--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That man is never happy for the present…" description: "\"That man is never happy for the present is so true, that all his relief from unhappiness is only forgetting himself for a little while. Life is a progr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/samuel-johnson-50_enjoyment_that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present_2308891.jpg" --- # That man is never happy for the present is so true, that… ![“That man is never happy for the present is so true, that all his relief from unhappiness is only forgetting himself for a little while. Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/samuel-johnson-50_enjoyment_that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present_2308891.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/samuel-johnson-50_enjoyment_that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present_2308891.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/samuel-johnson-50_enjoyment_that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present_2308891.jpg) > “That man is never happy for the present is so true, that all his relief from unhappiness is only forgetting himself for a little while. Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.” [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. The quote suggests that true happiness is fleeting; people escape unhappiness by temporarily forgetting themselves, and life is a continual pursuit of new desires rather than sustained enjoyment. **In simple terms:** Happiness is fleeting; we chase new desires. Key Takeaway Recognize the fleeting nature of pleasure. Themes desire transience fulfillment Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - personal growth - goal setting - mindfulness - self‑reflection Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you find lasting contentment? - What role does desire play in your life? A Different Perspective It overlooks moments of genuine contentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forgetting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Man Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-happy-290592/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Relief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relief/) [Relief Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relief-unhappiness-5475887/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness/) [Unhappiness Forgetting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness-forgetting-5475886/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [Come, let me know what it is that makes a Scotch man happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/come-let-me-know-what-it-is-that-makes-a-scotch-man-happy/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The rich and luxurious may claim an exclusive right to those pleasures which are capable of being purchased by pelf, in which the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/the-rich-and-luxurious-may-claim-an-exclusive-right-to-those/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [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/) > [The equity of Providence has balanced peculiar sufferings with peculiar enjoyments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-equity-of-providence-has-balanced-peculiar-sufferings-with/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/life-is-a-progress-from-want-to-want-not-from-enjoyment-to-enjoyment/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Our desires always increase with our possessions. The knowledge that something remains yet unenjoyed impairs our enjoyment of the good before us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/our-desires-always-increase-with-our-possessions-the-knowledge-that/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Subordination tends greatly to human happiness. Were we all upon an equality, we should have no other enjoyment than mere animal pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/subordination-tends-greatly-to-human-happiness-were-we-all-upon-an/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Every man is rich or poor according to the proportion between his desires and his enjoyments; any enlargement of wishes is therefore equally destructive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-man-is-rich-or-poor-according-to-the-proportion-between-his/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pleasure is Nature's test, her sign of approval. When man is happy, he is in harmony with himself and his environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/pleasure-is-nature-s-test-her-sign-of-approval-when-man-is-happy-he/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Call no man happy until he is dead, but only lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solon/call-no-man-happy-until-he-is-dead-but-only-lucky/) [Solon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solon/) > [If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/if-thou-wilt-make-a-man-happy-add-not-unto-his-riches-but-take-away/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Call no day happy 'til it is done; call no man happy til he is dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/call-no-day-happy-til-it-is-done-call-no-man-happy-til-he-is-dead/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Is there any difference between a happy and a lucky man? A happy is someone who finds an oasis with drinking water in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/is-there-any-difference-between-a-happy-and-a-lucky-man-a-happy-is/) [Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) > [“...count no man happy till he dies, free of pain at last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/count-no-man-happy-till-he-dies-free-of-pain-at-last/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) ## 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 Enjoyment quotes > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) > [I filmed my first vlog and I think it worked because I wasn't trying to make it work. I was just doing it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dobrik/i-filmed-my-first-vlog-and-i-think-it-worked-because-i-wasn-t-trying/) [David Dobrik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dobrik/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [“It all had to be squeezed and squeezed again, to provide a thrill, to provide enjoyment. What did people mean, with their simply determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/it-all-had-to-be-squeezed-and-squeezed-again-to-provide-a-thrill-to/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [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/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [Why does a man who is truly in love insist that this relationship must continue and be "lifelong"? Because life is pain and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/why-does-a-man-who-is-truly-in-love-insist-that-this-relationship/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [I think if you're too embroiled in the need to relate too closely to the character, then you start to judge the character for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-think-if-you-re-too-embroiled-in-the-need-to-relate-too-closely-to/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [I'm always very fearful when academics get ahold of comedy. Comedy is such a clear thing - people laugh, or they don't laugh. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-michaels/i-m-always-very-fearful-when-academics-get-ahold-of-comedy-comedy-is/) [Lorne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-michaels/) > [Joy:show joy & enjoy: then others will be joyful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/joy-show-joy-enjoy-then-others-will-be-joyful/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“...the pleasantness of an employment does not always evince its propriety.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/the-pleasantness-of-an-employment-does-not-always-evince-its-propriety/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [In every generation there are a few people who are authentically funny. The cosmetics change. You may not be able to articulate it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/in-every-generation-there-are-a-few-people-who-are-authentically/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) [Browse all 1,334 Enjoyment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That man is never happy for the present is so true, that all his relief from unhappiness is only forgetting himself for a little while. Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present-is-so-true-that-all-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enjoyment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present-is-so-true-that-all-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/samuel-johnson-50_enjoyment_that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present_2308891.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/samuel-johnson-50_enjoyment_that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present_2308891.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/samuel-johnson-50_enjoyment_that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present_2308891.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That man is never happy for the present is so true, that all his relief from unhappiness is only forgetting…” — 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": "That man is never happy for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present-is-so-true-that-all-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-man-is-never-happy-for-the-present-is-so-true-that-all-his/#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 } } ] } ```