--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought of an expression my father had…" description: "\"“I thought of an expression my father had once told me: Be good to people on your way up. You may meet them again on your way down.”\" — Barry Eisler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/barry-eisler-1009_good-people_i-thought-of-an-expression-my-father-had_364497.png" --- # I thought of an expression my father had once told me: Be… ![“I thought of an expression my father had once told me: Be good to people on your way up. You may meet them again on your way down.” quote by Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/barry-eisler-1009_good-people_i-thought-of-an-expression-my-father-had_364497.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/barry-eisler-1009_good-people_i-thought-of-an-expression-my-father-had_364497.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/barry-eisler-1009_good-people_i-thought-of-an-expression-my-father-had_364497.png) > ““I thought of an expression my father had once told me: Be good to people on your way up. You may meet them again on your way down.”” [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treat others kindly while you succeed, because you may need their help later. **In simple terms:** Be kind when you’re rising; you may need them later. Key Takeaway Practice generosity now. Themes ethics relationships humility Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - networking - leadership - community service Key Concepts reciprocity karma social capital Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure genuine kindness? - What risks arise from strategic generosity? A Different Perspective Kindness can be exploited if insincere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“On the last good day he went to work for three hours and then came home and put on the History Channel. The program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/on-the-last-good-day-he-went-to-work-for-three-hours-and-then-came/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“I left. I told myself again I wasn’t disappointed, I wasn’t even terribly surprised. 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Give yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-picked-up-the-earthen-cup-and-went-to-take-a-sip-not-like-that/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“It seemed he’d recently learned the value of playing up the difficulty of accomplishing whatever he was tasked with, the better to play the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/it-seemed-he-d-recently-learned-the-value-of-playing-up-the/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“Yukiko walked over, her mouth stretching into a feline grin at the sight of Murakami. Naomi followed a moment later. She was wearing another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/yukiko-walked-over-her-mouth-stretching-into-a-feline-grin-at-the/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [It would be awesome to be so impressive that we could sway people to our way of thinking just by declaiming our thoughts, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/it-would-be-awesome-to-be-so-impressive-that-we-could-sway-people-to/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) [Explore all 305 Barry Eisler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) ## More Good people quotes > [“Any discussion of money and success would be lacking if I did not state that money is neither good nor bad. In the hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/any-discussion-of-money-and-success-would-be-lacking-if-i-did-not/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [From what I have seen, I am driven to the conclusion that religion is only good for good people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/from-what-i-have-seen-i-am-driven-to-the-conclusion-that-religion-is/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Constantly look for the good in people and in situations. When you find it, tell the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/constantly-look-for-the-good-in-people-and-in-situations-when-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Life is all about experiences and being able to work with good people is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika-chawla/life-is-all-about-experiences-and-being-able-to-work-with-good-people/) [Bhumika Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika-chawla/) > [Good people do not let others suffer needlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/good-people-do-not-let-others-suffer-needlessly/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Freedom and liberty lose out by default because good people are not vigilant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/freedom-and-liberty-lose-out-by-default-because-good-people-are-not/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [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/) > [One of the things that I miss about Canada is that even the strangers, you have an immediate rapport, there's just an understanding that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/one-of-the-things-that-i-miss-about-canada-is-that-even-the-strangers/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [“...I'd be interested in any tips you have for somebody starting out.” “Uh-huh,” I said, looking out the window. I decided, as we drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/i-d-be-interested-in-any-tips-you-have-for-somebody-starting-out-uh/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [I've had a lot of good people, lot of good mentors, coaches along the way to get me where I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-good-people-lot-of-good-mentors-coaches-along-the/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) > [On the West Coast, things are more relaxed, maybe because people have more fun outdoors. In the East, where the weather is not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-parish/on-the-west-coast-things-are-more-relaxed-maybe-because-people-have/) [Robert Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-parish/) > [I want to spend my time with people who don't look to be respected. But such good people won't want to spend their time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-want-to-spend-my-time-with-people-who-don-t-look-to-be-respected/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) [Browse all 2,064 Good people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I thought of an expression my father had once told me: Be good to people on your way up. 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