--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The happiest people are those who think…" description: "\"The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/william-lyon-phelps-11602_books_the-happiest-people-are-those-who-think_2832469.jpg" --- # The happiest people are those who think the most… ![“The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. And they are not only happy in themselves…” quote by William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/william-lyon-phelps-11602_books_the-happiest-people-are-those-who-think_2832469.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/william-lyon-phelps-11602_books_the-happiest-people-are-those-who-think_2832469.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/william-lyon-phelps-11602_books_the-happiest-people-are-those-who-think_2832469.jpg) > “The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. And they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others.” [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thinking interesting thoughts and enjoying culture leads to personal and shared happiness. **In simple terms:** Cultivate thoughtful leisure. Key Takeaway Pursue enriching activities. Themes happiness culture intellectual growth Mood joyful inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - social gatherings - education Key Concepts music literature art conversation Questions to Reflect On - What thoughts enrich you? - How to share joy? A Different Perspective Leisure can become escapism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Good book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-book/) [Good company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-company/) [Happiest people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiest-people/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good plays, good company,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/those-who-decide-to-use-leisure-as-a-means-of-mental-development-who/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [“Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willaim-lyon-phelps/those-who-decide-to-use-leisure-as-a-means-of-mental-development-who-2/) Willaim Lyon Phelps > [Conversation in its happiest development is a link, equally exquisite and adequate, between mind and mind, a system by which men approach one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/conversation-in-its-happiest-development-is-a-link-equally-exquisite/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [The happiest people in this world are those who have the most interesting thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/the-happiest-people-in-this-world-are-those-who-have-the-most/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [If I am doing nothing, I like to be doing nothing to some purpose. That is what leisure means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/if-i-am-doing-nothing-i-like-to-be-doing-nothing-to-some-purpose-that/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Leisure requires the evidence of our own feelings, because it is not so much a quality of time as a peculiar state of mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-lee/leisure-requires-the-evidence-of-our-own-feelings-because-it-is-not/) [Vernon Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-lee/) > [Leisure only means a chance to do other jobs that demand attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/leisure-only-means-a-chance-to-do-other-jobs-that-demand-attention/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [What being at leisure means is more easily felt than defined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-lee/what-being-at-leisure-means-is-more-easily-felt-than-defined/) [Vernon Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-lee/) > [“Both for society as well as for the individual there is a gulf between merely living and living worthily. In order that one may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar-2/both-for-society-as-well-as-for-the-individual-there-is-a-gulf/) [B.R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar-2/) > [The early ascendancy of leisure as a means of reputability is traceable to the archaic distinction between noble and ignoble employments. Leisure is honourable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/the-early-ascendancy-of-leisure-as-a-means-of-reputability-is/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [“The happiest people in the world are those who make others happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/the-happiest-people-in-the-world-are-those-who-make-others-happy/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Research shows that the happiest people are those who use their natural talents to the utmost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/research-shows-that-the-happiest-people-are-those-who-use-their/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [The happiest people in the world are those who feel absolutely terrific about themselves, and this is the natural outgrowth of accepting total responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-happiest-people-in-the-world-are-those-who-feel-absolutely/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The happiest people among us are those who can sleep when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-sufyan-ibn-harb/the-happiest-people-among-us-are-those-who-can-sleep-when-they-want-to/) [Abu Sufyan ibn Harb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abu-sufyan-ibn-harb/) > [It may sound too good to be true, but once you've seen the happiest people in your life who have nothing, you really start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/it-may-sound-too-good-to-be-true-but-once-you-ve-seen-the-happiest/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) ## More by William Lyon Phelps > [In the whole story of Jesus Christ, the most important event is the resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/in-the-whole-story-of-jesus-christ-the-most-important-event-is-the/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [I do not know how wicked American millionaires are, but as I travel about and see the results of their generosity in the form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/i-do-not-know-how-wicked-american-millionaires-are-but-as-i-travel/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [There is never much trouble in any family where the children hope someday to resemble their parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/there-is-never-much-trouble-in-any-family-where-the-children-hope/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Honesty is not necessarily the best policy. The best policy would be to acquire a reputation for honesty and then to cheat at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/honesty-is-not-necessarily-the-best-policy-the-best-policy-would-be/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Why is it so many people are afraid to admit they are happy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/why-is-it-so-many-people-are-afraid-to-admit-they-are-happy/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good plays, good company,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/those-who-decide-to-use-leisure-as-a-means-of-mental-development-who/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Two persons who love each other are in a place more holy than the interior of a church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/two-persons-who-love-each-other-are-in-a-place-more-holy-than-the/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Whenever it is in any way possible, every boy and girl should choose as his life work some occupation which he should like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/whenever-it-is-in-any-way-possible-every-boy-and-girl-should-choose/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [The kind of happiness that stays with you is the happiness that springs from inward thoughts and emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/the-kind-of-happiness-that-stays-with-you-is-the-happiness-that/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Never try to outsmart a woman, unless you are another woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/never-try-to-outsmart-a-woman-unless-you-are-another-woman/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [You can learn more about human nature by reading the Bible than by living in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/you-can-learn-more-about-human-nature-by-reading-the-bible-than-by/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Herein lies the real value of education. Advanced education may or may not make men and women more efficient; but it enriches personality, increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/herein-lies-the-real-value-of-education-advanced-education-may-or-may/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [The happiest people in this world are those who have the most interesting thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/the-happiest-people-in-this-world-are-those-who-have-the-most/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [The principle of happiness should be like the principle of virtue: it should not be dependent of things, but be a part of personality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/the-principle-of-happiness-should-be-like-the-principle-of-virtue-it/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [Why is it that so many people are afraid to admit they are happy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/why-is-it-that-so-many-people-are-afraid-to-admit-they-are-happy/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) [Explore all 59 William Lyon Phelps quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [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/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. 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