Business Quote by Alice Foote MacDougall
“Really to succeed, we must give; of our souls to the soulless, of our love to the lonely, of our intelligence to the dull. Business is quite as much a process of giving as it is of getting.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Nature of Giving,” 1915
Success requires selfless contribution: offering soul, love, and intellect to those lacking them, recognizing business as reciprocal exchange.
In simple terms: Giving is as vital as receiving in business.
Key Takeaway
Practice generous, purposeful giving.
Themes
success
business
generosity
relationships
intelligence
Mood
inspirational
balanced
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- leadership
- team building
- customer service
- mentorship
- creative projects
Key Concepts
reciprocity
selflessness
motivation
Questions to Reflect On
- What boundaries protect your well‑being while giving?
- How can you measure the impact of your contributions?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on giving can lead to burnout if not balanced.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
