--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When one does not have what one wants…" description: "\"When one does not have what one wants, one must want what one has”: “I have had, you see, to resort more and more to very small, almost invisible pleas..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/witold-gombrowicz-4922_details_when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-on_598670.jpg" --- # When one does not have what one wants, one must want what… ![“When one does not have what one wants, one must want what one has”: “I have had, you see, to resort more and more to very small, almost invisible pleasures, little extras. You've no idea how great one becomes with these little details, it's incredible how one grows.” quote by Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/witold-gombrowicz-4922_details_when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-on_598670.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/witold-gombrowicz-4922_details_when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-on_598670.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/witold-gombrowicz-4922_details_when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-on_598670.jpg) > “When one does not have what one wants, one must want what one has”: “I have had, you see, to resort more and more to very small, almost invisible pleasures, little extras. You've no idea how great one becomes with these little details, it's incredible how one grows.” [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When lacking desired things, find satisfaction in small, often unnoticed pleasures that enrich life. **In simple terms:** Find joy in small things. Key Takeaway Appreciate tiny joys. Themes contentment gratitude adaptation Mood reflective optimistic Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - daily routine - stressful periods - resource scarcity Key Concepts mindfulness hedonism Questions to Reflect On - What small pleasure brightens your day? - Can gratitude for little things improve resilience? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on small pleasures may distract from larger goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasures/) [Resorts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resorts/) ## Related quotes > [When one does not have what one wants, one must want what one has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-one-must-want-what-one-has/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“A man is nothing more than the things he does to get what he wants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-ackerman/a-man-is-nothing-more-than-the-things-he-does-to-get-what-he-wants/) Hal Ackerman > [He does what he wants, and I don’t ask,” he said. “He could bring a six-foot tall pink rabbit in a bikini back home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/he-does-what-he-wants-and-i-don-t-ask-he-said-he-could-bring-a-six/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Isn't a man someone who doesn't care about what others think? A man does whatever he wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jungkook/isn-t-a-man-someone-who-doesn-t-care-about-what-others-think-a-man/) [Jungkook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jungkook/) > [A gentleman is someone who does not what he wants to do, but what he should do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/a-gentleman-is-someone-who-does-not-what-he-wants-to-do-but-what-he/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“But does he see everything, or only what he wants to be seeing? This is always one of the great questions of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/but-does-he-see-everything-or-only-what-he-wants-to-be-seeing-this-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Love does whatever it does, whenever it wants to do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camile-souza/love-does-whatever-it-does-whenever-it-wants-to-do-it/) Camile Souza > [Jazz does what it wants to, and so does The Wu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/jazz-does-what-it-wants-to-and-so-does-the-wu/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [God does whatever He wants, whenever He wants, and does not need anyone to tell Him how to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mly-ab/god-does-whatever-he-wants-whenever-he-wants-and-does-not-need-anyone/) MlY AB > [The UFC does what it wants. That's just how it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/the-ufc-does-what-it-wants-that-s-just-how-it-is/) [Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/) > [You want what you want and they want what they want, but God does what He wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/you-want-what-you-want-and-they-want-what-they-want-but-god-does-what/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [He seems like a man who knows what he wants, and the problem is he wants what I want. If it were anything or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/he-seems-like-a-man-who-knows-what-he-wants-and-the-problem-is-he/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [Don't worry about who wants me. I want you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-worry-about-who-wants-me-i-want-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be true to yourself. But that's something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/be-true-to-yourself-but-that-s-something-everyone-says-and-no-one/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [“He wants you. I want you. I can’t walk away from you, Amy, and I have this sense that you could bolt at any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-renee-jones/he-wants-you-i-want-you-i-can-t-walk-away-from-you-amy-and-i-have/) [Lisa Renee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-renee-jones/) ## More by Witold Gombrowicz > [“If you were to stare at this box of matches, you could extract entire worlds out of it. If you search for tastes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/if-you-were-to-stare-at-this-box-of-matches-you-could-extract-entire/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [“My literature must remain that which it is. Especially that something which does not fit into politics and does not want to serve it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/my-literature-must-remain-that-which-it-is-especially-that-something/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [“Joey, it's high time, dear child. What will people say? If you don't want to be a doctor, at least be a womanizer, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/joey-it-s-high-time-dear-child-what-will-people-say-if-you-don-t-want/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [“Why, my man is created from the outside, that is, he is inauthentic in essence- he is always not-himself, because he is determined by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/why-my-man-is-created-from-the-outside-that-is-he-is-inauthentic-in/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [You, oh mature ones, keep company solely with other mature ones, and your maturity is so mature that it can only chum up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/you-oh-mature-ones-keep-company-solely-with-other-mature-ones-and/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [“Average intelligence loves blinders, which facilitate an even trot; but a brisker and livelier intelligence desires uncertainty, risk, a play of more deceptive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/average-intelligence-loves-blinders-which-facilitate-an-even-trot-but/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [The difference between western and eastern intellectuals is that the former have not been kicked in the ass enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/the-difference-between-western-and-eastern-intellectuals-is-that-the/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [“Many a beauty in her own room behaves repulsively till one splits one's sides.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/many-a-beauty-in-her-own-room-behaves-repulsively-till-one-splits-one/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [Wherever I see some mystique, be it virtue or family, faith or fatherland, there I must commit some indecent act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/wherever-i-see-some-mystique-be-it-virtue-or-family-faith-or/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [“Cóż wy wiecie o triumfie, który pozwala rozkoszować się własną niedojrzałością i jest jednocześnie jej wyswobodzeniem i przezwyciężeniem?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/c-wy-wiecie-o-triumfie-kt-ry-pozwala-rozkoszowa-si-w-asn-niedojrza-o/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [“(…) jest naiwnością mniemanie, jakoby zachwyt nasz wobec dzieła sztuki z nas samych pochodził: że zachwyt ten w sporej mierze nie rodzi się z…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/jest-naiwno-ci-mniemanie-jakoby-zachwyt-nasz-wobec-dzie-a-sztuki-z/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [“Wielka Poezja będąc wielką i będąc poezją nie może nie zachwycać nas, a więc zachwyca!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/wielka-poezja-b-d-c-wielk-i-b-d-c-poezj-nie-mo-e-nie-zachwyca-nas-a/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [Don't be fooled by your own wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/don-t-be-fooled-by-your-own-wisdom/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [I am reading Sienkiewicz. What tormenting reading. What a powerful genius! And there never was such a first-rate writer of the second-rate class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/i-am-reading-sienkiewicz-what-tormenting-reading-what-a-powerful/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [“Wednesday Wind and spindles of clouds crowding the peaks from the south. A lone chicken pecks away on the lawn… To be a concrete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/wednesday-wind-and-spindles-of-clouds-crowding-the-peaks-from-the/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) [Explore all 69 Witold Gombrowicz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) ## More Details quotes > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [The exact details of how you practice value investing will vary investor to investor, but the fundamental principle of scouring the world, looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-tilson/the-exact-details-of-how-you-practice-value-investing-will-vary/) [Whitney Tilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-tilson/) > [The more I trust you, the less details I need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-i-trust-you-the-less-details-i-need/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [The first track is the end of a string. At the far end, a being is moving; a mystery, dropping a hint about itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brown-jr/the-first-track-is-the-end-of-a-string-at-the-far-end-a-being-is/) [Tom Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brown-jr/) > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Our thoughts are either focused on what's eternal, life-changing, and true, or lost in the details of our temporary, selfish, false beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/our-thoughts-are-either-focused-on-what-s-eternal-life-changing-and/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [Just because someone thinks they remember something in detail, with confidence and with emotion, does not mean that it actually happened, .. False memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-loftus/just-because-someone-thinks-they-remember-something-in-detail-with/) [Elizabeth Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-loftus/) > [The Science Delusion is the belief that science already understands the nature of reality in principle leaving only the details to be filled in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/the-science-delusion-is-the-belief-that-science-already-understands/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [It takes a little more time to get into the role, but not very much more. In making a record you don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/it-takes-a-little-more-time-to-get-into-the-role-but-not-very-much/) [Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/) > [We're still working out the details, but I'd be delighted to do the film. The problem at the moment is my busy schedule. Shooting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhang-ziyi/we-re-still-working-out-the-details-but-i-d-be-delighted-to-do-the/) [Zhang Ziyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhang-ziyi/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [I get worked up over an 'idea' or the ethos of an idea. I follow dreams, take notes on travels, and engage in research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-waldman/i-get-worked-up-over-an-idea-or-the-ethos-of-an-idea-i-follow-dreams/) [Anne Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-waldman/) > [We don't always know the details of our future. We do not know what lies ahead. We live in a time of uncertainty. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-don-t-always-know-the-details-of-our-future-we-do-not-know-what/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) Browse all 2,442 Details quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When one does not have what one wants, one must want what one has”: “I have had, you see, to resort more and more to very small, almost invisible pleasures, little extras. You've no idea how great one becomes with these little details, it's incredible how one grows.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Witold Gombrowicz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-one-must-want-what-one-has-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Details" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-one-must-want-what-one-has-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/witold-gombrowicz-4922_details_when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-on_598670.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/witold-gombrowicz-4922_details_when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-on_598670.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/witold-gombrowicz-4922_details_when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-on_598670.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When one does not have what one wants, one must want what one has”: “I have had, you see, to resort more and…” — Witold Gombrowicz", "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": "Witold Gombrowicz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When one does not have what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-one-must-want-what-one-has-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/when-one-does-not-have-what-one-wants-one-must-want-what-one-has-i/#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 } } ] } ```