Happiness Quotes: TAoL's Best Quotes on Being Happy

by Arthur Worsley
M.A. Psychology, Oxford. McKinsey Alum. Founder & Editor at TAoL.

Looking for the best happiness quotes of all time?

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Here's what you'll find on this page...

Contents

1. My TOP 40 Happiness Quotes

2. Want More Inspirational Quotes?

3. Wish There Was a Faster/Easier Way?

My TOP 40 Happiness Quotes

These happiness quotes come from The Art of Living's growing central library of thoughts, anecdotes, notes, and inspirational quotes.

Here are my top 40 happiness quotes of all time...

1. "Happiness is a mental habit, a mental attitude, and if it is not learned and practiced in the present it is never experienced. It cannot be made contingent upon solving some external problem. When one problem is solved, another appears to take its place. Life is a series of problems. If you are to be happy at all, you must be happy – period! Not happy “because of”." - Maxwell Maltz

Maxwell Maltz: Happiness is a mental habit, a mental attitude, and if it is not learned and practiced in the present it is never experienced. It cannot be made contingent upon solving some external problem. When one problem is solved, another appears to take its place. Life is a series of problems. If you are to be happy at all, you must be happy – period! Not happy “because of”.

"Happiness is a mental habit, a mental attitude, and if it is not learned and practiced in the present it is never experienced. It cannot be made contingent upon solving some external problem. When one problem is solved, another appears to take its place. Life is a series of problems. If you are to be happy at all, you must be happy – period! Not happy “because of”."

- Maxwell Maltz, Psycho-Cybernetics

Maxwell Maltz was an American cosmetic surgeon and author of the best-selling and highly influential Psycho-Cybernetics (1960).

Psycho-Cybernetics Summary - Maxwell Maltz

2. "Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing." - Napoleon Hill

"Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing."

- Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

Napoleon Hill was an American self-help author. He is best known for his book Think and Grow Rich (1937), which is among the 10 best-selling self-help books of all time.

Think and Grow Rich Summary – Napoleon Hill

3. "Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate." - Norman Vincent Peale

"Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate."

- Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking

Norman Vincent Peale was an American minister and author best known for his writing on positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book The Power of Positive Thinking.

The Power of Positive Thinking Summary - Norman Vincent Peale

4. "The way to happiness: Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect little, give much. Scatter sunshine, forget self, think of others. Try this for a week and you will be surprised." - Norman Vincent Peale

"The way to happiness: Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect little, give much. Scatter sunshine, forget self, think of others. Try this for a week and you will be surprised."

- Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking

Norman Vincent Peale was an American minister and author best known for his writing on positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book The Power of Positive Thinking.

The Power of Positive Thinking Summary - Norman Vincent Peale

5. "Fully 85 percent of your happiness in life will come from happy relationships with other people, especially those closest to you, as well as the members of your family. The critical determinant of the quality of your relationships is the amount of time that you spend face-to-face with the people you love, and who love you in return." - Brian Tracy

"Fully 85 percent of your happiness in life will come from happy relationships with other people, especially those closest to you, as well as the members of your family. The critical determinant of the quality of your relationships is the amount of time that you spend face-to-face with the people you love, and who love you in return."

- Brian Tracy, Eat That Frog!

Brian Tracy is a Canadian-American motivational public speaker and self-development author who has written more than eighty self help books.

Eat That Frog Summary - Brian Tracy

6. "The ability to concentrate single-mindedly on your most important task, to do it well and to finish it completely, is the key to great success, achievement, respect, status, and happiness in life." - Brian Tracy

"The ability to concentrate single-mindedly on your most important task, to do it well and to finish it completely, is the key to great success, achievement, respect, status, and happiness in life."

- Brian Tracy, Eat That Frog!

Brian Tracy is a Canadian-American motivational public speaker and self-development author who has written more than eighty self help books.

Eat That Frog Summary - Brian Tracy

7. "The happiness of those who want to be popular depends on others; the happiness of those who seek pleasure fluctuates with moods outside their control; but the happiness of the wise grows out of their own free acts." - Marcus Aurelius

"The happiness of those who want to be popular depends on others; the happiness of those who seek pleasure fluctuates with moods outside their control; but the happiness of the wise grows out of their own free acts."

- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Marcus Aurelius 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was a Roman emperor from 161 to 180, a Stoic philosopher and the last of the rulers known as the Five Good Emperors.

Meditations Summary - Marcus Aurelius

8. "The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts." - Marcus Aurelius

"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."

- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Marcus Aurelius 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was a Roman emperor from 161 to 180, a Stoic philosopher and the last of the rulers known as the Five Good Emperors.

Meditations Summary - Marcus Aurelius

9. "If you take your happiness and put it in someone’s hands, sooner or later, they are going to break it." - Miguel Ruiz

"If you take your happiness and put it in someone’s hands, sooner or later, they are going to break it."

- Miguel Ruiz, The Mastery of Love

Miguel Ruiz is a Mexican author of Toltec spiritualist and neoshamanistic texts.

The Mastery of Love Summary – Miguel Ruiz

10. "Love is not about concepts; love is about action. Love in action can only produce happiness. Fear in action can only produce suffering." - Miguel Ruiz

"Love is not about concepts; love is about action. Love in action can only produce happiness. Fear in action can only produce suffering."

- Miguel Ruiz, The Mastery of Love

Miguel Ruiz is a Mexican author of Toltec spiritualist and neoshamanistic texts.

The Mastery of Love Summary – Miguel Ruiz

11. "Basing our happiness on our ability to control everything is futile. While we do control our choice of action, we cannot control the consequences of our choices." - Stephen Covey

"Basing our happiness on our ability to control everything is futile. While we do control our choice of action, we cannot control the consequences of our choices."

- Stephen Covey, First Things First

Stephen Covey (October 24, 1932 – July 16, 2012) was an American educator, author, businessman, and keynote speaker. His most popular book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

First Things First Summary - Stephen Covey

12. "The opposite of love is indifference, and the opposite of happiness is boredom." - Tim Ferriss

"The opposite of love is indifference, and the opposite of happiness is boredom."

- Tim Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek

Tim Ferriss is an American entrepreneur, investor, author, podcaster, and lifestyle guru who became well-known through his "4-Hour" self-help book series beginning with the The 4 Hour Workweek.

The 4-Hour Workweek Summary – Tim Ferriss

13. "To become a happy person have a clean soul, eyes that see romance in the commonplace, a child’s heart, and spiritual simplicity." - Norman Vincent Peale

"To become a happy person have a clean soul, eyes that see romance in the commonplace, a child’s heart, and spiritual simplicity."

- Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking

Norman Vincent Peale was an American minister and author best known for his writing on positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book The Power of Positive Thinking.

The Power of Positive Thinking Summary - Norman Vincent Peale

14. "When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don’t have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy. You can be satisfied anytime your system is running." - James Clear

"When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don’t have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy. You can be satisfied anytime your system is running."

- James Clear

James Clear is a writer, who specialises in habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement, and the author of the international best-seller, Atomic Habits.

15. "A weak man is not as happy as that same man would be if he were strong. This reality is offensive to some people who would like the intellectual or spiritual to take precedence. It is instructive to see what happens to these very people as their squat strength goes up." - Mark Rippetoe

"A weak man is not as happy as that same man would be if he were strong. This reality is offensive to some people who would like the intellectual or spiritual to take precedence. It is instructive to see what happens to these very people as their squat strength goes up."

- Mark Rippetoe, Starting Strength

Mark Rippetoe is an American strength training coach and author best known for his book Starting Strength.

Starting Strength Summary - Mark Rippetoe

16. "We can change the way that we think about external events, even where we cannot change them. And we can do something more. We can intelligently change our exposure to events that make us either happy or unhappy." - Richard Koch

Richard Koch: We can change the way that we think about external events, even where we cannot change them. And we can do something more. We can intelligently change our exposure to events that make us either happy or unhappy.

"We can change the way that we think about external events, even where we cannot change them. And we can do something more. We can intelligently change our exposure to events that make us either happy or unhappy."

- Richard Koch, The 80/20 Principle

Richard Koch is a British management consultant, venture capital investor and author of books on management, marketing and lifestyle (see e.g., The 80/20 Principle Summary)

The 80/20 Principle Summary - Richard Koch

17. "Let's not allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. Remember "Life is too short to be little"." - Dale Carnegie

"Let's not allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. Remember "Life is too short to be little"."

- Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Dale Carnegie was an American writer and lecturer and a developer of courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living Summary – Dale Carnegie

18. "Let's never try to get even with our enemies, because if we do we will hurt ourselves far more than we hurt them. Let's do as General Eisenhower does: let's never waste a minute thinking about people we don't like." - Dale Carnegie

"Let's never try to get even with our enemies, because if we do we will hurt ourselves far more than we hurt them. Let's do as General Eisenhower does: let's never waste a minute thinking about people we don't like."

- Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Dale Carnegie was an American writer and lecturer and a developer of courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living Summary – Dale Carnegie

19. "A good deed is one that brings a smile of joy to the face of another. Why will doing a good deed every day produce such astounding efforts on the doer? Because trying to please others will cause us to stop thinking of ourselves: the very thing that produces worry and fear and melancholia." - Dale Carnegie

"A good deed is one that brings a smile of joy to the face of another. Why will doing a good deed every day produce such astounding efforts on the doer? Because trying to please others will cause us to stop thinking of ourselves: the very thing that produces worry and fear and melancholia."

- Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Dale Carnegie was an American writer and lecturer and a developer of courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living Summary – Dale Carnegie

20. "You can choose to think in ways that will support you in your happiness and success instead of ways that don’t." - T. Harv Eker

"You can choose to think in ways that will support you in your happiness and success instead of ways that don’t."

- T. Harv Eker, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind

T. Harv Eker (born June 10, 1954) is an author, businessman and motivational speaker known for his theories on wealth and motivation and his book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind Summary - T. Harv Eker

21. "If you are willing to do only what’s easy, life will be hard. But if you are willing to do what’s hard, life will be easy." - T. Harv Eker

"If you are willing to do only what’s easy, life will be hard. But if you are willing to do what’s hard, life will be easy."

- T. Harv Eker, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind

T. Harv Eker (born June 10, 1954) is an author, businessman and motivational speaker known for his theories on wealth and motivation and his book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind Summary - T. Harv Eker

22. "Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions." - Dalai Lama XIV

"Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions."

- Dalai Lama XIV

Dalai Lama XIV is the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lama, a practicing member of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and is influential as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the world's most famous Buddhist monk, and the leader of the exiled Tibetan government in India.

23. "No matter what happens, always be yourself... Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." - Dale Carnegie

"No matter what happens, always be yourself... Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."

- Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Dale Carnegie was an American writer and lecturer and a developer of courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living Summary – Dale Carnegie

24. "Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas; they are in your own backyard, if you but dig for them." - Russell H. Conwell

"Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas; they are in your own backyard, if you but dig for them."

- Russell H. Conwell, Acres of Diamonds

Russell H. Conwell was an American Baptist minister, lawyer, and writer best known for founding Temple University and his inspirational lecture, Acres of Diamonds.

Acres of Diamonds Summary - Russell H. Conwell

25. "If someone is not treating you with love and respect, it is a gift if they walk away from you. If that person doesn't walk away, you will surely endure many years of suffering with him or her. Walking away may hurt for a while, but your heart will eventually heal. Then you can choose what you really want. You will find that you don't need to trust others as much as you need to trust yourself to make the right choices." - Miguel Ruiz

"If someone is not treating you with love and respect, it is a gift if they walk away from you. If that person doesn't walk away, you will surely endure many years of suffering with him or her. Walking away may hurt for a while, but your heart will eventually heal. Then you can choose what you really want. You will find that you don't need to trust others as much as you need to trust yourself to make the right choices."

- Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements

Miguel Ruiz is a Mexican author of Toltec spiritualist and neoshamanistic texts.

The Four Agreements Summary – Don Miguel Ruiz

26. "Don’t aim at success – the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it." - Viktor E. Frankl

"Don’t aim at success – the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it."

- Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor E. Frankl (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor best known for his book Man's Search for Meaning.

Man's Search for Meaning Summary - Viktor Frankl

27. "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way... It is this spiritual freedom – which cannot be taken away – that makes life meaningful and purposeful." - Viktor E. Frankl

"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way... It is this spiritual freedom – which cannot be taken away – that makes life meaningful and purposeful."

- Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor E. Frankl (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor best known for his book Man's Search for Meaning.

Man's Search for Meaning Summary - Viktor Frankl

28. "Live as if you were living already for the second time and as if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now!" - Viktor E. Frankl

"Live as if you were living already for the second time and as if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now!"

- Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor E. Frankl (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor best known for his book Man's Search for Meaning.

Man's Search for Meaning Summary - Viktor Frankl

29. "We can discover the meaning of life in three different ways: (1) by creating a work or doing a deed; (2) by experiencing something or encountering someone; and (3) by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering." - Viktor E. Frankl

"We can discover the meaning of life in three different ways: (1) by creating a work or doing a deed; (2) by experiencing something or encountering someone; and (3) by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering."

- Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor E. Frankl (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor best known for his book Man's Search for Meaning.

Man's Search for Meaning Summary - Viktor Frankl

30. "The pessimist resembles a man who observes with fear and sadness that his wall calendar, from which he daily tears a sheet, grows thinner with each passing day. On the other hand, the person who attacks the problems of life actively is like a man who removes each successive leaf from his calendar and files it neatly and carefully away with its predecessors, after first having jotted down a few diary notes on the back." - Viktor E. Frankl

"The pessimist resembles a man who observes with fear and sadness that his wall calendar, from which he daily tears a sheet, grows thinner with each passing day. On the other hand, the person who attacks the problems of life actively is like a man who removes each successive leaf from his calendar and files it neatly and carefully away with its predecessors, after first having jotted down a few diary notes on the back."

- Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor E. Frankl (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor best known for his book Man's Search for Meaning.

Man's Search for Meaning Summary - Viktor Frankl