"The greatest happiness is to transform one's feelings into action"
- Madame de Stael
About this Quote
This quote by Madame de Stael talks to the power of acting in order to achieve joy. It suggests that the greatest joy comes from changing one's sensations into action. This could mean acting to deal with an issue or to pursue a goal. It could also indicate doing something about it to express one's sensations, such as through art or writing. In either case, the concept is that doing something about it is the key to accomplishing joy.
The quote also implies that joy is not something that can be accomplished passively. It requires effort and action. It is inadequate to simply feel happy; one need to do something about it in order to make that feeling a reality. This could mean taking actions to improve one's life, such as setting goals and working towards them. It might likewise indicate taking actions to reveal oneself, such as through imaginative pursuits.
Ultimately, this quote encourages us to do something about it in order to accomplish joy. It recommends that the best happiness comes from changing one's feelings into action. Taking action is the essential to attaining joy, and it depends on us to make that occur.
"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"
