lost one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/abode-where-lost-bodies-roam-each-searching-for-its-lost-one/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Instead of searching for what you do not have, find out what it is that you have never lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/instead-of-searching-for-what-you-do-not-have-find-out-what-it-is/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [“... and I could imagine myself searching for lost time under the tree ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/and-i-could-imagine-myself-searching-for-lost-time-under-the-tree/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [What has been attained may again be lost. Only when you realise the true peace, the peace you have never lost, that peace will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/what-has-been-attained-may-again-be-lost-only-when-you-realise-the/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Searching for a lost city is a particularly European obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/searching-for-a-lost-city-is-a-particularly-european-obsession/) [Tahir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-shah/) > [You sort of get so lulled into thinking of yourself as this five-headed thing, the group, the band, The Hip. I guess you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/you-sort-of-get-so-lulled-into-thinking-of-yourself-as-this-five/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [Don't be into trends. Don't make fashion own you, but you decide what you are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianni-versace/don-t-be-into-trends-don-t-make-fashion-own-you-but-you-decide-what/) [Gianni Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianni-versace/) > [“start thinking of yourself as an artist and your life as a work-in-progress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/start-thinking-of-yourself-as-an-artist-and-your-life-as-a-work-in-2/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [...start thinking of yourself as an artist and your life as a work-in-progress. Works-in-progress are never perfect. But changes can be made...Art evolves. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/start-thinking-of-yourself-as-an-artist-and-your-life-as-a-work-in/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [“try thinking of yourself “floating” slightly above the ground, pulling your feet up, and just “letting” your feet touch the ground. (Don’t forget to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-bob-saxton/try-thinking-of-yourself-floating-slightly-above-the-ground-pulling/) [Ken Bob Saxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-bob-saxton/) > [I'm not a Buddhist, but there is something lovely about thinking of yourself in a bigger picture, and thinking of yourself as part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-owens/i-m-not-a-buddhist-but-there-is-something-lovely-about-thinking-of/) [Rick Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-owens/) ## More by Richard Bach > [“Heaven is not a place, and it's not a time. Heaven is being perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/heaven-is-not-a-place-and-it-s-not-a-time-heaven-is-being-perfect/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [You'd chosen to be an upright biped on the surface of a small planet of a minor sun on the edge of a minor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/you-d-chosen-to-be-an-upright-biped-on-the-surface-of-a-small-planet/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Your harshest truths are dreams, and your gentlest dreams are true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/your-harshest-truths-are-dreams-and-your-gentlest-dreams-are-true/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Happiness is a choice. It is not always an easy one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/happiness-is-a-choice-it-is-not-always-an-easy-one/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/argue-for-your-limitations-and-sure-enough-they-re-yours/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The world is a dream, you say, and it’s lovely, sometimes. Sunset. Clouds. Sky.” “No. The image is a dream. The beauty is real.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-world-is-a-dream-you-say-and-it-s-lovely-sometimes-sunset-clouds/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The original sin is to limit the Is. Don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-original-sin-is-to-limit-the-is-don-t/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Silly ideas, worth the admission price in smiles, but they're true. Is high-energy physics interesting because it's true or because it's crazy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/silly-ideas-worth-the-admission-price-in-smiles-but-they-re-true-is/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-best-way-to-pay-for-a-lovely-moment-is-to-enjoy-it/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust that the current knows where it is going. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/i-am-tired-of-clinging-though-i-cannot-see-it-with-my-eyes-i-trust/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [If you want to meet someone who can fix any situation you don't like, who can bring you happiness in spite of what other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/if-you-want-to-meet-someone-who-can-fix-any-situation-you-don-t-like/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The space for what you want is already filled with what you settled for instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-space-for-what-you-want-is-already-filled-with-what-you-settled/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The books remind us that way down deep in our hearts, part of us knows that we are creatures of light and we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-books-remind-us-that-way-down-deep-in-our-hearts-part-of-us-knows/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Part of us is always the observer, and no matter what, it observes. It watches us. It does not care if we are happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/part-of-us-is-always-the-observer-and-no-matter-what-it-observes-it/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Kindle Singles is publishing on skates. It prints like lightning; our book meets readers in hours. I've spent so many years waiting for publishers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/kindle-singles-is-publishing-on-skates-it-prints-like-lightning-our/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) [Explore all 539 Richard Bach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is by not always thinking of yourself, if you can manage it, that you might somehow be happy. 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