---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: None are happy but by anticipation of…"
description: "\"None are happy but by anticipation of change.\" — Samuel Johnson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/samuel-johnson-50_anticipation_none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-ch_1909255.png"
---

#  None are happy but by anticipation of change.

![“None are happy but by anticipation of change.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/samuel-johnson-50_anticipation_none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-ch_1909255.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/samuel-johnson-50_anticipation_none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-ch_1909255.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/samuel-johnson-50_anticipation_none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-ch_1909255.png)

> “None are happy but by anticipation of change.”

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Happiness is found in anticipating change, suggesting forward-looking optimism fuels contentment.

**In simple terms:** Anticipating change brings happiness.

Key Takeaway

Embrace future possibilities.

Themes

happiness anticipation change

Mood

hopeful inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal growth
- creative projects

Key Concepts

psychology optimism future orientation

Questions to Reflect On

- What changes are you looking forward to?
- How does anticipation affect current well‑being?

A Different Perspective

May cause restlessness or dissatisfaction with present.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/)

## Related quotes

> [Such is the state of life, that none are happy but by the anticipation of change: the change itself is nothing; when we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/such-is-the-state-of-life-that-none-are-happy-but-by-the-anticipation-2/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [There is something fresh and crisp about the first hours of a Caribbean day, a happy anticipation that something is about to happen, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-is-something-fresh-and-crisp-about-the-first-hours-of-a/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [Be happy in anticipation of what's coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/be-happy-in-anticipation-of-what-s-coming/)

[Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/)

> [“Such, said Nekayah, is the state of life, none are happy but by the anticipation of change. The change itself is nothing; when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/such-said-nekayah-is-the-state-of-life-none-are-happy-but-by-the/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Such is the state of life, that none are happy but by the anticipation of change: the change itself is nothing; whenwe have made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/such-is-the-state-of-life-that-none-are-happy-but-by-the-anticipation-3/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [There is a common emotion we all recognize and have not yet named -- the happy anticipation of being able to feel contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/there-is-a-common-emotion-we-all-recognize-and-have-not-yet-named-the/)

[Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/)

> [Whatever advantage we snatch beyond a certain portion allotted us by at nature, is like money spent before it is due, which, at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/whatever-advantage-we-snatch-beyond-a-certain-portion-allotted-us-by/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Such is the uncertainty of human affairs, that security and despair are equal follies; and as it is presumption and arrogance to anticipate triumphs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/such-is-the-uncertainty-of-human-affairs-that-security-and-despair/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Such is the state of life, that none are happy but by the anticipation of change: the change itself is nothing; when we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/such-is-the-state-of-life-that-none-are-happy-but-by-the-anticipation/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Hope is itself a species of happiness...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/hope-is-itself-a-species-of-happiness/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/)

[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/)

> [Sir, you must not neglect doing a thing immediately good from fear of remote evil; -from fear of its being abused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/sir-you-must-not-neglect-doing-a-thing-immediately-good-from-fear-of/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [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/)

## More by Samuel Johnson

> [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/)

> [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

[Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

## More Anticipation quotes

> [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/)

[Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/)

> [Long intros are cool because there's a little bit of anticipation, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/long-intros-are-cool-because-there-s-a-little-bit-of-anticipation-you/)

[Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/)

> [Playing shortstop is 75 to 80 percent anticipation, knowing the hitter and the pitch being thrown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-boudreau/playing-shortstop-is-75-to-80-percent-anticipation-knowing-the-hitter/)

[Lou Boudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-boudreau/)

> [Marriages are always moving from one season to another. Sometimes we find ourselves in winter--discouraged, detached, and dissatisfied; other times we experience springtime, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/marriages-are-always-moving-from-one-season-to-another-sometimes-we/)

[Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/)

> [“O I'm so afraid that it's true about to travel hopefully being better than to arrive. It might be all in the quest, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-brophy/o-i-m-so-afraid-that-it-s-true-about-to-travel-hopefully-being-better/)

[Brigid Brophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-brophy/)

> [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/)

[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/)

> [Science is not a system of certain, or -established, statements; nor is it a system which steadily advances towards a state of finality... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-not-a-system-of-certain-or-established-statements-nor-is/)

[Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/)

> [\[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and-what-isn-t-and-therefore/)

[Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/)

> [The so called unconscious inferences can be traced back to the all-preserving memory, which presents us with parallel experiences and hence already knows the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-so-called-unconscious-inferences-can-be-traced-back-to-the-all/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [ The only thing is that ordinarily when I do dance with \[women\] they think I am suddenly going to throw them over a table… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/the-only-thing-is-that-ordinarily-when-i-do-dance-with-women-they/)

[Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/)

> [Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life. ... The unexpected around the corner gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/many-live-in-dread-of-what-is-coming-why-should-we-the-unknown-puts/)

[E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/)

> [The pilot who is always dreading a rock or a tempest must not complain if he remain a poor fisherman. We must at times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/the-pilot-who-is-always-dreading-a-rock-or-a-tempest-must-not/)

[Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/)

> [I am honoured to be asked to take on this role, especially as it comes at such an integral time for our relationship with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-boateng/i-am-honoured-to-be-asked-to-take-on-this-role-especially-as-it-comes/)

Paul Boateng

> [“I can handle Evil, but I cannot handle Anticipation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabbo-de-la-parra/i-can-handle-evil-but-i-cannot-handle-anticipation/)

[Gabbo De La Parra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabbo-de-la-parra/)

> [Hope is itself a species of happiness...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/hope-is-itself-a-species-of-happiness/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

Browse all 758 Anticipation quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "None are happy but by anticipation of change.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Samuel Johnson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-change/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anticipation"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-change/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/samuel-johnson-50_anticipation_none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-ch_1909255.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/samuel-johnson-50_anticipation_none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-ch_1909255.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/samuel-johnson-50_anticipation_none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-ch_1909255.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“None are happy but by anticipation of change.” — Samuel Johnson",
                "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": "Samuel Johnson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "None are happy but by anticipation...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-change/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/none-are-happy-but-by-anticipation-of-change/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
