--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you think that people should be nice…" description: "\"If you think that people should be nice to one another, then by all means be nice. But when you project that belief onto the people and the world aroun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/adyashanti-1169_being-nice_if-you-think-that-people-should-be-nice_2063259.png" --- # If you think that people should be nice to one another… ![“If you think that people should be nice to one another, then by all means be nice. But when you project that belief onto the people and the world around you as if it were an objective reality, or worse still, as if it were their job to be nice to you, you put yourself at odds with what is, and…” quote by Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/adyashanti-1169_being-nice_if-you-think-that-people-should-be-nice_2063259.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/adyashanti-1169_being-nice_if-you-think-that-people-should-be-nice_2063259.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/adyashanti-1169_being-nice_if-you-think-that-people-should-be-nice_2063259.png) > “If you think that people should be nice to one another, then by all means be nice. But when you project that belief onto the people and the world around you as if it were an objective reality, or worse still, as if it were their job to be nice to you, you put yourself at odds with what is, and suffering will surely follow.” [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treat kindness as a personal choice, not an expectation of others, to avoid disappointment and suffering. **In simple terms:** Kindness should be given freely, not demanded. Key Takeaway Choose compassion without entitlement. Themes kindness expectations reality Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - workplace - social interactions - personal growth Key Concepts mindfulness interpersonal dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Do you expect kindness from others? - How can you practice kindness without expectation? A Different Perspective Assuming others must be nice can lead to resentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-nice/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Belief People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-people-331632/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Job Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-nice-556491/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Objective reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objective-reality/) [Odds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odds/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-nice/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Think People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Do your job well, because it will give you a nice record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yellow/do-your-job-well-because-it-will-give-you-a-nice-record/) [Yellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yellow/) > [I think that I'm doing my job, and it's nice to be recognized, but I also know that a lot of the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/i-think-that-i-m-doing-my-job-and-it-s-nice-to-be-recognized-but-i/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [The suit-and-tie job is very nice, but it's not really who I am in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-becker/the-suit-and-tie-job-is-very-nice-but-it-s-not-really-who-i-am-in-my/) [Boris Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-becker/) > [Better to just be real. Show up and do your job and be a nice person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-rohm/better-to-just-be-real-show-up-and-do-your-job-and-be-a-nice-person/) [Elisabeth Rohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-rohm/) > [At the end of the day, it's up to me to get the job done but it's always nice to have someone to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ragan/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-s-up-to-me-to-get-the-job-done-but-it-s/) [David Ragan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ragan/) > [The weight of the world isn't on their shoulders as much in Canada as opposed to America. Americans' perception of it is, "Oh, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-kinane/the-weight-of-the-world-isn-t-on-their-shoulders-as-much-in-canada-as/) [Kyle Kinane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-kinane/) > [I'm older than I was, and I'm still washed-up, and I haven't changed my music one iota. It's just much easier to do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-folds/i-m-older-than-i-was-and-i-m-still-washed-up-and-i-haven-t-changed-my/) [Ben Folds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-folds/) > [People should be nice to you, Leonard. You're a human being. You should expect people to be nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/people-should-be-nice-to-you-leonard-you-re-a-human-being-you-should/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great. To many people, being nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the-2/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Make 2012 the year that you were nice.. because people don't like not nice people.. so be nice.. all the time!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/make-2012-the-year-that-you-were-nice-because-people-don-t-like-not/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) > [You know what i can't understand? You have all these people telling you all the time how great you are, smart and funny and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/you-know-what-i-can-t-understand-you-have-all-these-people-telling/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [I think sometimes people forget how to be nice to people. I try not to let it get to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlyne-yi/i-think-sometimes-people-forget-how-to-be-nice-to-people-i-try-not-to/) [Charlyne Yi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlyne-yi/) > [“If you know yourself and don’t have a belief that other people are better than you, then you simply can’t feel jealous or threatened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-hogue/if-you-know-yourself-and-don-t-have-a-belief-that-other-people-are/) [Roberto Hogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-hogue/) > [“There can be no possible belief that these people were inspired by any consuming zeal to vindicate God’s law against miscegenationists of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells-barnett/there-can-be-no-possible-belief-that-these-people-were-inspired-by/) [Ida B. Wells-Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells-barnett/) ## More by Adyashanti > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [This moment in which you experience stillness is every moment. Don't let the mind seduce you into the past or future. Stay in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/this-moment-in-which-you-experience-stillness-is-every-moment-don-t/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [When you rest deeply in the Unknown without trying to escape, your experience becomes very vast. As the experience of the Unknown deepens, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/when-you-rest-deeply-in-the-unknown-without-trying-to-escape-your/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Embrace suffering, and you transform your relationship with what causes you to suffer, as well as your relationship with suffering itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/embrace-suffering-and-you-transform-your-relationship-with-what/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [What is really important you can't understand with your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/what-is-really-important-you-can-t-understand-with-your-mind/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [What would happen if you were to allow everything to be exactly as it is? If you gave up the need for control, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/what-would-happen-if-you-were-to-allow-everything-to-be-exactly-as-it/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Inherent in the impulse to be free, is insecurity. The impulse to be free comes from outside of the mind, and because of this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/inherent-in-the-impulse-to-be-free-is-insecurity-the-impulse-to-be/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [You can't lose what you serve. That's the secret. What you serve, you can't lose. What you don't serve and what you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/you-can-t-lose-what-you-serve-that-s-the-secret-what-you-serve-you/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [It is not the pursuit of greater and greater states of happiness and bliss that leads to enlightenment, but the yearning for Reality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/it-is-not-the-pursuit-of-greater-and-greater-states-of-happiness-and/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Suffering is how Life tells you that you are resisting or misperceiving what is real and true. It is the way Life suggests that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/suffering-is-how-life-tells-you-that-you-are-resisting-or/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Real meditation is not about mastering a technique; it's about letting go of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/real-meditation-is-not-about-mastering-a-technique-it-s-about-letting/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [When emptiness is still, that is eternity. When it moves, that is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/when-emptiness-is-still-that-is-eternity-when-it-moves-that-is-love/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [You are an incredible mystery that you will never figure out. To be this mystery consciously is the greatest joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/you-are-an-incredible-mystery-that-you-will-never-figure-out-to-be/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Life sustains itself. Let go of the ego and life takes care of itself through you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/life-sustains-itself-let-go-of-the-ego-and-life-takes-care-of-itself/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [One doesn't stay in a state of nirvana by hiding from difficulties. You stay in nirvana by lavishing nirvana on everyone you meet, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/one-doesn-t-stay-in-a-state-of-nirvana-by-hiding-from-difficulties/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) [Explore all 279 Adyashanti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) ## More Being nice quotes > [Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. It would be nice if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/business-school-graduates-from-the-best-schools-earn-large-salaries/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [I think there's a lot of scope in broadening the way videogames approach depictions of masculinity, which is still extremely narrow in scope. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-druckmann/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-scope-in-broadening-the-way-videogames/) [Neil Druckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-druckmann/) > [He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?” She sighed. “I suppose.” “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-put-his-arms-around-her-well-in-my-defense-then-whatever-i-did/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Somewhere where people aren't so mad would be nice, but I don't know if there is anywhere like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/somewhere-where-people-aren-t-so-mad-would-be-nice-but-i-don-t-know/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Most of the people I know who were raised to be accommodating or were raised to just be nice and put everybody's needs ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-were-raised-to-be-accommodating-or-were/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When we are nice to others, we generally lose all claim to their respect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/when-we-are-nice-to-others-we-generally-lose-all-claim-to-their/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Being nice from now on, leaving the old BS where it's at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-from-now-on-leaving-the-old-bs-where-it-s-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can see that I imagine all kinds of rejection that never happens. I can see that I beg and plead for love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/i-can-see-that-i-imagine-all-kinds-of-rejection-that-never-happens-i/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [I think music is better listened to with other people. Music is better shared. It depends what situation you're in - if it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-odell/i-think-music-is-better-listened-to-with-other-people-music-is-better/) [Tom Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-odell/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great. To many people, being nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the-2/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [Give me a mirror.Or holy water. I'll drink it,even!" I gasped as someone threw water on the side of my face. "A little warning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/give-me-a-mirror-or-holy-water-i-ll-drink-it-even-i-gasped-as-someone/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [What inspired me as a child is the same thing that inspires me now: being nice. I always try to one up everybody with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joell-ortiz/what-inspired-me-as-a-child-is-the-same-thing-that-inspires-me-now/) [Joell Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joell-ortiz/) > [My ex-wife was trying to be nice once, so she took me to a concert in Los Angeles. I went with her to Symphony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/my-ex-wife-was-trying-to-be-nice-once-so-she-took-me-to-a-concert-in/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) [Browse all 659 Being nice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-nice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you think that people should be nice to one another, then by all means be nice. 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