--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there ever was a pursuit which…" description: "\"If there ever was a pursuit which stultified itself by its very conditions, it is the pursuit of pleasure as the all-sufficing end of life. Happiness c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/theodore-roosevelt-218_burden_if-there-ever-was-a-pursuit-which-stulti_465856.jpg" --- # If there ever was a pursuit which stultified itself by its… ![“If there ever was a pursuit which stultified itself by its very conditions, it is the pursuit of pleasure as the all-sufficing end of life. Happiness cannot come to any man capable of enjoying true happiness unless it comes as the sequel to duty well and honestly done. To do that duty you need to…” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/theodore-roosevelt-218_burden_if-there-ever-was-a-pursuit-which-stulti_465856.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/theodore-roosevelt-218_burden_if-there-ever-was-a-pursuit-which-stulti_465856.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/theodore-roosevelt-218_burden_if-there-ever-was-a-pursuit-which-stulti_465856.jpg) > “If there ever was a pursuit which stultified itself by its very conditions, it is the pursuit of pleasure as the all-sufficing end of life. Happiness cannot come to any man capable of enjoying true happiness unless it comes as the sequel to duty well and honestly done. To do that duty you need to have more than one trait. From the greatest to the smallest, happiness and usefulness are largely found in the same soul, and the joy of life is won in its deepest and truest sense only by those who have not shirked life's burdens.” [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pursuing pleasure as life's sole aim leads to emptiness; true happiness follows diligent, honest duty and a multifaceted character. **In simple terms:** Happiness follows duty, not pleasure alone. Key Takeaway Embrace duty to find lasting joy. Themes duty happiness purpose character balance Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career - family responsibilities - community service - personal growth - overcoming hedonism Key Concepts virtue ethics human flourishing self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What duties give your life meaning? - How can you balance joy and responsibility? A Different Perspective Pleasure alone cannot sustain fulfillment without responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Duty Honestly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty-honestly-4036917/) [End of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-life/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Usefulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-usefulness-2960281/) [Honestly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honestly/) [Honestly Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honestly-duty-4036916/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Joy of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy-of-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-happiness/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Pursuit Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit-pleasure-1278178/) [Sequels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sequels/) [Smallest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Traits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traits/) [True happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-happiness/) [Truest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truest/) [Usefulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usefulness/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [From the greatest to the smallest, happiness and usefulness are largely found in the same soul, and the joy of life is won in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/from-the-greatest-to-the-smallest-happiness-and-usefulness-are/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“If only, we could stop taking our job as an OPPORTUNITY and work honestly as a DUTY, this world would be a much better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ralte/if-only-we-could-stop-taking-our-job-as-an-opportunity-and-work/) [m.ralte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ralte/) > [We have not only the right, but a specific duty, to honestly and unflinchingly look at all aspects of our world, both the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-light/we-have-not-only-the-right-but-a-specific-duty-to-honestly-and/) [Michael Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-light/) > [A happy marriage is a new beginning of life, a new starting point for happiness and usefulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-happy-marriage-is-a-new-beginning-of-life-a-new-starting-point-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [our country in general assumes that "the pursuit of happiness" really means "the pursuit of pleasure" and that therefore pleasure is the greatest good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/our-country-in-general-assumes-that-the-pursuit-of-happiness-really/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“It was his vocation to pleasure as many women as possible, in pursuit of his own pleasure. It was as close to a job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosanna-leo/it-was-his-vocation-to-pleasure-as-many-women-as-possible-in-pursuit/) [Rosanna Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosanna-leo/) > [“You dedicate your life to the pursuit of pleasure. No over-indulgence, mind you, but knowing that your body is apleasure machine, you treat it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathanael-west/you-dedicate-your-life-to-the-pursuit-of-pleasure-no-over-indulgence/) [Nathanael West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathanael-west/) > [The pursuit of pleasure must be the goal of every rational person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-pursuit-of-pleasure-must-be-the-goal-of-every-rational-person/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Everything you do must be in pursuit of pleasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skye-warren/everything-you-do-must-be-in-pursuit-of-pleasure/) [Skye Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skye-warren/) > [I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/i-have-absolutely-no-pleasure-in-the-stimulants-in-which-i-sometimes/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [All successful individuals have become such by hard work; by improving moments before they pass into hours, and hours that other people may occupy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/all-successful-individuals-have-become-such-by-hard-work-by-improving/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [It is one of history's greatest ironies that, over the centuries, the pursuit of pleasure has resulted in more pain than enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/it-is-one-of-history-s-greatest-ironies-that-over-the-centuries-the/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [Music is an individual pursuit - it is made to please yourself first. The pleasure of other people is a byproduct of the pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-dulli/music-is-an-individual-pursuit-it-is-made-to-please-yourself-first/) [Greg Dulli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-dulli/) > [There is something self-defeating in the too-conscious pursuit of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-eastman/there-is-something-self-defeating-in-the-too-conscious-pursuit-of/) [Max Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-eastman/) > [“What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-matters-is-at-the-end-of-life-when-you-re-about-to-pass-into/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## More by Theodore Roosevelt > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/get-action-seize-the-moment-man-was-never-intended-to-become-an-oyster/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Argument weak; speak loudly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/argument-weak-speak-loudly/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-reform-movement-has-a-lunatic-fringe/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal-habit-inheritance-and/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Alone of human beings the good and wise mother stands on a plane of equal honor with the bravest soldier; for she has gladly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/alone-of-human-beings-the-good-and-wise-mother-stands-on-a-plane-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/for-unflagging-interest-and-enjoyment-a-household-of-children-if/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Explore all 876 Theodore Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## More Burden quotes > [Everything I do is more memorable and I understand music more than ever now. It's not a burden to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/everything-i-do-is-more-memorable-and-i-understand-music-more-than/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [I am at a point in my life where everything I have worked for starts to look like a burden, a weight on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-abou-samra/i-am-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-everything-i-have-worked-for-starts/) [Simone Abou Samra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-abou-samra/) > [Trump's enduring appeal is a resource to be harnessed by the Republican Party, not a burden to be jettisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/trump-s-enduring-appeal-is-a-resource-to-be-harnessed-by-the/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. 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Weikel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-weikel/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [It's a burden trying to keep a secret. It's hard. 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But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Browse all 2,567 Burden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there ever was a pursuit which stultified itself by its very conditions, it is the pursuit of pleasure as the all-sufficing end of life. Happiness cannot come to any man capable of enjoying true happiness unless it comes as the sequel to duty well and honestly done. 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