Quote of the day by Frank Sinatra: 'If you possess something but you can't give it away, then you don't possess it ... it possesses you' ; lessons on pitfalls of materialism from American music icon

Owning something tangible is always a delight, but it doubtless has its pitfalls. When we become too emotionally attached to the idea of owning something, the fear of losing it consumes us. Years ago, American singer-actor Frank Sinatra warned about the pitfalls of getting too obsessed with our possessions. By being willing to give a possession away, we prove that our self-worth and peace of mind are securely independent of external wealth.

Quote Of The Day By Frank Sinatra

Sinatra once stated: “If you possess something but you can't give it away, then you don't possess it ... it possesses you.”

Deeper Meaning Behind The Quote

The quote warns people against getting too emotionally invested with our possessions. True ownership is liberated from scarcity mentality and has a more objective and dispassionate view of materialistic belongings. By willingly surrendering what we value, we break the illusion that external things define us.

Relevance Of Sinatra’s Wisdom

Sinatra’s words can serve as a reality check in today’s culture of hyper consumerism. Being told to hustle and focusing on accumulating more - be it wealth or social clout often leads to negative impact on psychological health as we seek validation from owning things and attach our identity and self worth with our belongings.

Who Was Frank Sinatra?

One of the most influential pop icons of the 20th century, Frank Sinatra was born to Italian immigrants and began his career in the swing era. In 1946, Sinatra made his debut album The Voice Of Frank Sinatra. In the 50s, he had several records with Capitol Records before he found his own recording company Reprise Records in 1960. He released several successful albums such as It Might As Well Be Swing, September Of My Years, Sinatra At The Sands etc.

Sinatra is one of the most successful pop artists in history having sold over 150 million records. He also enjoyed a highly-successful career as a leading man in Hollywood. Some of his notable films include Guys & Dolls, High Society, Pal Joey.