--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I used to think being loved was the…" description: "\"I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to think about, but now I know love is never satisfied just thinking about it.\" — Bob Goff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/bob-goff-1182_being-loved_i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-grea_111091.png" --- # I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to… ![“I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to think about, but now I know love is never satisfied just thinking about it.” quote by Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/bob-goff-1182_being-loved_i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-grea_111091.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/bob-goff-1182_being-loved_i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-grea_111091.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/bob-goff-1182_being-loved_i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-grea_111091.png) > “I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to think about, but now I know love is never satisfied just thinking about it.” [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A realization that love is not a static feeling to be contemplated, but an active, ongoing practice that cannot be satisfied by thought alone. **In simple terms:** Love requires action, not just contemplation. Key Takeaway Love is lived, not merely imagined. Themes love action satisfaction spiritual growth Mood reflective inspirational Type personal philosophy motivational When to use this quote - relationships - volunteering - personal development Key Concepts existential insight Practical Applications - express love through deeds - cultivate gratitude Questions to Reflect On - How do you translate love into concrete actions? - What role does contemplation play in deepening love? A Different Perspective May overlook the value of reflective love in healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-loved/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [To love and to be loved is the greatest happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinmayananda-saraswati/to-love-and-to-be-loved-is-the-greatest-happiness/) [Chinmayananda Saraswati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinmayananda-saraswati/) > [The fact that I loved you was the greatest lie I have ever lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/the-fact-that-i-loved-you-was-the-greatest-lie-i-have-ever-lived/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [To Love and to be Loved is the greatest Happiness of existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/to-love-and-to-be-loved-is-the-greatest-happiness-of-existence/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [“Everyone longs to be loved. And the greatest thing we can do is to let people know that they are loved and capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/everyone-longs-to-be-loved-and-the-greatest-thing-we-can-do-is-to-let/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [“To love, and be loved, this is the greatest challenge that any of us face in our lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-scott-mcleod/to-love-and-be-loved-this-is-the-greatest-challenge-that-any-of-us/) [T. Scott McLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-scott-mcleod/) > [“But I don't need your love, because I am loved by the greatest and most majestic heart in the world. Mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-jace/but-i-don-t-need-your-love-because-i-am-loved-by-the-greatest-and/) [Cameron Jace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-jace/) > [To be loved for what one is, is the greatest exception. The great majority love in others only what they lend him, their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/to-be-loved-for-what-one-is-is-the-greatest-exception-the-great/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another that does not require reciprocation or that the person being loved is deserving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/love-is-willing-self-sacrifice-for-the-good-of-another-that-does-not/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Mature love is loving, not being loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/mature-love-is-loving-not-being-loved/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Oh, what a grand design! to make our joy the echo of your excellence. To make our pleasure proof that you now hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/oh-what-a-grand-design-to-make-our-joy-the-echo-of-your-excellence-to/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“In that moment, I don’t think I had ever loved anything half as much as I loved Aiden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-zapata/in-that-moment-i-don-t-think-i-had-ever-loved-anything-half-as-much/) [Mariana Zapata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-zapata/) > [And sometimes it happened, for a time. That kind of love comes and goes and is hard to remember afterwards, like pain. You would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/and-sometimes-it-happened-for-a-time-that-kind-of-love-comes-and-goes/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“You are the only woman I've ever loved. I think I loved you even before we were a couple. I know I loved you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-b-heinzer/you-are-the-only-woman-i-ve-ever-loved-i-think-i-loved-you-even/) [H.B. Heinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-b-heinzer/) > [To think that someone we loved, trusted, opened our home to could do this to our daughter and granddaughter is beyond belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-flaherty/to-think-that-someone-we-loved-trusted-opened-our-home-to-could-do/) [Joe Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-flaherty/) > [“The more difficult it was to love the particular man beside us, the more we believed in Love, abstract and total. We were waiting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-more-difficult-it-was-to-love-the-particular-man-beside-us-the/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## More by Bob Goff > [I used to think I could shape the circumstances around me, but now I know Jesus uses circumstances to shape me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-i-could-shape-the-circumstances-around-me-but-now-i/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Next to grace, I bet God thinks making us need each other was one of His best ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/next-to-grace-i-bet-god-thinks-making-us-need-each-other-was-one-of/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [The battle for our hearts is fought on the pages of our calendar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/the-battle-for-our-hearts-is-fought-on-the-pages-of-our-calendar/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [If we pick recognition over influence we'll be known for all the wrong stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/if-we-pick-recognition-over-influence-we-ll-be-known-for-all-the/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“As I sit on my island, it becomes clears that we need to stop plotting the course and instead just land the plane on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/as-i-sit-on-my-island-it-becomes-clears-that-we-need-to-stop-plotting/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“You become like the people you hang around, and to a great degree, you end up going wherever they’re headed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/you-become-like-the-people-you-hang-around-and-to-a-great-degree-you/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [The way we love people we disagree with is the best evidence of what we really believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/the-way-we-love-people-we-disagree-with-is-the-best-evidence-of-what/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [No book is a chapter, no chapter tells the whole story, no mistake defines who we are. Hope makes our lives page turners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/no-book-is-a-chapter-no-chapter-tells-the-whole-story-no-mistake/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Every time we see people as ordinary, we turn the wine back into water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/every-time-we-see-people-as-ordinary-we-turn-the-wine-back-into-water/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Faith isn't figuring out what we're able to do, it's deciding what we're going to do - even when we think we can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/faith-isn-t-figuring-out-what-we-re-able-to-do-it-s-deciding-what-we/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [I'm trying to surround myself during my life with the eight people I'd surround my bed with on my death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-m-trying-to-surround-myself-during-my-life-with-the-eight-people-i/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Most of our decisions are driven by either love or fear. Figure out who's doing the talking, then decide what you'll do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/most-of-our-decisions-are-driven-by-either-love-or-fear-figure-out/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Jesus lets us be real with our life and our faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/jesus-lets-us-be-real-with-our-life-and-our-faith/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Don't let uncertainty talk you into pursuing a backup plan instead of your purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/don-t-let-uncertainty-talk-you-into-pursuing-a-backup-plan-instead-of/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“The people who slowly became typical have the greatest problem wrapping their minds around a dynamic friendship with an invisible, alive God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/the-people-who-slowly-became-typical-have-the-greatest-problem/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) [Explore all 277 Bob Goff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) ## More Being loved quotes > [I want everyone to meet you. Youre my favorite person of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-pheona/i-want-everyone-to-meet-you-youre-my-favorite-person-of-all-time/) [Mercy Pheona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-pheona/) > [At least with pets, and for all I know, people too, intelligence and quick-wittedness have nothing to do with a talent for being loved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baxter/at-least-with-pets-and-for-all-i-know-people-too-intelligence-and/) [Charles Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baxter/) > [When you are in real love; you forget about any bills or problems that may have for a minute, because all that matters that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/when-you-are-in-real-love-you-forget-about-any-bills-or-problems-that/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [He said that in a way being loved is like being told you never have to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-findley/he-said-that-in-a-way-being-loved-is-like-being-told-you-never-have/) [Timothy Findley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-findley/) > [How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-count-the-ways-i-love-thee-to-the-depth-and/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Love is a strong emotion. We are willing to throw our lives away even if it means only being loved a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-strong-emotion-we-are-willing-to-throw-our-lives-away-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There cannot be a sense of abundance or the experience of prosperity without appreciation. You cannot find beauty unless you appreciate beauty. You cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-r-miller/there-cannot-be-a-sense-of-abundance-or-the-experience-of-prosperity/) [William R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-r-miller/) > [Work is its own cure. You have to like it better than being loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/work-is-its-own-cure-you-have-to-like-it-better-than-being-loved/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [Mature love is loving, not being loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/mature-love-is-loving-not-being-loved/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [You can never love a girl who isn't being loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-never-love-a-girl-who-isn-t-being-loved/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another that does not require reciprocation or that the person being loved is deserving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/love-is-willing-self-sacrifice-for-the-good-of-another-that-does-not/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/but-to-be-fully-known-and-truly-loved-is-well-a-lot-like-being-loved/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [You cannot experience the fullness of your authentic self or life when you live to avoid hurt. You will never know the joy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/you-cannot-experience-the-fullness-of-your-authentic-self-or-life/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [I'm tired of living unable to love anyone. I don't have a single friend - not one. And, worst of all, I can't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-m-tired-of-living-unable-to-love-anyone-i-don-t-have-a-single/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Top managers love people and they want to be loved - it turns out being loved is good for your career, especially if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chade-meng-tan/top-managers-love-people-and-they-want-to-be-loved-it-turns-out-being/) [Chade-Meng Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chade-meng-tan/) [Browse all 209 Being loved quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-loved/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to think about, but now I know love is never satisfied just thinking about it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bob Goff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-greatest-thing-to-think-about-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being loved" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-greatest-thing-to-think-about-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/bob-goff-1182_being-loved_i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-grea_111091.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/bob-goff-1182_being-loved_i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-grea_111091.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/bob-goff-1182_being-loved_i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-grea_111091.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to think about, but now I know love is never satisfied…” — Bob Goff", "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": "Bob Goff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I used to think being loved...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-greatest-thing-to-think-about-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-being-loved-was-the-greatest-thing-to-think-about-but/#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 } } ] } ```