The rest of the quote goes "Somebody once said — if you took all the money in the world, divided it up equally among everybody, it would soon all be back in the same pockets. Success is something you attract, not something you pursue. So instead of going after it — you work on yourself. Because true happines is not contained in what you get. Happiness is contained in what you become."

I’ve found this to be true in many areas of life, including relationships, work, and personal fulfillment. If I find myself with an incredible partner but haven’t grown into the kind of person who can nurture that connection, it likely won’t last. The same goes for money—if I were gifted a million dollars without the mindset and understanding how to manage it, that wealth would soon disappear. Growth isn’t just about gaining more; it’s about developing the capacity to maintain and build upon it, and then it comes.

Disclaimer

Growth isn’t just about acquiring more—whether that’s money, or external validation, but could be as simple (or complex) as learning to listen to ourselves. It’s about expanding our capacity to sustain what truly matters. Some may define it in wealth and accomplishments, while others find it in inner peace, creative expression, or simply living in sync with their natural rhythms.

To rest when we need to, to eat when we’re hungry, to filter out distractions, to engage in what genuinely fulfills us rather than what the world insists is productive. The ability to live with intention, to cultivate a life that feels aligned is perhaps the greatest success of all. After all, one could argue—what good is achievement if we’re disconnected from ourselves in the process? Happines is contained in what you become.