"Man is fond of counting his troubles, but he does not count his joys. If he counted them up as he ought to, he would see that every lot has enough happiness provided for it"
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
About this Quote
This quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky speaks to the concept that humans tend to focus on the unfavorable elements of life, rather than the positive. We typically dwell on our troubles and hardships, and forget to appreciate the joys that life has to provide. Dostoevsky suggests that if we take the time to count our happiness, we will understand that life has supplied us with adequate joy. He motivates us to take an action back and recognize the good in our lives, instead of fixating on the bad. This quote acts as a pointer that life has lots of both pleasure and sadness, and that it is essential to put in the time to value the excellent moments. It is a tip that even in the darkest of times, there is still beauty to be discovered.
"The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom"
