Moderation is the key to lasting enjoyment.
—Hosea Ballou (1771–1852) American Theologian
Enough is as good as a feast.
—Anonymous
We are very much what others think of us. The reception our observations meet with gives us courage to proceed, or damps our efforts.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Long only for what you have.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
He is not poor that hath not much, but he that craves much.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
He who is contented is rich.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Ask the gods nothing excessive.
—Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Playwright
Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation, and is thus a source of civilized delight
—William Safire (1929–2009) American Columnist, Journalist, Author, Speechwriter
It is not customary to love what one has.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
A little praise goes a great ways.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
When I’m not thank’d at all, I’m thank’d enough. I’ve done my duty, and I’ve done no more.
—Henry Fielding (1707–54) English Novelist, Dramatist
Greed lessens what is gathered.
—Arabic Proverb
To be able to dispense with good things is tantamount to possessing them.
—Jean-Francois Regnard (1655–1709) French Dramatist
Whatever are the benefits of fortune, they yet require a palate fit to relish and taste them.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
The greedy man is incontinent with a whole world set before him.
—Sa’Di (Musharrif Od-Din Muslih Od-Din) (c.1213–91) Persian Poet
It is with certain good qualities as with the senses; those who have them not can neither appreciate nor comprehend them in others.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
The covetous man is always poor.
—Claudian (c.370–c.404 CE) Roman Poet
When we cannot get what we love, we must love what is within our reach.
—French Proverb
The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Scarcity creates value.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
Whoever is not in his coffin and the dark grave, let him know he has enough.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
There is a serious defect in the thinking of someone who wants—more than anything else—to become rich. As long as they don’t have the money, it’ll seem like a worthwhile goal. Once they do, they’ll understand how important other things are—and have always been.
—Anita Loos (1888–1981) American Actor, Novelist, Screenwriter
He has enough who is contented with little.
—Unknown
If only every man would make proper use of his strength and do his utmost, he need never regret his limited ability.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
We are no longer happy so soon as we wish to be happier.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Nothing in excess.
—Indian Proverb
You may fail to shine in the opinion of others, both in your conversation and actions, from being superior, as well as inferior, to them.
—George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (1746–1816) British Nobleman, Politician
No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.
—Unknown
Ignorant men don’t know what good they hold in their hands until they’ve flung it away.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Seeds of discouragement will not grow in the thankful heart.
—Anonymous
When a nation gives birth to a man who is able to produce a great thought, another is born who is able to understand and admire it.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
Our desires always increase with our possessions. The knowledge that something remains yet unenjoyed impairs our enjoyment of the good before us.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
What is the proper limit for wealth? It is, first, to have what is necessary; and, second, to have what is enough.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
A work of real merit finds favor at last.
—Amos Bronson Alcott (1799–1888) American Teacher, Writer, Philosopher
That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Double, no triple, our troubles and we’d still be better off than any other people on earth. It is time that we recognized that ours was, in truth, a noble cause.
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.
—Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907–72) American Jewish Rabbi
The aim of life is appreciation; there is no sense in not appreciating things; and there is no sense in having more of them if you have less appreciation of them.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
The true way to gain much, is never to desire to gain too much. He is not rich that possesses much, but he that covets no more; and he is not poor that enjoys little, but he that wants too much.
—Francis Beaumont (1584–1616) English Dramatist
There must be more to life than having everything.
—Maurice Sendak (1928–2012) American Illustrator, Writer of Children’s Books
Greed’s worst point is its ingratitude.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
The greatest wealth is contentment with a little.
—Unknown
Agur said, “Give me neither poverty nor riches”; and this will ever be the prayer of the wise. Our incomes should be like our shoes: if too small, they will gall and pinch us, but if too large, they will cause us to stumble and to trip. But wealth, after all, is a relative thing, since he that has little, and wants less, is richer than he that has much, but wants more. True contentment depends not upon what we have; a tub was large enough for Diogenes, but a world was too little for Alexander.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Few love what they may have.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Praise, like gold and diamonds, owes its value only to its scarcity. It becomes cheap as it becomes vulgar, and will no longer raise expectation or animate enterprise.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
If one should give me a dish of sand, and tell me there were particles of iron in it, I might look for them with my eyes, and search for them with my clumsy fingers, and be unable to detect them; but let me take a magnet and sweep through it; and how would it draw to itself the almost invisible particles by the mere power of attraction! The unthinkful heart, like my finger in the sand, discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day, and as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
I would rather be able to appreciate things I can not have than to have things I am not able to appreciate.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
I knew I had no lyrical quality, a small vocabulary, little gift of metaphor. The original and striking simile never occurred to me. Poetic flights… were beyond my powers. On the other hand, I had an acute power of observation, and it seemed to me that I could see a great many things that other people missed. I could put down in clear terms what I saw… I knew that I should never write as well as I could wish, but I thought, with pains, that I could arrive at writing as well as my natural defects allowed.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright