--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Happiness is a by-product. You cannot…" description: "\"Happiness is a by-product. You cannot pursue it by itself.\" — Sam Levenson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/sam-levenson-10469_happiness_happiness-is-a-by-product-you-cannot-pur_1565174.png" --- # Happiness is a by-product. You cannot pursue it by itself. ![“Happiness is a by-product. You cannot pursue it by itself.” quote by Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/sam-levenson-10469_happiness_happiness-is-a-by-product-you-cannot-pur_1565174.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/sam-levenson-10469_happiness_happiness-is-a-by-product-you-cannot-pur_1565174.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73f/sam-levenson-10469_happiness_happiness-is-a-by-product-you-cannot-pur_1565174.png) > “Happiness is a by-product. You cannot pursue it by itself.” [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness emerges as a side effect of meaningful actions, not as a direct goal. **In simple terms:** Happiness follows purpose. Key Takeaway Focus on purpose, not happiness. Themes well‑being purpose mindset growth contentment Mood optimistic thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career development - volunteering - creative projects - relationships Key Concepts positive psychology philosophy behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - What activities give you purpose? - How does purpose shape joy? A Different Perspective Pursuing happiness alone can feel empty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [Happiness is a by product of service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-critchlow-jr/happiness-is-a-by-product-of-service/) William J. Critchlow, Jr > [Remember that happiness is a by-product of you living a life true to yourself, and though you can't always force it, if you look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-that-happiness-is-a-by-product-of-you-living-a-life-true-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness is a by-product of wanting something more than happiness-to be rightly related to God and our neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/happiness-is-a-by-product-of-wanting-something-more-than-happiness-to/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Those who make happiness the chief objective of life are bound to fail, for happiness is a by-product rather than an end in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/those-who-make-happiness-the-chief-objective-of-life-are-bound-to/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [Happiness is always a by-product. You don't make yourself happy by chasing happiness. You make yourself happy by being a good person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-always-a-by-product-you-don-t-make-yourself-happy-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I see happiness as a by-product. I don't think you can pursue happiness. I think that phrase is one of the very few mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-see-happiness-as-a-by-product-i-don-t-think-you-can-pursue/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [The highest happiness is a by-product of worthy work well done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-auberjonois/the-highest-happiness-is-a-by-product-of-worthy-work-well-done/) [Rene Auberjonois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-auberjonois/) > [Happiness is mostly a by-product of doing what makes us feel fulfilled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/happiness-is-mostly-a-by-product-of-doing-what-makes-us-feel-fulfilled/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [Happiness is a by-product rather than an end in itself. It pops into your life unbidden, and then tends to pop out again. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-don/happiness-is-a-by-product-rather-than-an-end-in-itself-it-pops-into/) [Monty Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-don/) > [Happiness is always a by-product. It is probably a matter of temperament, and for anything I know it may be glandular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/happiness-is-always-a-by-product-it-is-probably-a-matter-of-2/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Happiness is a by-product of an effort to make someone else happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretta-brooker-palmer/happiness-is-a-by-product-of-an-effort-to-make-someone-else-happy/) Gretta Brooker Palmer > [Happiness will never come if it's a goal in itself; happiness is a by-product of a commitment of worthy causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/happiness-will-never-come-if-it-s-a-goal-in-itself-happiness-is-a-by/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Happiness is a by-product. It is not a primary product of life. It is a thing which you suddenly realize you have because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/happiness-is-a-by-product-it-is-not-a-primary-product-of-life-it-is-a/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Happiness is always a by-product. It is probably a matter of temperament, and for anything I know it may be glandular. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/happiness-is-always-a-by-product-it-is-probably-a-matter-of/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Happiness is not a goal; happiness is a by-product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-satak/happiness-is-not-a-goal-happiness-is-a-by-product/) Steven Satak ## More by Sam Levenson > [The Puritans came to America to worship in their way and to force everybody else to do the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/the-puritans-came-to-america-to-worship-in-their-way-and-to-force/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [If you want to kill time, try working it to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/if-you-want-to-kill-time-try-working-it-to-death/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can't possibly live long enough to make them all yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/you-must-learn-from-the-mistakes-of-others-you-can-t-possibly-live/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and say the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/it-s-so-simple-to-be-wise-just-think-of-something-stupid-to-say-and/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [How wise are thy commandments, Lord. Each of them applies to somebody I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/how-wise-are-thy-commandments-lord-each-of-them-applies-to-somebody-i/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [You don't have to be in "Who's Who" to know what's what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/you-don-t-have-to-be-in-who-s-who-to-know-what-s-what/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [I'm going to stop putting things off, starting tomorrow!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/i-m-going-to-stop-putting-things-off-starting-tomorrow/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [A woman's place is in the home. Why should she go out and take away a workingman's pay instead of staying home and stealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/a-woman-s-place-is-in-the-home-why-should-she-go-out-and-take-away-a/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [Any kid who has two parents who are interested in him and has a houseful of books isn't poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/any-kid-who-has-two-parents-who-are-interested-in-him-and-has-a/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/for-attractive-lips-speak-words-of-kindness-for-lovely-eyes-seek-out/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [At the U.N., any nation that fights back is censored as an "aggressor."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/at-the-u-n-any-nation-that-fights-back-is-censored-as-an-aggressor/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [The American success formula is first to get a home of your own, then to get a car of your own so you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/the-american-success-formula-is-first-to-get-a-home-of-your-own-then/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [Never lend money to a friend. It's dangerous. It could damage his memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/never-lend-money-to-a-friend-it-s-dangerous-it-could-damage-his-memory/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [How wise are Thy commandments O Lord. Each one of them applies to somebody or other I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/how-wise-are-thy-commandments-o-lord-each-one-of-them-applies-to/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [Siblings: children of the same parents, each of whom is perfectly normal until they get together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/siblings-children-of-the-same-parents-each-of-whom-is-perfectly/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) [Explore all 65 Sam Levenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) ## More Happiness quotes > [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/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Happiness is a by-product. 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