If you desire to be rich, do not add to your money, but subtract from your desire. — Plutarch
—What lingers after this line?
Happiness and Contentment
This quote highlights that true happiness comes not from accumulating wealth but from being content with what one has. Reducing excessive desires leads to a more fulfilled and peaceful life.
Philosophical Perspective on Wealth
Plutarch, as a philosopher, offers a perspective that challenges materialism. The pursuit of wealth does not guarantee happiness, but tempering one's desires can bring a sense of abundance.
Minimalism
The idea of subtracting desires aligns with modern minimalist philosophies, which emphasize that owning less and wanting less leads to greater freedom and joy.
Inner Wealth
This quote encourages shifting focus from external riches to inner riches, such as self-control, gratitude, and the cultivation of virtues, which are more lasting and fulfilling than material possessions.
Practical Wisdom
Plutarch's words serve as practical advice, reminding individuals to rethink their pursuit of wealth. By controlling desires, one can avoid the stress and dissatisfaction often associated with chasing material gains.
Historical Relevance
Plutarch, a Greek philosopher and historian, lived during the 1st century AD. His works often dealt with moral and ethical questions, reflecting his belief in the importance of moderation and the dangers of excess.
Recommended Reading
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
One-minute reflection
What does this quote ask you to notice today?
Related Quotes
6 selectedThe greatest wealth is to live content with little. — Plato
Plato
This quote highlights the importance of finding contentment and happiness in simplicity rather than material possessions. It suggests that true wealth comes from a satisfied mind and spirit.
Read full interpretation →Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. — Epictetus
Epictetus
Epictetus reframes the concept of wealth from accumulation to contentment. Rather than measuring riches by outward abundance, he suggests true wealth lies in one's ability to limit desires.
Read full interpretation →Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. — Epictetus
Epictetus
Epictetus, a prominent Stoic philosopher, reframes the idea of wealth from material accumulation to internal contentment. In his *Discourses* (c.
Read full interpretation →You cannot command things, but you can command yourself. — Michael D. Pollock
Michael D. Pollock
At first glance, Michael D. Pollock’s line draws a sharp boundary between the outer world and the inner one.
Read full interpretation →Control your perceptions. Direct your actions properly. Willingly accept what is outside your control. — Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday
At its core, Ryan Holiday’s line condenses Stoicism into three practical commands: govern your mind, guide your behavior, and accept reality as it arrives. Rather than promising comfort, this framework offers steadiness.
Read full interpretation →It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow. — Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin’s remark turns self-control into a matter of timing. Rather than warning only against excess, he suggests that the earliest moment of temptation is the easiest and most decisive place to act.
Read full interpretation →More From Author
More from Plutarch →Rest is the sweet sauce of labor. — Plutarch
At first glance, Plutarch’s line turns work and rest into a simple culinary image: labor is the meal, and rest is the sauce that makes it satisfying. The point is not that work alone is noble or that rest alone is pleasu...
Read full interpretation →Character is simply habit long continued. — Plutarch
Plutarch’s remark compresses a large truth into a few words: character is not usually formed in a single dramatic moment, but through repeated behavior that hardens into identity. In that sense, what we do regularly matt...
Read full interpretation →I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better. — Plutarch
Plutarch dismisses the kind of “friend” who merely mirrors another person’s moods, opinions, and gestures. If companionship is reduced to automatic affirmation, it offers no more value than a shadow—always present, alway...
Read full interpretation →Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little. — Plutarch
Plutarch’s observation turns our attention away from dramatic victories and toward the slow power of sustained effort. Violence promises immediacy—an abrupt breaking of resistance—yet it often meets counterforce, hardeni...
Read full interpretation →