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The happiness which we receive from ourselves is greater than that which we obtain from our surroundings. . . . The world in which a person lives shapes itself chiefly by the way in which he or she looks at it.
Arthur Schopenhauer
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Interpretation

What this quote means

True happiness comes from within rather than from external circumstances.

In this quote, Schopenhauer emphasizes that the internal perspective and self-acceptance of an individual ultimately dictate their happiness. While external factors can provide temporary joy, lasting happiness is cultivated through one's attitude and viewpoint towards life.

Themes

HappinessPerspectiveSelfInternalAttitude

In practice

Example use cases

During a motivational speech about self-acceptance.

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We can come to look upon the deaths of our enemies with as much regret as we feel for those of our friends, namely, when we miss their existence as witnesses to our success.
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We will gradually become indifferent to what goes on in the minds of other people when we acquire a knowledge of the superficial nature of their thoughts, the narrowness of their views and of the number of their errors. Whoever attaches a lot of value to the opinions of others pays them too much honor.
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Quote by Arthur Schopenhauer | QuoteProject