--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Success is a wonderful thing, but it…" description: "\"Success is a wonderful thing, but it tends not to be the sort of experience that we learn from. We enjoy it; perhaps we even deserve it. But we don't a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/timothy-noah-2744_acquire_success-is-a-wonderful-thing-but-it-tend_2522898.jpg" --- # Success is a wonderful thing, but it tends not to be the… ![“Success is a wonderful thing, but it tends not to be the sort of experience that we learn from. We enjoy it; perhaps we even deserve it. But we don't acquire wisdom from it.” quote by Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/timothy-noah-2744_acquire_success-is-a-wonderful-thing-but-it-tend_2522898.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/timothy-noah-2744_acquire_success-is-a-wonderful-thing-but-it-tend_2522898.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/timothy-noah-2744_acquire_success-is-a-wonderful-thing-but-it-tend_2522898.jpg) > “Success is a wonderful thing, but it tends not to be the sort of experience that we learn from. We enjoy it; perhaps we even deserve it. But we don't acquire wisdom from it.” [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success often feels rewarding but rarely teaches lessons; we celebrate without extracting wisdom. **In simple terms:** Success feels good but doesn’t teach. Key Takeaway Seek lessons in triumphs. Themes success learning wisdom celebration Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - business - personal milestones - celebrations - post‑achievement review Key Concepts psychology reflection growth Questions to Reflect On - What can you learn from your recent success? - How might you turn celebration into growth? A Different Perspective Success can create complacency, masking deeper insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Wonderful thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful-thing/) ## Related quotes > [Success is a wonderful addition to my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-munsch/success-is-a-wonderful-addition-to-my-life/) [Robert Munsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-munsch/) > [I got a note from my father, who said that Success is wonderful, if you don't inhale. That was his own aphorism, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-got-a-note-from-my-father-who-said-that-success-is-wonderful-if-you/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [I have had some success. And it's all been wonderful, and a growing process for me. But it's nothing to my family compared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-have-had-some-success-and-it-s-all-been-wonderful-and-a-growing/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [Whenever the very rich hold views at odds with those of the entire population, the federal government tends to do the rich's bidding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/whenever-the-very-rich-hold-views-at-odds-with-those-of-the-entire/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [If I ever acquire wisdom, I suppose I'll be wise enough to know what to do with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-trotti/if-i-ever-acquire-wisdom-i-suppose-i-ll-be-wise-enough-to-know-what/) Lamar Trotti > [“One underlying philosophy in Ecclesiastes is that the individual can find truth by using his powers of observation and reason instead of blindly following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baldacci/one-underlying-philosophy-in-ecclesiastes-is-that-the-individual-can/) [David Baldacci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baldacci/) > [Before we acquire great power we must acquire wisdom to use it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/before-we-acquire-great-power-we-must-acquire-wisdom-to-use-it-well/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The goal of good health is to enable a person to acquire wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/the-goal-of-good-health-is-to-enable-a-person-to-acquire-wisdom/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [Even youngish men can acquire wisdom as time goes by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bercow/even-youngish-men-can-acquire-wisdom-as-time-goes-by/) [John Bercow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bercow/) > [“Reading is a time machine that allows you to acquire wisdom from the past and to analyze and imagine another person’s vision of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-rogers/reading-is-a-time-machine-that-allows-you-to-acquire-wisdom-from-the/) [Joshua Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-rogers/) > [Experience gained from day to day life is the best way to acquire wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/experience-gained-from-day-to-day-life-is-the-best-way-to-acquire/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [It is not enough to acquire wisdom, it is necessary to employ it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/it-is-not-enough-to-acquire-wisdom-it-is-necessary-to-employ-it/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Acquire wisdom from the story of those who have already passed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uthman-ibn-affan/acquire-wisdom-from-the-story-of-those-who-have-already-passed/) [Uthman ibn Affan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uthman-ibn-affan/) > [To appreciate nonsense you must first acquire wisdom, then compromise the two; only then will the fool understand you, and believe himself to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-chapman/to-appreciate-nonsense-you-must-first-acquire-wisdom-then-compromise/) Ernest Chapman > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Timothy Noah > [When the only people in mainstream discourse who care about the working class are Wall Street investors, it really is time to ask where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/when-the-only-people-in-mainstream-discourse-who-care-about-the/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Washington culture has always had a difficult time acknowledging untruth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/washington-culture-has-always-had-a-difficult-time-acknowledging/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [GOP candidates routinely sign a pledge never, ever to raise taxes. Democratic candidates aren't even asked to sign a parallel pledge never, ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/gop-candidates-routinely-sign-a-pledge-never-ever-to-raise-taxes/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Whatever the reason, American Muslims appear far less inclined to support the global jihad than their European counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/whatever-the-reason-american-muslims-appear-far-less-inclined-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [I recognize that Republicans see a moral difference between a dollar taken away from a millionaire in government benefits and a dollar taken away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/i-recognize-that-republicans-see-a-moral-difference-between-a-dollar/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [What is the engine that drives economic growth in an ideopolis? The university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/what-is-the-engine-that-drives-economic-growth-in-an-ideopolis-the/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Income inequality has gotten worse under President Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/income-inequality-has-gotten-worse-under-president-barack-obama/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [There is quite a lot of mutual misunderstanding between the upper middle class and the working class. Reviewing what's been said about the white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/there-is-quite-a-lot-of-mutual-misunderstanding-between-the-upper/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [We Americans love our Constitution so much that we can't bear to change even the stupid parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/we-americans-love-our-constitution-so-much-that-we-can-t-bear-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [There's a growing consensus that the best way to defeat communism in Cuba is to get its citizens hooked on American goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/there-s-a-growing-consensus-that-the-best-way-to-defeat-communism-in/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [What I've come to believe is that psychological advice isn't worth much if it isn't rooted in personal experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/what-i-ve-come-to-believe-is-that-psychological-advice-isn-t-worth/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [The Supreme Court needs jurists, not politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/the-supreme-court-needs-jurists-not-politicians/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Is class snobbery a social reality in the United States? Absolutely, and the kind that's codified by meritocracy is probably more toxic than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/is-class-snobbery-a-social-reality-in-the-united-states-absolutely/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Politicians have such large egos that it usually takes them an inordinately long time to grasp when they've become a pathetic joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/politicians-have-such-large-egos-that-it-usually-takes-them-an/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Being a teacher is back-breakingly difficult work. It is also extremely important work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/being-a-teacher-is-back-breakingly-difficult-work-it-is-also/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) [Explore all 152 Timothy Noah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) ## More Acquire quotes > [Most people seek after what they do not possess and are enslaved by the very things they want to acquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/most-people-seek-after-what-they-do-not-possess-and-are-enslaved-by/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [This was Shakespeare's form ; Who walk'd in every path of human life, Felt every passion ; and to all mankind Doth now, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/this-was-shakespeare-s-form-who-walk-d-in-every-path-of-human-life/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The best way for women to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, a brother, or a friend, in the way of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/the-best-way-for-women-to-acquire-knowledge-is-from-conversation-with/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) Peter Martins > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [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/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) Browse all 1,020 Acquire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Success is a wonderful thing, but it tends not to be the sort of experience that we learn from. We enjoy it; perhaps we even deserve it. 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