--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People prone to joyful anticipation…" description: "\"People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_anticipation_people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skil_501191.jpg" --- # People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining… ![“People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be optimistic and to experience intense emotions.” quote by Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_anticipation_people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skil_501191.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_anticipation_people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skil_501191.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_anticipation_people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skil_501191.jpg) > “People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be optimistic and to experience intense emotions.” [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anticipating pleasant future events fuels optimism and amplifies emotional intensity. **In simple terms:** Looking forward to joy boosts optimism and strong feelings. Key Takeaway Cultivate vivid, positive future visualizations. Themes optimism emotion anticipation Mood hopeful energetic Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - goal setting - relationship planning - mental health therapy - creative projects Key Concepts positive psychology affective forecasting Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance hopeful anticipation with realistic expectations? - What practices help sustain optimism without over‑idealizing? A Different Perspective May lead to disappointment if expectations exceed reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Intense emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense-emotions/) [Joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joyful/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) ## Related quotes > [Hope is the joyful anticipation of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/hope-is-the-joyful-anticipation-of-good/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [“Living under the land, under the sea, in the belly of AM, whom we created...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/living-under-the-land-under-the-sea-in-the-belly-of-am-whom-we-created/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [“The more intense the emotions that get activated, the more likely it is that you are responding to your parent (or the offending person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-skeen/the-more-intense-the-emotions-that-get-activated-the-more-likely-it/) Michelle Skeen > [Affairs are loaded with romanticism, morality, mythology, and intense emotions. They're not really about sex, but about pain and fear and the desire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/affairs-are-loaded-with-romanticism-morality-mythology-and-intense/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [Doubtless almost any intense emotion may open our 'inward eye' to the beauty of reality. Falling in love appears to do it for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-prescott-montague/doubtless-almost-any-intense-emotion-may-open-our-inward-eye-to-the/) Margaret Prescott Montague > [“She had always experienced big, intense emotions here at Lover's Leap. Under this huge sky, surrounded by infinite beauty, she had grieved to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-march/she-had-always-experienced-big-intense-emotions-here-at-lover-s-leap/) [Emily March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-march/) > [“What would yo do for a piece of forever? What would you do to love more,feel more, and live more?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shey-stahl/what-would-yo-do-for-a-piece-of-forever-what-would-you-do-to-love/) [Shey Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shey-stahl/) > [“He pulled his hand back, aware now that sweat beaded on his forehead and that Rale watched him, his eyes dark, intense. Errol licked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-w-carr/he-pulled-his-hand-back-aware-now-that-sweat-beaded-on-his-forehead/) [Patrick W. Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-w-carr/) > [“What happened? What were you feeling and thinking? On the -10 to +10 Scale, how intense were your emotions? How did you react? (fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-obear/what-happened-what-were-you-feeling-and-thinking-on-the-10-to-10/) [Kathy Obear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-obear/) > [In detective land, you have to deal with a lot of intense emotions, so you yourself have to remain mostly unemotional and detached. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-lewis/in-detective-land-you-have-to-deal-with-a-lot-of-intense-emotions-so/) [Juliette Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-lewis/) > [Pure, intense emotions. It's not about design. It's about feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alber-elbaz/pure-intense-emotions-it-s-not-about-design-it-s-about-feelings/) [Alber Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alber-elbaz/) > [You have to simply admire the intense emotions one can experience when a Picture can make you relive the best moments of your life...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mendoza/you-have-to-simply-admire-the-intense-emotions-one-can-experience/) Jose Mendoza > [“The most important things, the experiences that leave marks on our souls for everyone to see, those marks that reflect our most intense emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allie-burke/the-most-important-things-the-experiences-that-leave-marks-on-our/) [Allie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allie-burke/) > [When you reflect, you are able to put an experience into perspective... reflective thinking enables you to distance yourself from the intense emotions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/when-you-reflect-you-are-able-to-put-an-experience-into-perspective/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I do think that's one of the reasons that acting appealed to me so much: the idea of letting go of control in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-gugino/i-do-think-that-s-one-of-the-reasons-that-acting-appealed-to-me-so/) [Carla Gugino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-gugino/) ## More by Sonja Lyubomirsky > [The practice of gratitude is incompatible with negative emotions and may actually diminish or deter such feelings as anger, bitterness, and greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/the-practice-of-gratitude-is-incompatible-with-negative-emotions-and/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [I use the term happiness to refer to the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one's life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/i-use-the-term-happiness-to-refer-to-the-experience-of-joy/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [It is equally important to investigate wellness as it is to study misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/it-is-equally-important-to-investigate-wellness-as-it-is-to-study/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [It turns out that the process of working toward a goal, participating in a valued and challenging activity, is as important to well-being as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/it-turns-out-that-the-process-of-working-toward-a-goal-participating/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [Find a happy person, and you will find a project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/find-a-happy-person-and-you-will-find-a-project/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [Forgiving people are less likely to be hateful, depressed, hostile, anxious, angry, and neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/forgiving-people-are-less-likely-to-be-hateful-depressed-hostile/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [Happiness is not out there for us to find. The reason that it's not out there is that it's inside us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/happiness-is-not-out-there-for-us-to-find-the-reason-that-it-s-not/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [The combination of rumination and negative mood is toxic. Research shows that people who ruminate while sad or distraught are likely to feel besieged,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/the-combination-of-rumination-and-negative-mood-is-toxic-research/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [In a nutshell, the fountain of happiness can be found in how you behave, what you think, and what goals you set every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/in-a-nutshell-the-fountain-of-happiness-can-be-found-in-how-you/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [If we observe genuinely happy people, we shall find that they do not just sit around being contented. They make things happen. They pursue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/if-we-observe-genuinely-happy-people-we-shall-find-that-they-do-not/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [“D. A., and Kahneman, D. (1998). Does living in California make people happy?: A focusing illusion in judgments of life satisfaction. Psychological Science, 9: 340–46.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/d-a-and-kahneman-d-1998-does-living-in-california-make-people-happy-a/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [I prefer to think of the creation or construction of happiness, because research shows that it's in our power to fashion it for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/i-prefer-to-think-of-the-creation-or-construction-of-happiness/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [...The more a person is inclined to gratitude, the less likely he or she is to be depressed, anxious, lonely, envious, or neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/the-more-a-person-is-inclined-to-gratitude-the-less-likely-he-or-she/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [“Approximately one-third of all homes in 1940 did not have running water, indoor toilets, or bathtub/showers, and more than half had no central heating.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/approximately-one-third-of-all-homes-in-1940-did-not-have-running/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [Thus the key to happiness lies not in changing our genetic makeup (which is impossible) and not in changing our circumstances (i.e., seeking wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/thus-the-key-to-happiness-lies-not-in-changing-our-genetic-makeup/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) [Explore all 27 Sonja Lyubomirsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) ## 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": "People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be optimistic and to experience intense emotions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sonja Lyubomirsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skilled-at-obtaining-pleasure/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anticipation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skilled-at-obtaining-pleasure/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_anticipation_people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skil_501191.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_anticipation_people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skil_501191.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/sonja-lyubomirsky-22820_anticipation_people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skil_501191.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future…” — Sonja Lyubomirsky", "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": "Sonja Lyubomirsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skilled-at-obtaining-pleasure/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skilled-at-obtaining-pleasure/#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 } } ] } ```