--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot make somebody love something…" description: "\"“You cannot make somebody love something. They must have love in their heart first.”\" — Alexander McCall Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alexander-mccall-smith-372_body-love_you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something_3217488.png" --- # You cannot make somebody love something. They must have… ![“You cannot make somebody love something. They must have love in their heart first.” quote by Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alexander-mccall-smith-372_body-love_you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something_3217488.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alexander-mccall-smith-372_body-love_you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something_3217488.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alexander-mccall-smith-372_body-love_you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something_3217488.png) > ““You cannot make somebody love something. They must have love in their heart first.”” [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love cannot be forced; it must arise from genuine feeling within a person before it can be shared. **In simple terms:** Love must be felt first. Key Takeaway Cultivate authentic connections before seeking love. Themes love authenticity relationships empathy volition Mood thoughtful empathetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - dating - friendship building - family counseling - personal growth Key Concepts psychology human motivation emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What inner qualities foster love? - How can you nurture love in yourself? A Different Perspective People may misinterpret this as dismissing effort in relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [You can't make somebody love you, no matter what you do to yourself. You can get implants, you can get all these procedures, thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-ballas/you-can-t-make-somebody-love-you-no-matter-what-you-do-to-yourself/) [Shirley Ballas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-ballas/) > [You can't make somebody love you, but you can show them what they're missing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-make-somebody-love-you-but-you-can-show-them-what-they-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/sometimes-you-have-to-watch-somebody-love-something-before-you-can/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [You don't have to be perfect to let somebody love you. Remember, being yourself is the best way to make somebody fall in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-have-to-be-perfect-to-let-somebody-love-you-remember-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't have to be the best to make somebody love you...always remember that being simple is the most perfect way to make someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rbuendia/you-don-t-have-to-be-the-best-to-make-somebody-love-you-always/) [RBuendia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rbuendia/) > [“You can not force somebody to love you. The heart should follow you by itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enayat/you-can-not-force-somebody-to-love-you-the-heart-should-follow-you-by/) Enayat > [STOP putting your guard up just let somebody love you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-putting-your-guard-up-just-let-somebody-love-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Somebody love me here ? PLzzz >.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imynatot/somebody-love-me-here-plzzz/) IMynatot > [You Don't Have to Be Perfect To Let Somebody Love You.. Being Simple Is The Most Perfect Way To Make Someone Fall in Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsit-johnson/you-don-t-have-to-be-perfect-to-let-somebody-love-you-being-simple-is/) [Elsit Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsit-johnson/) > [“How To Tell If Somebody Loves You: Somebody loves you if they pick an eyelash off of your face or wet a napkin and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-o-connell/how-to-tell-if-somebody-loves-you-somebody-loves-you-if-they-pick-an/) [Ryan O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-o-connell/) > [A child's hope is that your father comes riding in on that white stallion and saves them. You can't make somebody love you the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-roberts/a-child-s-hope-is-that-your-father-comes-riding-in-on-that-white/) [Jake Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-roberts/) > [Sometimes, the most courageous act a human can do is to let somebody love them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-xavier/sometimes-the-most-courageous-act-a-human-can-do-is-to-let-somebody/) [Michael Xavier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-xavier/) > [I love to love. I just have to find somebody to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentin-chmerkovskiy/i-love-to-love-i-just-have-to-find-somebody-to-love/) [Valentin Chmerkovskiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentin-chmerkovskiy/) > [“She had so much love to give - she had always felt that - and now there was somebody to whom she could give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/she-had-so-much-love-to-give-she-had-always-felt-that-and-now-there/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“When you are with somebody you love the smallest, smallest things can be so important, so amusing because love transforms the world, everything. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/when-you-are-with-somebody-you-love-the-smallest-smallest-things-can/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## More by Alexander McCall Smith > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“She had not made a lot of money, but she had not made a loss, and she had been happy and entertained. That counted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/she-had-not-made-a-lot-of-money-but-she-had-not-made-a-loss-and-she/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad temper and lack of concern for others. Such people were not clever or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/to-use-strong-language-she-thought-was-a-sign-of-bad-temper-and-lack/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Men are very sensitive, Mma Makutsi. You would not always think it to look at them, but they are. They do not like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/men-are-very-sensitive-mma-makutsi-you-would-not-always-think-it-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He is a good man, but even a good man can fall for a glamorous woman. That is well known.” “That is very well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-is-a-good-man-but-even-a-good-man-can-fall-for-a-glamorous-woman/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“And then the second thing you have to do is go and see your son. That is a duty of love, Andrew. It's as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-then-the-second-thing-you-have-to-do-is-go-and-see-your-son-that/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Because laughs never die away entirely,” said Jamie. “At least, if you believe in Marconi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/because-laughs-never-die-away-entirely-said-jamie-at-least-if-you/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“The trouble with having a conscience, she said to herself, is that it never sleeps.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/the-trouble-with-having-a-conscience-she-said-to-herself-is-that-it/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“And if there's bad behaviour," Mma Potokwane went on. "If there's bad behaviour, the quickest way of stopping it is to give more love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-if-there-s-bad-behaviour-mma-potokwane-went-on-if-there-s-bad/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“We never realise how transparent we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/we-never-realise-how-transparent-we-are/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Has he not got a wife back wherever he comes from? Is there no wife to say, ‘You must not go off and visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/has-he-not-got-a-wife-back-wherever-he-comes-from-is-there-no-wife-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He looked at her in the darkness, at this woman who was everything to him-mother, Africa, wisdom, understanding, good things to eat, pumpkins, chicken,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-looked-at-her-in-the-darkness-at-this-woman-who-was-everything-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“It is because you are generous in spirit; and may I be like that; may I become like you—which unrealistic wish, to become the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-is-because-you-are-generous-in-spirit-and-may-i-be-like-that-may-i/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni,” she asked, “do you think that our souls grow as we get older?” He did not answer immediately, but when he did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/mr-j-l-b-matekoni-she-asked-do-you-think-that-our-souls-grow-as-we/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) [Explore all 628 Alexander McCall Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## More Body love quotes > [When everybody loves you, that's just about as funky as you can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/counting-crows/when-everybody-loves-you-that-s-just-about-as-funky-as-you-can-be/) [Counting Crows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/counting-crows/) > [“Before we can make seismic professional, economic, and sociological changes, we have to squeeze out of our Spanx and remember how it feels to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-hays-coomer/before-we-can-make-seismic-professional-economic-and-sociological/) [Sarah Hays Coomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-hays-coomer/) > [Everybody loves to talk about calmness and peace, whether in a family, national, or international context, but without inner peace how can we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/everybody-loves-to-talk-about-calmness-and-peace-whether-in-a-family/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [In Germany, I was always the best, everybody loved me and then they think: 'OK, he comes to England, now he can do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kai-havertz/in-germany-i-was-always-the-best-everybody-loved-me-and-then-they/) [Kai Havertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kai-havertz/) > [“Can I tell you a boring science fact?" she whispered. "I bet you didn't learn it in Shadowhunter history class." "If you're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/can-i-tell-you-a-boring-science-fact-she-whispered-i-bet-you-didn-t/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“You would have to be loved before you could be changed by it,” she added. “And I hate to disappoint you, but I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-g-harlen/you-would-have-to-be-loved-before-you-could-be-changed-by-it-she/) [B.G. Harlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-g-harlen/) > [“How To Tell If Somebody Loves You: Somebody loves you if they pick an eyelash off of your face or wet a napkin and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-o-connell/how-to-tell-if-somebody-loves-you-somebody-loves-you-if-they-pick-an/) [Ryan O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-o-connell/) > [Everybody loves to spend money at least some of the time - because everybody loves the stuff you can buy with it. The key…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/everybody-loves-to-spend-money-at-least-some-of-the-time-because/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [You have to create love and affection for your body, for what it can do for you. Love must be incarnated in the smallest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/you-have-to-create-love-and-affection-for-your-body-for-what-it-can/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [“Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his asshole to talk? His whole abdomen would move up and down, you dig,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/did-i-ever-tell-you-about-the-man-who-taught-his-asshole-to-talk-his/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Bob Altman had this relaxed but serious attitude. Everybody loved him. I wanted him to adopt me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buscemi/bob-altman-had-this-relaxed-but-serious-attitude-everybody-loved-him/) [Steve Buscemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buscemi/) > [It seems like thin people should not be running around dissing overweight people, and overweight people should not be running around dissing thinner people...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/it-seems-like-thin-people-should-not-be-running-around-dissing/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [I remember being a kid and praying in the hell of my house to have somebody love me and somebody that I could love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-praying-in-the-hell-of-my-house-to-have/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [I was excellent. Everybody loved me. I love myself, and I like bums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardinal-richelieu/i-was-excellent-everybody-loved-me-i-love-myself-and-i-like-bums/) [Cardinal Richelieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardinal-richelieu/) [Browse all 534 Body love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You cannot make somebody love something. They must have love in their heart first.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander McCall Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something-they-must-have-love-in-their/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Body love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something-they-must-have-love-in-their/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alexander-mccall-smith-372_body-love_you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something_3217488.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alexander-mccall-smith-372_body-love_you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something_3217488.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alexander-mccall-smith-372_body-love_you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something_3217488.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You cannot make somebody love something. They must have love in their heart first.” — Alexander McCall Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander McCall Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You cannot make somebody love something....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something-they-must-have-love-in-their/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/you-cannot-make-somebody-love-something-they-must-have-love-in-their/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```