--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are only four things in life that…" description: "\"There are only four things in life that matter. The first is happiness and I'll sell you the other three for a dollar.\" — Sam Walton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/sam-walton-4376_dollars_there-are-only-four-things-in-life-that_1345468.jpg" --- # There are only four things in life that matter. The first… ![“There are only four things in life that matter. The first is happiness and I'll sell you the other three for a dollar.” quote by Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/sam-walton-4376_dollars_there-are-only-four-things-in-life-that_1345468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/sam-walton-4376_dollars_there-are-only-four-things-in-life-that_1345468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/sam-walton-4376_dollars_there-are-only-four-things-in-life-that_1345468.jpg) > “There are only four things in life that matter. The first is happiness and I'll sell you the other three for a dollar.” [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Only happiness truly matters; everything else is secondary and can be bought cheaply. **In simple terms:** Happiness is the sole essential. Key Takeaway Prioritize joy over material gain. Themes happiness values materialism Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - budgeting - career choices - relationship decisions - life planning Key Concepts philosophy economics Questions to Reflect On - What truly brings you lasting happiness? - How do you balance joy with practical needs? A Different Perspective Happiness can be fleeting and subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-matter/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-happiness-1131160/) [Sell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sell/) [Sell Dollar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sell-dollar-1330312/) [Sells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sells/) [Things in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-in-life/) [Things Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-life/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) ## Related quotes > [A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell them for a dollar. They're worth so much more after I'm a goner. And maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-penny-for-my-thoughts-oh-no-i-ll-sell-them-for-a-dollar-they-re-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell them for a dollar They're worth so much more after I'm a goner And maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-perry/a-penny-for-my-thoughts-oh-no-i-ll-sell-them-for-a-dollar-they-re/) [Kimberly Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-perry/) > [The circumstances of our lives actually matter less to our happiness than the sense of control we feel over our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-circumstances-of-our-lives-actually-matter-less-to-our-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So long as you don't feel life's paltry and a miserable business, the rest doesn't matter, happiness or unhappiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/so-long-as-you-don-t-feel-life-s-paltry-and-a-miserable-business-the/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [“The UK office for National Statistics has identified the things that matter most for happiness as "health, relationships, work, and the environment" - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-skidelsky/the-uk-office-for-national-statistics-has-identified-the-things-that/) [Robert Skidelsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-skidelsky/) > [Sell your presence and purchase bewilderment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/sell-your-presence-and-purchase-bewilderment/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [The only thing I wouldn't do is sell my arse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/the-only-thing-i-wouldn-t-do-is-sell-my-arse/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [That's the reality of what they're going to sell them to the Treasury for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/that-s-the-reality-of-what-they-re-going-to-sell-them-to-the-treasury/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [A lot of drive is innate, self-perpetuated, reinforced energy. As a kid, I could always sell anything I could get my hands on -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ovitz/a-lot-of-drive-is-innate-self-perpetuated-reinforced-energy-as-a-kid/) [Michael Ovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ovitz/) > [The saddest day of your life is when you decide to sell out, and nobody wants to buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-spinrad/the-saddest-day-of-your-life-is-when-you-decide-to-sell-out-and/) [Norman Spinrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-spinrad/) > [Do you guys have to sell everything? I'd like to buy the Earth's core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/do-you-guys-have-to-sell-everything-i-d-like-to-buy-the-earth-s-core/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Controversy sells, politics sell, all that type of stuff sells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/controversy-sells-politics-sell-all-that-type-of-stuff-sells/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [If you sell your soul to the devil, you get more grain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/if-you-sell-your-soul-to-the-devil-you-get-more-grain/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [My real life helped me sell a lot of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-notorious-b-i-g/my-real-life-helped-me-sell-a-lot-of-records/) [The Notorious B.I.G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-notorious-b-i-g/) > [Weight justly and sell dearely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/weight-justly-and-sell-dearely/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) ## More by Sam Walton > [It is unhealthy to marinate in your own press clippings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/it-is-unhealthy-to-marinate-in-your-own-press-clippings/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Loosen up, and everybody around you will loosen up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/loosen-up-and-everybody-around-you-will-loosen-up/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [All of us profit from being corrected - if we're corrected in a positive way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/all-of-us-profit-from-being-corrected-if-we-re-corrected-in-a/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/the-secret-of-successful-retailing-is-to-give-your-customers-what/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [If I had to single out one element in my life that has made a difference for me, it would be a passion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/if-i-had-to-single-out-one-element-in-my-life-that-has-made-a/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [We're all working together; that's the secret. And we'll lower the cost of living for everyone, not just in America, but we'll give the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/we-re-all-working-together-that-s-the-secret-and-we-ll-lower-the-cost/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [The key to success is to get out into the store and listen to what the associates have to say. It's terribly important for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/the-key-to-success-is-to-get-out-into-the-store-and-listen-to-what/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [I think my constant fiddling and meddling with the status quo may have been one of my biggest contributions to the later success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/i-think-my-constant-fiddling-and-meddling-with-the-status-quo-may/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [High expectations is the key to everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/high-expectations-is-the-key-to-everything/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Exceed your customer's expectations. If you do, they'll come back over and over. Give them what they want - and a little more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/exceed-your-customer-s-expectations-if-you-do-they-ll-come-back-over/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They're absolutely free and worth a fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/nothing-else-can-quite-substitute-for-a-few-well-chosen-well-timed/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [I was asked what I thought about the recession. I thought about it and decided not to take part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/i-was-asked-what-i-thought-about-the-recession-i-thought-about-it-and/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Capital isn't hard to find; intuition, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/capital-isn-t-hard-to-find-intuition-yes/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/commit-to-your-business-believe-in-it-more-than-anybody-else/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Our best ideas come from clerks and stockboys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/our-best-ideas-come-from-clerks-and-stockboys/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) [Explore all 112 Sam Walton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) ## More Dollars quotes > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [This welfare for wealthy companies wastes taxpayer dollars, harms the environment, and makes a mockery of the recent reductions in federal social spending programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/this-welfare-for-wealthy-companies-wastes-taxpayer-dollars-harms-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Some day I'll write a book and call it 'How I Got the Nickname Pumpsie' and sell it for one dollar, and if everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pumpsie-green/some-day-i-ll-write-a-book-and-call-it-how-i-got-the-nickname-pumpsie/) [Pumpsie Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pumpsie-green/) > [I'm part of a team that raises millions of dollars and raises awareness of HIV and AIDS all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-evangelista/i-m-part-of-a-team-that-raises-millions-of-dollars-and-raises/) [Linda Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-evangelista/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [In short, both experience and economic theory imply that the US could now t to a more competitive dollar without experiencing either increased inflation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-feldstein/in-short-both-experience-and-economic-theory-imply-that-the-us-could/) [Martin Feldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-feldstein/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [A man with a million dollars can be as happy nowadays as though he were rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-mcallister/a-man-with-a-million-dollars-can-be-as-happy-nowadays-as-though-he/) [Ward McAllister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-mcallister/) > [Here we were talking about economic development, about investing billions of dollars in various programs, and I could see it wasn't billions of dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/here-we-were-talking-about-economic-development-about-investing/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [I used to sit in front of McDonald's and ask people for dollars to get me a cheeseburger. It was bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/i-used-to-sit-in-front-of-mcdonald-s-and-ask-people-for-dollars-to/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) [Browse all 2,882 Dollars quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are only four things in life that matter. 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