--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Contentment consist not in adding more…" description: "\"Contentment consist not in adding more fuel, but in taking away some fire.\" — Thomas Fuller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/thomas-fuller-1956_contentment_contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-f_1324148.png" --- # Contentment consist not in adding more fuel, but in taking… ![“Contentment consist not in adding more fuel, but in taking away some fire.” quote by Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/thomas-fuller-1956_contentment_contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-f_1324148.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/thomas-fuller-1956_contentment_contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-f_1324148.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/thomas-fuller-1956_contentment_contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-f_1324148.png) > “Contentment consist not in adding more fuel, but in taking away some fire.” [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True contentment comes from reducing inner turmoil, not by adding external resources. **In simple terms:** Less inner fire, more peace. Key Takeaway Simplify desires to find peace. Themes contentment minimalism inner peace self‑control Mood calm introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stress reduction - meditation - decluttering - financial planning Key Concepts psychology spirituality philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What internal fires are you feeding? - How can you consciously diminish them? A Different Perspective External gains may still cause dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) [Contentment Consist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment-consist-4421864/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Fuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuel/) [Fuel Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuel-taking-4421865/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Taking Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-away-338818/) ## Related quotes > [“Try to be happy in this present moment, and put not off being so to a time to come--as though that time should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/try-to-be-happy-in-this-present-moment-and-put-not-off-being-so-to-a/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [“I want him to live if HE wants to live. If he doesn't, then by forcing him to carry on, you, me… we become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/i-want-him-to-live-if-he-wants-to-live-if-he-doesn-t-then-by-forcing/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [Part of the mission of Nash Icon is taking away some of the day-to-day, hand-to-hand combat that you have to do to continue the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-borchetta/part-of-the-mission-of-nash-icon-is-taking-away-some-of-the-day-to/) [Scott Borchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-borchetta/) > [“I am who I am. There’s no changing that. No taking it away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-williams/i-am-who-i-am-there-s-no-changing-that-no-taking-it-away/) [Brandon Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-williams/) > [I think there's a tendency for modern man to become dominated by gadgets and machines, taking us further and further away from the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-day/i-think-there-s-a-tendency-for-modern-man-to-become-dominated-by/) [Robin Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-day/) > [We seem to have reached the age where life stops giving us things and starts taking them away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-broadbent/we-seem-to-have-reached-the-age-where-life-stops-giving-us-things-and/) [Jim Broadbent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-broadbent/) > [“I was taking something away from her, although she didn't know it. I was filching. Never mind that it was something she apparently didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-was-taking-something-away-from-her-although-she-didn-t-know-it-i/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I'm saying the federal government is taking away the freedom of Americans to make choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-lepage/i-m-saying-the-federal-government-is-taking-away-the-freedom-of/) [Paul LePage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-lepage/) > [Many will be busied in taking away from a thing, which will grow in proportion as it is diminished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/many-will-be-busied-in-taking-away-from-a-thing-which-will-grow-in/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [I was blown away, what could I say? It all seemed to make sense You're taking away everything And I can't do without I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-gone/i-was-blown-away-what-could-i-say-it-all-seemed-to-make-sense-you-re/) [She's\_gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/she-s-gone/) > [“Taking away coffee from Americans is like taking away oil from the motors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/taking-away-coffee-from-americans-is-like-taking-away-oil-from-the/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [I am interested in madness. I believe it is the biggest thing in the human race, and the most constant. How do you take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-am-interested-in-madness-i-believe-it-is-the-biggest-thing-in-the/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [You can't start taking away benefits if people don't have any opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-koch/you-can-t-start-taking-away-benefits-if-people-don-t-have-any/) [Charles Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-koch/) > [The more I got into presenting things to the world, the further it was taking me away from what I was, which was someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/the-more-i-got-into-presenting-things-to-the-world-the-further-it-was/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [Please respect this I'll just let this music lead the way. Melody come, set me free I'm taking me away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaskade/please-respect-this-i-ll-just-let-this-music-lead-the-way-melody-come/) [Kaskade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaskade/) ## More by Thomas Fuller > [Poor men's reasons are not heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/poor-men-s-reasons-are-not-heard/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [There is a scarcity of friendship, but not of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/there-is-a-scarcity-of-friendship-but-not-of-friends/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Govern thy life and thy thoughts as if the whole world were to see the one, and read the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/govern-thy-life-and-thy-thoughts-as-if-the-whole-world-were-to-see/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [He who cures a disease may be the skillfullest, but he that prevents it is the safest physician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/he-who-cures-a-disease-may-be-the-skillfullest-but-he-that-prevents/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Old foxes want no tutors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/old-foxes-want-no-tutors/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Slight small injuries, and they will become none at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/slight-small-injuries-and-they-will-become-none-at-all/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [He who gives his heart will not deny his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/he-who-gives-his-heart-will-not-deny-his-money/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Though bachelors be the strongest stakes, married men are the best binders, in the hedge of the commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/though-bachelors-be-the-strongest-stakes-married-men-are-the-best/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Plain dealing is a jewel, but they that wear it are out of fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/plain-dealing-is-a-jewel-but-they-that-wear-it-are-out-of-fashion/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [We are born crying, live complaining, and die disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/we-are-born-crying-live-complaining-and-die-disappointed/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [He that falls into sin is a man; that grieves at it, is a saint; that boasteth of it, is a devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/he-that-falls-into-sin-is-a-man-that-grieves-at-it-is-a-saint-that/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Vows made in storms are forgotten in calm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/vows-made-in-storms-are-forgotten-in-calm/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Welcome death, quoth the rat, when the trap fell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/welcome-death-quoth-the-rat-when-the-trap-fell/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [A lie has no leg, but a scandal has wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/a-lie-has-no-leg-but-a-scandal-has-wings/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Great hopes make great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/great-hopes-make-great-men/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) [Explore all 195 Thomas Fuller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) ## More Contentment quotes > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I may not have everything I want in life but I have all I will ever need to make my life complete, my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-may-not-have-everything-i-want-in-life-but-i-have-all-i-will-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can find as much happiness at the bottom of the ladder of success as you can at the top, then you understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-krause/if-you-can-find-as-much-happiness-at-the-bottom-of-the-ladder-of/) [Tom Krause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-krause/) > [There are two sorts of content; one is connected with exertion, the other with habits of indolence. The first is a virtue; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/there-are-two-sorts-of-content-one-is-connected-with-exertion-the/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [“When we perform at our highest level of potential, we are content. Because we have given I best in what we enjoy doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-barrier/when-we-perform-at-our-highest-level-of-potential-we-are-content/) [Ellen J. Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-barrier/) > [Money is made at Christmas out of holly and mistletoe, but who save the vendors would greatly care if no green branch were procurable?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/money-is-made-at-christmas-out-of-holly-and-mistletoe-but-who-save/) [George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/) > [My crown is in my heart, not on my head; not decked with diamonds and Indian stones, nor to be seen: my crown is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-crown-is-in-my-heart-not-on-my-head-not-decked-with-diamonds-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Most of us are not content with our lot because we want a lot more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianette-carbito/most-of-us-are-not-content-with-our-lot-because-we-want-a-lot-more/) [Marianette Carbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianette-carbito/) > [Pleasure simply brings more craving, but the problem is that we try to get contentment through pleasure. True contentment can only come through service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/pleasure-simply-brings-more-craving-but-the-problem-is-that-we-try-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Every human always wants more. We're never satisfied. True happiness doesn't come until we're fully satisfied with what we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-human-always-wants-more-we-re-never-satisfied-true-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was so nearly happy. There remained only a tiny something, something unexplained and inexplicable that buzzed in my ear when the lights were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-rooney/i-was-so-nearly-happy-there-remained-only-a-tiny-something-something/) [Jennie Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-rooney/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [One often learns more from ten days of agony than ten years of contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/one-often-learns-more-from-ten-days-of-agony-than-ten-years-of/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Stop complaining and start accepting, everything happens for a reason, you may not notice the importance of the things that you have now, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/stop-complaining-and-start-accepting-everything-happens-for-a-reason/) [Hemantsmarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemantsmarty/) > [True intimacy is the experience of real acceptance and authentic vulnerability without feeling the need to apologize or fear rejection. The freedom to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-blake-michiels/true-intimacy-is-the-experience-of-real-acceptance-and-authentic/) [Jordan Blake Michiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-blake-michiels/) [Browse all 1,355 Contentment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Contentment consist not in adding more fuel, but in taking away some fire.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Fuller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-fuel-but-in-taking-away-some/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contentment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-fuel-but-in-taking-away-some/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/thomas-fuller-1956_contentment_contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-f_1324148.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/thomas-fuller-1956_contentment_contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-f_1324148.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/thomas-fuller-1956_contentment_contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-f_1324148.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Contentment consist not in adding more fuel, but in taking away some fire.” — Thomas Fuller", "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": "Thomas Fuller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Contentment consist not in adding more...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-fuel-but-in-taking-away-some/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/contentment-consist-not-in-adding-more-fuel-but-in-taking-away-some/#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 } } ] } ```