"Learn not only to find what you like, learn to like what you find"
About this Quote
The intent is practical, almost behavioral. If you can train your attention, you can change your experience of the same external world. The subtext pushes against the modern fetish for perfect alignment - the right job, right city, right partner, right vibe. D'Angelo implies that happiness isn't only a scavenger hunt for ideal conditions; it's also an internal skill, a kind of emotional literacy. That can sound suspiciously like "settle", but the wording avoids resignation. "Learn" suggests effort, repetition, and growth, not surrender. It's closer to resilience than complacency.
Context matters: coming from a contemporary motivational author, the quote sits in the ecosystem of late-20th-century self-improvement, where control is framed as mindset. The line works because it names a tension people live with daily: we don't always get to choose our circumstances, but we do get to practice how we metabolize them. It's aspirational without being utopian, and slightly challenging without sounding punitive - a neat rhetorical balance that makes it sticky.
Quote Details
| Topic | Contentment |
|---|---|
| Source | Later attribution: What Every First-Year Teacher Should Know First (Bob Pierce, Chris Pierce, 2008) modern compilationISBN: 9780595473373 · ID: yCEBqKBmoikC
Evidence:
... you while a “bad news” kid regularly brings a smile to your face. Go figure human nature! “Learn not only to find what you like, learn to like what you find.” Anthony J. D'Angelo Be Proud to be a Teacher Over a century ago 100. |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
D'Angelo, Anthony J. (2026, February 12). Learn not only to find what you like, learn to like what you find. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/learn-not-only-to-find-what-you-like-learn-to-97784/
Chicago Style
D'Angelo, Anthony J. "Learn not only to find what you like, learn to like what you find." FixQuotes. February 12, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/learn-not-only-to-find-what-you-like-learn-to-97784/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Learn not only to find what you like, learn to like what you find." FixQuotes, 12 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/learn-not-only-to-find-what-you-like-learn-to-97784/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.






