--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is better to have it and need it, than…" description: "\"“It is better to have it and need it, than to need it and not have it.”\" — Theodore Roosevelt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/theodore-roosevelt-218_better_it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than_2298902.jpg" --- # It is better to have it and need it, than to need it and… ![“It is better to have it and need it, than to need it and not have it.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/theodore-roosevelt-218_better_it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than_2298902.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/theodore-roosevelt-218_better_it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than_2298902.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/theodore-roosevelt-218_better_it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than_2298902.jpg) > ““It is better to have it and need it, than to need it and not have it.”” [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. Having something you possess is preferable to needing it without ownership, emphasizing security over desire. **In simple terms:** Having it is better than needing it. Key Takeaway Prioritize acquiring what you need. Themes security ownership contentment Mood inspirational pragmatic Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - financial planning - resource management - personal goals - career development - health care Key Concepts materialism need vs. want self‑sufficiency Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly need versus what you want? - How does ownership affect your sense of security? A Different Perspective Acquisition can create dependency or waste. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“better to have it and not need it than need it and be fucked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chatfield/better-to-have-it-and-not-need-it-than-need-it-and-be-fucked/) [Michael Chatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chatfield/) > [“It's better to HAVE and NOT NEED than to NEED and NOT HAVE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-park/it-s-better-to-have-and-not-need-than-to-need-and-not-have/) LINCOLN PARK > [Better to have something and not need it, than need something and not have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-phil/better-to-have-something-and-not-need-it-than-need-something-and-not/) [Uncle Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-phil/) > [It's better to have and not need than need and not have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-american-proverb/it-s-better-to-have-and-not-need-than-need-and-not-have/) African-American Proverb > [Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/better-to-have-it-and-not-need-it-than-to-need-it-and-not-have-it/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Better to have, and not need, than to need, and not have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/better-to-have-and-not-need-than-to-need-and-not-have/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ellis/it-is-better-to-have-it-and-not-need-it-than-to-need-it-and-not-have/) George Ellis > [“It's better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-harrington/it-s-better-to-have-something-and-not-need-it-than-to-need-something/) Julie Harrington > [It's better to have security and not need it than need it and not have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-lopez-cantera/it-s-better-to-have-security-and-not-need-it-than-need-it-and-not/) [Carlos Lopez-Cantera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-lopez-cantera/) > [“Most of us have been deeply shaped by the false notion that in order for people to behave better they need to feel worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-lakshmi-piepzna-samarasinha/most-of-us-have-been-deeply-shaped-by-the-false-notion-that-in-order/) [Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-lakshmi-piepzna-samarasinha/) > [“In the past, she could never count on him, and now she was old enough to know better than to need anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/z-e-haslie/in-the-past-she-could-never-count-on-him-and-now-she-was-old-enough/) [Zøe Haslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/z-e-haslie/) > [“True forgiveness creates the space for someone to be better even when they can’t see why they need to be better, or how.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-hadeed/true-forgiveness-creates-the-space-for-someone-to-be-better-even-when/) Troy Hadeed > [There are things that I need to do better, and I need to get to a point where it's hard to not have me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-bamba/there-are-things-that-i-need-to-do-better-and-i-need-to-get-to-a/) [Mohamed Bamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-bamba/) > [God knows better than we do what we need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/god-knows-better-than-we-do-what-we-need/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [If you want to work on getting better, you need to start by knowing where you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-work-on-getting-better-you-need-to-start-by-knowing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is better to have it and need it, than to need it and not have it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodore Roosevelt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than-to-need-it-and-not-have-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than-to-need-it-and-not-have-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/theodore-roosevelt-218_better_it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than_2298902.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/theodore-roosevelt-218_better_it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than_2298902.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/theodore-roosevelt-218_better_it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than_2298902.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is better to have it and need it, than to need it and not have it.” — Theodore Roosevelt", "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": "Theodore Roosevelt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is better to have it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than-to-need-it-and-not-have-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-better-to-have-it-and-need-it-than-to-need-it-and-not-have-it/#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 } } ] } ```