Success vs. Happiness - W. P. Kinsella

Copy link
1 min read
Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get. — W. P. Kinsella
Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get. — W. P. Kinsella

Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get. — W. P. Kinsella

What lingers after this line?

Definition of Success

This quote illustrates that success is about achieving your goals and desires. It implies a pursuit and attainment of specific objectives that you have set for yourself.

Concept of Happiness

Happiness, on the other hand, is described as being content with what you have. It focuses on appreciating and valuing your current circumstances and possessions.

Distinction Between Success and Happiness

The quote draws a clear distinction between the external achievements (success) and internal satisfaction (happiness). It suggests that one can achieve success without finding true happiness.

Interrelationship of Success and Happiness

It implies that true fulfillment comes not only from achieving your goals but also from finding joy in those achievements. Happiness is portrayed as the peaceful acceptance and enjoyment of what life has provided, whether or not it aligns with original desires.

Philosophical Perspective

From a philosophical standpoint, the quote touches on the themes of desire and contentment. It encourages an introspective look at one's life to understand that contentment can often be a more sustainable and enduring state than the continuous pursuit of success.

W. P. Kinsella’s Background

W. P. Kinsella, a Canadian author known for his books about baseball and Native American culture, often explored themes of desire, fulfillment, and the human condition in his writings. This quote reflects his literary focus on what it means to lead a meaningful life.

Recommended Reading

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

One-minute reflection

What feeling does this quote bring up for you?

Related Quotes

6 selected

The secret of happiness is not always doing what you want, but always wanting what you do. - Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy

This quote redefines happiness as a state of contentment that comes from cultivating a positive attitude toward one's actions rather than always striving to do exactly what one desires.

Read full interpretation →

The secret of happiness is not always doing what you want, but always wanting what you do. - Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy

This quote emphasizes the importance of finding contentment and acceptance in one's current circumstances. Happiness is derived not from always pursuing desires but from valuing and appreciating what one is already engag...

Read full interpretation →

The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less. — Socrates

Socrates

At its heart, this saying turns ordinary ambition upside down. Rather than locating happiness in constant acquisition, it suggests that peace comes from training the mind to take genuine pleasure in what is already prese...

Read full interpretation →

It is in no man's power to have whatever he wants, but he has it in his power not to wish for what he hasn't got, and cheerfully make the most of the things that do come his way. — Epictetus

Epictetus

Epictetus begins with a sober truth: no one can command reality to supply every desire. Fortune, health, status, and even the actions of other people remain only partly within our reach.

Read full interpretation →

Happiness is what's there when you remove the sense that something is missing in your life. — Naval Ravikant

Naval Ravikant

Naval Ravikant frames happiness as what remains once a particular mental noise is turned off: the persistent feeling that life is incomplete. In this view, happiness isn’t primarily a prize earned by stacking achievement...

Read full interpretation →

The secret to happiness is: low expectations. — Zadie Smith

Zadie Smith

Zadie Smith’s line lands like a small insult to our motivational age: instead of “dream bigger,” she suggests “expect less.” Yet the provocation is purposeful. By calling low expectations a “secret,” she hints that happi...

Read full interpretation →

Explore Ideas

Explore Related Topics