--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While we desire, we do not enjoy; and…" description: "\"While we desire, we do not enjoy; and with enjoyment desire ceases.\" — William Hazlitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/william-hazlitt-326_cease_while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with_2234210.png" --- # While we desire, we do not enjoy; and with enjoyment… ![“While we desire, we do not enjoy; and with enjoyment desire ceases.” quote by William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/william-hazlitt-326_cease_while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with_2234210.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/william-hazlitt-326_cease_while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with_2234210.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/william-hazlitt-326_cease_while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with_2234210.png) > “While we desire, we do not enjoy; and with enjoyment desire ceases.” [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire and enjoyment are inversely related; when we achieve what we want, the desire fades. **In simple terms:** Getting what we want reduces the wanting. Key Takeaway Recognize that satisfaction may diminish desire. Themes desire enjoyment human nature Mood reflective philosophical Type advice reflection When to use this quote - personal goals - relationships - consumer behavior Key Concepts psychology motivation hedonic adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain enthusiasm after achieving a goal? - What new aspirations replace the old? A Different Perspective Desire can be renewed by new challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Ceases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-ceases-5038086/) [Desire Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-enjoy-3635424/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Enjoy Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy-enjoyment-789203/) [Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) [Enjoyment Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment-desire-5038087/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [I just try to enjoy myself because enjoyment comes first and foremost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianluigi-donnarumma/i-just-try-to-enjoy-myself-because-enjoyment-comes-first-and-foremost/) [Gianluigi Donnarumma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianluigi-donnarumma/) > [It is better to desire than to enjoy, to love than to be loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/it-is-better-to-desire-than-to-enjoy-to-love-than-to-be-loved/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [“If our desire is to enjoy and perhaps eventually transcend the Matrix, we must select with great circumspection the thoughts we wish to energize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/if-our-desire-is-to-enjoy-and-perhaps-eventually-transcend-the-matrix/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [The object of man's desire is not to enjoy once only, and for one instant of time; but to assure for ever, the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-object-of-man-s-desire-is-not-to-enjoy-once-only-and-for-one/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [To enjoy and give enjoyment, without injury to yourself or others; this is true morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-chamfort/to-enjoy-and-give-enjoyment-without-injury-to-yourself-or-others-this/) [Nicolas Chamfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-chamfort/) > [The whole period has taught me that I enjoy being part of an ensemble rather than just a front man. Don't get me wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-albarn/the-whole-period-has-taught-me-that-i-enjoy-being-part-of-an-ensemble/) [Damon Albarn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-albarn/) > [“Life's true gift is the capacity to enjoy enjoyment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/star-trek-the-next-generation/life-s-true-gift-is-the-capacity-to-enjoy-enjoyment/) [Star Trek The Next Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/star-trek-the-next-generation/) > [What puts you on the road is your desire to enjoy. What brings you home is being in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/what-puts-you-on-the-road-is-your-desire-to-enjoy-what-brings-you/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Our notions with respect to the importance of life, and our attachment to it, depend on a principle which has very little to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/our-notions-with-respect-to-the-importance-of-life-and-our-attachment/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Without life there can be no action — no objects of pursuit — no restless desires — no tormenting passions. Hence it is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/without-life-there-can-be-no-action-no-objects-of-pursuit-no-restless/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Grace in women has more effect than beauty. We sometimes see a certain fine self-possession, an habitual voluptuousness of character, which reposes on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/grace-in-women-has-more-effect-than-beauty-we-sometimes-see-a-certain/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-never-do-anything-well-till-we-cease-to-think-about-the-manner/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [In the name of Jerusalem. If I forget the extermination of the Jews, may my right hand wither, may my tongue stick to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menachem-begin/in-the-name-of-jerusalem-if-i-forget-the-extermination-of-the-jews/) [Menachem Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menachem-begin/) > [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by William Hazlitt > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-art-of-life-is-to-know-how-to-enjoy-a-little-and-to-endure-very/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for the motive than the quantum of favor received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-thankful-for-good-will-rather-than-for-services-for-the-motive/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The discussing the characters and foibles of common friends is a great sweetness and cement of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-discussing-the-characters-and-foibles-of-common-friends-is-a/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Want of principle is power. Truth and honesty set a limit to our efforts, which impudence and hypocrisy easily overleap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/want-of-principle-is-power-truth-and-honesty-set-a-limit-to-our/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Repose is as necessary in conversation as in a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/repose-is-as-necessary-in-conversation-as-in-a-picture/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [No act terminating in itself constitutes greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/no-act-terminating-in-itself-constitutes-greatness/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Vice is man's nature: virtue is a habit--or a mask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/vice-is-man-s-nature-virtue-is-a-habit-or-a-mask/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-never-do-anything-well-till-we-cease-to-think-about-the-manner/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/man-is-the-only-animal-that-laughs-and-weeps-for-he-is-the-only/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Those who have had none of the cares of this life to harass and disturb them, have been obliged to have recourse to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/those-who-have-had-none-of-the-cares-of-this-life-to-harass-and/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-despicable-but-takes-an/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are not satisfied to be right, unless we can prove others to be quite wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-not-satisfied-to-be-right-unless-we-can-prove-others-to-be/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The world judge of men by their ability in their profession, and we judge of ourselves by the same test: for it is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-world-judge-of-men-by-their-ability-in-their-profession-and-we/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The best part of our lives we pass in counting on what is to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-best-part-of-our-lives-we-pass-in-counting-on-what-is-to-come/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) [Explore all 671 William Hazlitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## More Cease quotes > [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In the name of Jerusalem. If I forget the extermination of the Jews, may my right hand wither, may my tongue stick to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menachem-begin/in-the-name-of-jerusalem-if-i-forget-the-extermination-of-the-jews/) [Menachem Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menachem-begin/) > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. Solitude will transmit the message better than the murmurs of crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-roerich/cease-speaking-of-enemies-when-an-achievement-can-kindle-a-great/) [Nicholas Roerich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-roerich/) > [Without a function, we cease to be. So, I will write till I die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-mowat/without-a-function-we-cease-to-be-so-i-will-write-till-i-die/) [Farley Mowat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-mowat/) > [We have won an armistice on a single battlefield, not peace in our world. We may not now relax our guard nor cease our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/we-have-won-an-armistice-on-a-single-battlefield-not-peace-in-our/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [My child, seek those things which make for peace. Cease to stir up the King against the Church, and urge upon him a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-child-seek-those-things-which-make-for-peace-cease-to-stir-up-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To write is to make oneself the echo of what cannot cease speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/to-write-is-to-make-oneself-the-echo-of-what-cannot-cease-speaking/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [When fear ceases to scare you, it cannot stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/when-fear-ceases-to-scare-you-it-cannot-stay/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [He who ceases to pray ceases to prosper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurney-benham/he-who-ceases-to-pray-ceases-to-prosper/) [William Gurney Benham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurney-benham/) > [For we must share, if we would keep, that blessing from above; ceasing to give, we cease to have; such is the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-chenevix-trench/for-we-must-share-if-we-would-keep-that-blessing-from-above-ceasing/) [Richard Chenevix Trench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-chenevix-trench/) > [When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-men-are-unhappy-they-do-not-imagine-they-can-ever-cease-to-be-so/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) [Browse all 1,358 Cease quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "While we desire, we do not enjoy; and with enjoyment desire ceases.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Hazlitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with-enjoyment-desire-ceases/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cease" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with-enjoyment-desire-ceases/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/william-hazlitt-326_cease_while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with_2234210.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/william-hazlitt-326_cease_while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with_2234210.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/236/william-hazlitt-326_cease_while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with_2234210.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“While we desire, we do not enjoy; and with enjoyment desire ceases.” — William Hazlitt", "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": "William Hazlitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "While we desire, we do not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with-enjoyment-desire-ceases/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/while-we-desire-we-do-not-enjoy-and-with-enjoyment-desire-ceases/#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 } } ] } ```