Quotes about Possessions

Self-worth and net worth are not the same. Your value is not determined by your valuables, and God says the most valuable things in life are not things!

Many people are driven by materialism. Their desire to acquire becomes the whole goal of their lives. This drive to always want more is based on the misconceptions that having more will make me more happy, more important, and more secure, but all three ideas are untrue. Possessions only provide temporary happiness. Because things do not change, we eventually become bored with them and then want newer, bigger, better versions.

Kids ought to have two bicycles, one to ride and one to rent.

I shall conclude with a saying of Alponsus, surnamed the Wise, King of Aragon - that among so many things as are by men possessed or pursued in the course of their lives, all the rest are baubles, besides old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to converse with, and old books to read!

Today's wealthy are poor though they don't know it. They can't bring their possessions to where we're all going.

Hold material goods and wealth on a flat palm and not in a clenched fist.

The Tao teaches us to let go of things. Use the 80/20 rule. If you take all your clothes, you'll find out that you only wear 20 percent of them. Take what you have and don't use and circulate it. Give stuff to people who truly need it. After all, we come into this world with nothing; we leave this world with nothing.

Poverty wants some, luxury many, and avarice all things.

Don't you want to be free of all that? [33] 'But how can I do it?' You've often heard how — you need to suspend desire completely, and train aversion only on things within your power. You should dissociate yourself from everything outside yourself — the body, possessions, reputation, books, applause, as well as office or lack of office. Because a preference for any of them immediately makes you a slave, a subordinate, and prone to disappointment.

These reasonings have no logical connection: "I am richer than you, therefore I am your superior." "I am more eloquent than you, therefore I am your superior." The true logical connection is rather this: "I am richer than you, therefore my possessions must exceed yours." "I am more eloquent than you, therefore my style must surpass yours." But you, after all, consist neither in property nor in style.

Our possessions should be suited to our bodies and lives, just as our shoes are suited to our feet. Could you run better if your shoes were larger than your feet, or gold-plated and diamond studded? Of course not. Once you let your appetite exceed what is necessary and useful, desire knows no bounds.

It seems like a lot of people seek their peace in things. And most of us are not even satisfied with the things we have... we always want more.