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George Bernard Shaw was right. He summed it all up when he said: "The secret of being miserable is to have the leisure to bother about whether you are happy or not." So don't bother to think about it! Spit on your hands and get busy. Your blood will start circulating; your mind will start ticking-and pretty soon this whole positive upsurge of life in your body will drive worry from your mind. Get busy. Keep busy. It's the cheapest kind of medicine there is on this earth-and one of the best.
Dale Carnegie
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Focusing too much on happiness can lead to misery; instead, staying busy is a remedy.

The quote emphasizes that overthinking one's happiness can lead to dissatisfaction and unhappiness. By engaging in activity and keeping oneself busy, one can shift focus away from worry and cultivate a positive state of mind. Dale Carnegie highlights that productivity is a natural antidote to the anxieties of life, suggesting that action brings about a sense of fulfillment and joy.

Themes

HappinessBusyProductivityWorryMindset

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about overcoming anxiety and stress.

More from Dale Carnegie

When I asked him -Mr.Henry Ford- if he ever worried, he replied: "No. I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe that every-thing will work out for the best in the end. So what is there to worry about?
Dale CarnegieRead
Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.
Dale CarnegieRead
By talking to yourself about the things you have to be grateful for you can fill your mind with thoughts that soar and sing.
Dale CarnegieRead
It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.
Dale CarnegieRead
I can look back at my own life and see where a few words of praise have sharply changed my entire future. Can't you say the same thing about your life?
Dale CarnegieRead
Instead of worrying about what people say of you, why not spend time trying to accomplish something they will admire.
Dale CarnegieRead

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