--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People have to work to maintain…" description: "\"People have to work to maintain happiness. It's easy to be miserable. It's easy to stay miserable. It's easy to live in a place where nothing's working..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/tituss-burgess-6066_happiness_people-have-to-work-to-maintain-happines_912267.jpg" --- # People have to work to maintain happiness. It's easy to be… ![“People have to work to maintain happiness. It's easy to be miserable. It's easy to stay miserable. It's easy to live in a place where nothing's working and not being able to work your way out of it. It's much harder to choose happiness, to choose laughter, to choose a positive.” quote by Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/tituss-burgess-6066_happiness_people-have-to-work-to-maintain-happines_912267.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/tituss-burgess-6066_happiness_people-have-to-work-to-maintain-happines_912267.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/tituss-burgess-6066_happiness_people-have-to-work-to-maintain-happines_912267.jpg) > “People have to work to maintain happiness. It's easy to be miserable. It's easy to stay miserable. It's easy to live in a place where nothing's working and not being able to work your way out of it. It's much harder to choose happiness, to choose laughter, to choose a positive.” [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing happiness requires active effort; staying miserable is passive and easy. **In simple terms:** Happiness needs work, misery comes easily. Key Takeaway Actively pursue joy. Themes happiness choice effort Mood reflective determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - mental health - career setbacks - relationship conflicts Key Concepts psychology behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - What small action can you take today to shift your mood? - How do you resist the pull of complacent misery? A Different Perspective Choosing happiness can be hindered by external circumstances and mental health issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“Happiness is not a choice, or we’d all be happy. Let’s stop putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves to be happy all the time, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/happiness-is-not-a-choice-or-we-d-all-be-happy-let-s-stop-putting/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [Falling in love can make you feel like the most happiest person on the planet. In order to maintain your happiness you will need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chee-vai-tang/falling-in-love-can-make-you-feel-like-the-most-happiest-person-on/) [Chee Vai Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chee-vai-tang/) > [The easiest way to maintain happiness is to lower your expectations of other people and raise them of yourself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/the-easiest-way-to-maintain-happiness-is-to-lower-your-expectations/) [Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/) > [Always be careful to consider others' needs, not just your own. In this way you'll able to maintain happiness and serenity in relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/always-be-careful-to-consider-others-needs-not-just-your-own-in-this/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“Often, we will stay in a miserable status quo until the misery finally exceeds the resistance to change. True wisdom is seeing the future:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/often-we-will-stay-in-a-miserable-status-quo-until-the-misery-finally/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [Stay down and be miserable or get back up and fight for your happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/stay-down-and-be-miserable-or-get-back-up-and-fight-for-your-happiness/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [The best decisions are the ones where you cut people off and stay miserable forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-decisions-are-the-ones-where-you-cut-people-off-and-stay/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have to let yourself be loved and love at some point, as much as you'd like to, you can't stay this miserable forever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-to-let-yourself-be-loved-and-love-at-some-point-as-much-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the things that 'Too Bright' refers to is how there's a lot of times where I see things that I could change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/one-of-the-things-that-too-bright-refers-to-is-how-there-s-a-lot-of/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [“Happiness is not easy to find. It's very difficult to find it in yourself — and impossible to find anywhere else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/happiness-is-not-easy-to-find-it-s-very-difficult-to-find-it-in/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [If happiness were easy, everybody would feel it all the time, and it wouldn't seem like such an elusive prize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/if-happiness-were-easy-everybody-would-feel-it-all-the-time-and-it/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [It is a pity that happiness is not as easy to find as trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/it-is-a-pity-that-happiness-is-not-as-easy-to-find-as-trouble/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Happiness can be as easy as feeling good in your own skin. Relax about it all, its not such a big deal. Feel good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/happiness-can-be-as-easy-as-feeling-good-in-your-own-skin-relax-about/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Happiness is easy when we let go of that things that don't matter. :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-easy-when-we-let-go-of-that-things-that-don-t-matter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “\[T\]here is no way to measure the happiness of others, and it is always easy to call a situation that one would like to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/t-here-is-no-way-to-measure-the-happiness-of-others-and-it-is-always/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) ## More by Tituss Burgess > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Personally, I'm very private, so when my door is closed, it means I'm unavailable, and when it's open, it doesn't mean you can come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/personally-i-m-very-private-so-when-my-door-is-closed-it-means-i-m/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I've grown up watching and admiring Norm. Sherie actually starred in the first off-Broadway show I ever saw in New York, which was The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-ve-grown-up-watching-and-admiring-norm-sherie-actually-starred-in/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I fell asleep during 'The Dark Knight Rises.' I fell asleep during 'The Hunger Games,' all of them. I cannot stay awake. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-fell-asleep-during-the-dark-knight-rises-i-fell-asleep-during-the/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [You put it out there, you go film it, you go write it, you go record it... but the fans are the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/you-put-it-out-there-you-go-film-it-you-go-write-it-you-go-record-it/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [If I stayed in Florida, I would have a house and a dog and a partner. And, honestly, I was so bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/if-i-stayed-in-florida-i-would-have-a-house-and-a-dog-and-a-partner/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I don't go out much. I have people over, and I cook dinner, or we play the piano, or we watch TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-don-t-go-out-much-i-have-people-over-and-i-cook-dinner-or-we-play/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I am one of the lucky ones, to work with comic giants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-am-one-of-the-lucky-ones-to-work-with-comic-giants/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I feel like communication is the same whether you're cooking for someone or singing or writing a song or writing a play or ordering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-feel-like-communication-is-the-same-whether-you-re-cooking-for/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Outside stimulation makes me nervous!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/outside-stimulation-makes-me-nervous/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I do not like attention. Oddly enough, I do everything I can to avoid it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-do-not-like-attention-oddly-enough-i-do-everything-i-can-to-avoid-it/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I don't enjoy attention as much as people may think I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-don-t-enjoy-attention-as-much-as-people-may-think-i-do/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I'm praying for healing for our nation. For retaliation that yields constructive results. Peaceful protests. We need each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-m-praying-for-healing-for-our-nation-for-retaliation-that-yields/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I pinch myself every night when I hear the overture starting. I'm so overwhelmed by the whole process, and humbled and giddy all at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-pinch-myself-every-night-when-i-hear-the-overture-starting-i-m-so/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I'm a walking contradiction on so many levels. I'm gay, black, and a Christian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-m-a-walking-contradiction-on-so-many-levels-i-m-gay-black-and-a/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) [Explore all 100 Tituss Burgess quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [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've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People have to work to maintain happiness. 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