David Brooks Quotes

Happiness in the ordinary sense is not what one needs in life, though one is right to aim at it. The true satisfaction is to come through, and see those whom one lives come through.

Success itself doesn't give you happiness. It's what you do with your success that gives you happiness.

Success has nothing to do with happiness.

Success and happiness are not destinations, they are exciting, never-ending journeys.

Success isn't what makes you happy. It really isn't. Success is doing what makes you happy and doing good work and hopefully having a fruitful life. If I've felt like I've done good work, that makes me happy. The success part of it is all gravy.

Personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a checklist of acquisition. Your qualifications are not your life.

I think success is about purpose. People ask about success at different points in your life. As I look back, I think people that are successful feel good about what they are doing, and they can look back at what they've done and they feel good about it. People sometimes ask about success and they say, "What's your legacy?" and I say, "I think it's really a dumb question." I think the question is: What am I doing now? Do I feel good about myself? Am I proud of myself? Whatever purpose there is in life, I think success is about purpose. It's not about material things.

Happiness not only needs no justification, but it is also the only final test of whether what I am doing is right for me. Only of course happiness is not the same as pleasure; it includes the pain of losing as well as the pleasure of finding.

Success doesn't necessarily mean happiness.

If you equate happiness with success, you will never achieve the amount of success necessary to make you happy.

I usually say the aim of life is to be happy. Our existence is based on hope. Our life is rooted in the opportunity to be happy, not necessarily wealthy, but happy within our own minds. If we only indulge in sensory pleasure, we'll be little different from animals. In fact, we have this marvellous brain and intelligence; we must learn to use it.

At the end of our life our questions are simple: Did I live fully? Did I love well?

You have to stick to what you love and purse that at all costs. Don't choose money first; it won't make you happy.

Monetary success is not success. Career success is not success. Life, someone that loves you, giving to others, doing something that makes you feel complete and full. That is success. And it isn't dependent on anyone else.

You only have one life and if you're not doing what you love, what's the point?

Those who make happiness the chief objective of life are bound to fail, for happiness is a by-product rather than an end in itself.

I don't think you are truly successful unless you are a happy person and are happy with your life. I know many people who are professionally successful but miserable.

I had fame and wealth and things that are supposed to make you happy, but I wasn't happy, because there's no importance on having a fulfilling life. So in my mid-40s, that was my pursuit - making films that interested me, films that I would like to go see.

Lasting happiness comes from steadily working to accomplish your goals and advancing in the direction of your life's purpose.

Let us waste no further time looking for the secret of success or the key to happiness. Already the door is open and whosoever will, may enter.

The standard of success in life isn't the things. It isn't the money or the stuff. It is absolutely the amount of joy that you feel.

happiness has always seemed to me a great achievement.

There can never be success without happiness, and no man can be happy without dispensing happiness to others.

Money will never make you happy if you are an unhappy person.

Happiness is the joy we feel striving after our potential.