Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come.
—Chinese Proverb
Power is the ability to do good things for others.
—Brooke Astor (1902–2007) American Philanthropist, Writer
Look up and not down, look forward and not back, look out and not in, and lend a hand!
—Edward Everett Hale (1822–1909) American Unitarian Clergyman, Writer
The more we take the welfare of others to heart and work for their benefit, the more benefit we derive for ourselves. This is a fact that we can see.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (b.1935) Tibetan Buddhist Leader, Civil Rights Advocate, Author
Nothing liberates our greatness like the desire to help, the desire to serve.
—Marianne Williamson (b.1952) American Activist, Author, Lecturer
Seldom can the heart be lonely, If it seeks a lonelier still; Self-forgetting, seeking only Emptier cups of love to fill.
—Frances Ridley Havergal (1836–79) English Anglican Poet, Hymn Writer
Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
It is one of the beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another, without helping himself.
—Gamaliel Bailey (1807–59) American Journalist
No man is more cheated than the selfish man.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Philosopher, Musician, Physician
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
—Emily Dickinson (1830–86) American Poet
No man can live happily who regards himself alone, who turns everything to his own advantage. Thou must live for another if thou wishest to live for thyself.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
The most exquisite pleasure is giving pleasure to others.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
The most important of my discoveries have been suggested to me by my failures.
—Humphry Davy (1778–1829) British Chemist, Science Propagandist
When you give of your possessions, you give but little; it is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-American Philosopher, Poet, Sculptor
A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives you roses.
—Chinese Proverb
You cannot always have happiness, but you can always give happiness.
—Unknown
Do not free a camel of the burden of his hump; you may be freeing him from being a camel.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy…. Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture … Do not build obstacles in your imagination … Do not be awestruck by other people and try to copy them. Nobody can be you as efficiently as you can.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
Combinations of wickedness would overwhelm the world, by the advantage which licentious principles afford, did not those who have long practised perfidy grow faithless to each other.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, “What’s in it for me?”
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
The habit of being uniformly considerate toward others will bring increased happiness to you.
—Grenville Kleiser (1868–1935) Canadian Author
The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.
—Mae Maloo
There is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving.
—Henry Drummond
We must learn to help those who deserve it, not just those who need it. Life responds to deserve not need.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
—John Wesley (1703–91) British Methodist Leader, Preacher, Theologian
Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people.
—George H. W. Bush (1924–2018) American Republican Statesman, 41st President
If all our happiness is bound up entirely in our personal circumstances, it is difficult not to demand of life more than it has to give.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Give me the ready hand rather than the ready tongue.
—Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807–82) Italian Revolutionary, Soldier, Politician
If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.
—Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919) English Novelist, Biographer
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