Art begins when a man, with a purpose of communicating to other people a feeling he once experienced, calls it up again within himself and expresses it by certain external signs.
Leo TolstoyRead
Just imagine that the purpose of life is happinesss only- _x000D_ then life becomes a cruel and senseless thing.You have to embrace what the wisdom of humanity,your intellect and your heart tell you: that the meaning of life is to serve the force that sent you into the world.Then life becomes a joy
Interpretation
What this quote means
True happiness comes from serving a greater purpose rather than solely seeking personal joy.
In this quote, Tolstoy suggests that if we view happiness as the sole purpose of life, we risk perceiving life as meaningless when we inevitably face hardships. Instead, he argues that our lives gain depth and joy when we recognize our duty to serve a higher purpose and contribute positively to the world, finding fulfillment through our actions and service rather than mere personal gratification.
Themes
HappinessPurposeServiceWisdomLife
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a motivational speech about finding meaning in one's work and contributions to society.
More from Leo Tolstoy
All quotes →Pierre looked into the sky, into the depths of the retreating, twinkling stars. "And all this is mine, and all this is in me, and all this is me!" thought Pierre. "And all this they've caught and put in a shed and boarded it up!
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People try to do all sorts of clever and difficult things to improve life instead of doing the simplest, easiest thing-refusing to participate in activities that make life bad.
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It's too easy to criticize a man when he's out of favour, and to make him shoulder the blame for everybody else's mistakes.
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Music is the shorthand of emotion. Emotions, which let themselves be described in words with such difficulty, are directly conveyed to man in music, and in that is its power and significance.
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A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor — such is my idea of happiness.
Leo TolstoyRead
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