Prosperity depends more on wanting what you have than having what you want.

The saying reframes “prosperity” as a psychological and ethical condition rather than a purely material one. It suggests that well-being grows chiefly from appreciative desire—actively valuing and taking satisfaction in what one already possesses—more than from the endless pursuit of new acquisitions. The contrast between “wanting what you have” and “having what you want” implies that fulfillment is less about rearranging external circumstances than about disciplining appetite and attention. In this sense, the quote aligns with long traditions of moral philosophy and self-help that treat contentment, gratitude, and moderated desire as the foundations of a stable, durable prosperity.