I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
My motto is: Contented with little, yet wishing for more.
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834) British Essayist, Poet
There is a sense in which a man looking at the present in the light of the future, and taking his whole being into account, may be contented with his lot: that is Christian contentment.—But if a man has come to that point where he is so content that he says, “I do not want to know any more, or do any more, or be any more,” he is in a state in which he ought to be changed into a mummy!—Of all hideous things a mummy is the most hideous; and of mummies, the most hideous are those that are running about the streets and talking.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
On the occasions when I have pondered over men’s various activities, the dangers and worries they are exposed to at court or at war, from which so many quarrels, passions, risky, often ill-conceived actions and so on are born, I have often said that man’s unhappiness springs from one thing alone, his incapacity to stay quietly in one room. A man wealthy enough for life’s needs would never leave home to go to sea or beseige some fortress if he knew how to stay at home and enjoy it…
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Since we cannot get what we like, let us like what we can get.
—Spanish Proverb
True contentment is a thing as active as agriculture. It is the power of getting out of any situation all that there is in it. It is arduous and it is rare.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Contentment preserves one from catching cold. Has a woman who knew that she was well dressed ever caught a cold? No, not even when she had scarcely a rag on her back.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
My God, give me neither poverty nor riches, but whatsoever it may be thy will to give, give me, with it, a heart that knows humbly to acquiesce in what is thy will.
—Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729–81) German Writer, Philosopher
People are never free of trying to be content.
—Murray Bookchin (1921–2006) Social Ecologist, Anarchist, Trade-Union Organizer
That happy state of mind, so rarely possessed, in which we can say, “I have enough,” is the highest attainment of philosophy. Happiness consists, not in possessing much, but in being content with what we possess. He who wants little always has enough.
—Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann (1728–1795) Swiss Philosophical Writer, Naturalist, Physician
One should be either sad or joyful. Contentment is a warm sty for eaters and sleepers.
—Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953) American Playwright
The noblest mind the best contentent has.
—Edmund Spenser (1552–99) English Poet
Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.
—Unknown
The greatest wealth is to live content with little, for there is never want where the mind is satisfied.
—Lucretius (c.99–55 BCE) Roman Epicurean Poet, Philosopher
Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
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
He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
He that is well paid is well satisfied.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Contentment gives a crown, where fortune hath denied it.
—John M. Ford (1957–2006) American Novelist, Writer, Poet
To be content with life—or to live merrily, rather—all that is required is that we bestow on all things only a fleeting, superficial glance; the more thoughtful we become the more earnest we grow.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won’t have to hunt for happiness.
—William Ewart Gladstone (1809–98) English Liberal Statesman, Prime Minister
When we cannot find contentment in ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
The most valuable things in life are not measured in monetary terms. The really important things are not houses and lands, stocks and bonds, automobiles and real state, but friendships, trust, confidence, empathy, mercy, love and faith.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Who is wise? He that learns from everyone. Who is powerful? He that governs his passions. Who is rich? He who is content. Who is that? Nobody.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Great is he who enjoys his earthenware as if it were plate, and not less great is the man to whom all his plate is no more than earthenware.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
What makes us discontented with our condition is the absurdly exaggerated idea we have of the happiness of others.
—French Proverb
One who is contented with what he has done will never become famous for what he will do.—He has lain down to die, and the grass is already growing over him.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
Learn to be pleased with everything; with wealth, so far as it makes us beneficial to others; with poverty, for not having much to care for; and with obscurity, for being unenvied.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
I don’t want to own anything that won’t fit into my coffin.
—Fred Allen (1894–1956) American Humorist, Radio Personality
Let thy discontents be thy secrets; if the world knows them ’twill despise thee and increase them.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
To be upset over what you don’t have is to waste what you do have.
—Ken Keyes Jr. (1921–95) American Personal Growth Author
The fountain of content must spring up in the mind; and he who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition, will waste his life in fruitless efforts, and multiply the griefs which he proposes to remove.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
If you are but content you have enough to live upon with comfort.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
That blessed mood in which the burthen of the mystery, in which the heavy and the weary weight of all this unintelligible world is lightened.
—William Wordsworth (1770–1850) English Poet
I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (b.1935) Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader, Civil Rights Leader, Philosopher, Author
You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?
—Steven Wright (b.1955) American Comedian, Actor, Writer
Let us believe neither half of the good people tell us of ourselves, nor half the evil they say of others.
—Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1792–1870) Swiss Poet
I am always content with what happens; for I know that what God chooses is better than what I choose.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Intelligent discontent is the mainspring of civilization.
—Eugene V. Debs (1855–1926) American Socialist, Union Leader
A man can do only what he can do. But if he does that each day he can sleep at night and do it again the next day.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Musician, Philosopher, Physician
If the book is good, is about something that you know, and is truly written, and reading it over you see that this is so, you can let the boys yip and the noise will have that pleasant sound coyotes make on a very cold night when they are out in the snow and you are in your own cabin that you have built or paid for with your work.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
A sound mind in a sound body, is a short, but full description of a happy state in this World: he that has these two, has little more to wish for; and he that wants either of them, will be little the better for anything else.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
There’s naught, no doubt, so much the spirit calms as rum and true religion.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
To feel that one has a place in life solves half the problem of contentment.
—George Edward Woodberry (1855–1930) American Literary Critic, Poet
The great menace to the life of an industry is industrial self-complacency.
—David Sarnoff (1891–1972) American Broadcaster, Businessman
Yes, there is a Nirvanah; it is in leading your sheep to a green pasture, and in putting your child to sleep, and in writing the last line of your poem.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world; and if, in the present life, his happiness arises from the subduing of his desires, it will arise in the next from the gratification of them.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
When you can think of yesterday without regret and tomorrow without fear, you are near contentment.
—Unknown