Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get.

The saying draws a sharp line between external achievement and internal contentment. “Success” is framed as attainment—reaching a desired outcome—while “happiness” is framed as a shift in desire itself: embracing and valuing what one already has. The second clause implies that well-being depends less on circumstances than on attitude, gratitude, and the ability to align expectations with reality. It also suggests a critique of endless striving: getting what you want can be fleeting if wanting simply moves on to the next object, whereas wanting what you get cultivates stability and satisfaction. In that sense, the quote functions as a compact philosophy of contentment over acquisition.