--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Human contribution is the essential…" description: "\"Human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live.\" — Ethel Percy Andrus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/ethel-percy-andrus-52554_contribution_human-contribution-is-the-essential-ingr_1014583.png" --- # Human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only… ![“Human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live.” quote by Ethel Percy Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/ethel-percy-andrus-52554_contribution_human-contribution-is-the-essential-ingr_1014583.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/ethel-percy-andrus-52554_contribution_human-contribution-is-the-essential-ingr_1014583.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/ethel-percy-andrus-52554_contribution_human-contribution-is-the-essential-ingr_1014583.png) > “Human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live.” [Ethel Percy Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-percy-andrus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living fully means giving oneself to others; selfless contribution defines true existence. **In simple terms:** Giving to others is essential for a meaningful life. Key Takeaway Prioritize helping others to find purpose. Themes service selflessness purpose humanity Mood inspirational motivational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - volunteering - caregiving - community service - mentorship Key Concepts altruism meaning of life personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What personal boundaries are needed when serving others? - How does helping others enrich your own life? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on self-sacrifice can lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) ## Related quotes > [It is only in the giving of ourselves to others that we truly live — only with the meeting of our minds — thine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-percy-andrus/it-is-only-in-the-giving-of-ourselves-to-others-that-we-truly-live/) [Ethel Percy Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-percy-andrus/) > [Every day I meet people who have so much to give but have been...frighten ed enough to hold it back. It's time to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/every-day-i-meet-people-who-have-so-much-to-give-but-have-been/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Every woman has the instinct, the propensity to profit from her charms, and there's a lot to be said for giving oneself without love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/every-woman-has-the-instinct-the-propensity-to-profit-from-her-charms/) [Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/) > [“Every day I meet people who have so much to give but have been bullied enough or frightened enough to hold it back. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/every-day-i-meet-people-who-have-so-much-to-give-but-have-been-2/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“And giving myself over with the confidence of belonging to the unknown. For I can pray only to what I do not know. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/and-giving-myself-over-with-the-confidence-of-belonging-to-the/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“How can one set these opposite states in harmony? There is only one way: through giving oneself completely. How does one give oneself? By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/how-can-one-set-these-opposite-states-in-harmony-there-is-only-one/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [One didn't really believe till one saw it demonstrated that giving oneself up completely to art, to emotion, to enjoyment, without planning for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-wilson/one-didn-t-really-believe-till-one-saw-it-demonstrated-that-giving/) [Edmund Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-wilson/) > [Sometimes one is guided by what they say of themselves, and very frequently by what other people say of them, without giving oneself time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/sometimes-one-is-guided-by-what-they-say-of-themselves-and-very/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“If one knows the truth that all that one gives to others is giving only to oneself, who indeed will not be a virtuous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-one-knows-the-truth-that-all-that-one-gives-to-others-is-giving/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Curious that a man as selfish as he should be offering himself to the service of dead dogs. There must be other, more productive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee/curious-that-a-man-as-selfish-as-he-should-be-offering-himself-to-the/) [J.M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee/) > [A good name is seldom got by giving it oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/a-good-name-is-seldom-got-by-giving-it-oneself/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [The outflow that comes from giving of oneself opens the door to spiritual unfoldment while the attitude of taking locks it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-klemp/the-outflow-that-comes-from-giving-of-oneself-opens-the-door-to/) [Harold Klemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-klemp/) > [It is enough that one surrenders oneself. Surrender is giving oneself up to the original cause of one's being. Do not delude yourself by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/it-is-enough-that-one-surrenders-oneself-surrender-is-giving-oneself/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [The place one's in, though, doesn't make any contribution to peace of mind: it's the spirit that makes everything agreeable to oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-place-one-s-in-though-doesn-t-make-any-contribution-to-peace-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [What is the point of worrying oneself too much about what one could or could not have done to control the course one's life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/what-is-the-point-of-worrying-oneself-too-much-about-what-one-could/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) ## More by Ethel Percy Andrus > [There are four types of students: the sponge, the funnel, the strainer, and the sieve. The sponge, which soaks up everything; the funnel, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-percy-andrus/there-are-four-types-of-students-the-sponge-the-funnel-the-strainer/) [Ethel Percy Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-percy-andrus/) > [We are born into this world with clenched fists, we leave it with fingers apart- preaching the lesson that you take nothing with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-percy-andrus/we-are-born-into-this-world-with-clenched-fists-we-leave-it-with/) [Ethel Percy Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-percy-andrus/) > [We learn the inner secret of happiness when we learn to direct our inner drives, our interest and our attention to something besides ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-percy-andrus/we-learn-the-inner-secret-of-happiness-when-we-learn-to-direct-our/) [Ethel Percy Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-percy-andrus/) > [What I spent, is gone; what I kept, I lost; but what I gave away will be mine forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-percy-andrus/what-i-spent-is-gone-what-i-kept-i-lost-but-what-i-gave-away-will-be/) [Ethel Percy Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-percy-andrus/) > [Such to me is the new image of aging; growth in self, and service for all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-percy-andrus/such-to-me-is-the-new-image-of-aging-growth-in-self-and-service-for/) [Ethel Percy Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-percy-andrus/) > [It is only in the giving of ourselves to others that we truly live — only with the meeting of our minds — thine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-percy-andrus/it-is-only-in-the-giving-of-ourselves-to-others-that-we-truly-live/) [Ethel Percy Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-percy-andrus/) [Explore all 7 Ethel Percy Andrus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-percy-andrus/) ## More Contribution quotes > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) Vernon Johns > [Effort is the one strictly undervalued and original contribution we make to this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/effort-is-the-one-strictly-undervalued-and-original-contribution-we/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I love Black Sabbath. They made an amazing contribution to music today. Almost every band that made it big in the Nineties owed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/i-love-black-sabbath-they-made-an-amazing-contribution-to-music-today/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [There is still zero empirical evidence that anthropogenic production of CO2 is making any measurable contribution to the world's present warming trend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/there-is-still-zero-empirical-evidence-that-anthropogenic-production/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [I have nothing but praise for the boy. He is easily the best player in the world. His contribution as a goal threat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-ferguson/i-have-nothing-but-praise-for-the-boy-he-is-easily-the-best-player-in/) [Alex Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-ferguson/) > [The way a culture treats women in birth is a good indicator of how well women and their contributions to society are valued and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/the-way-a-culture-treats-women-in-birth-is-a-good-indicator-of-how/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [The excellence of this important contribution to genre literature CANNOT be overstated A masterwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-nolan/the-excellence-of-this-important-contribution-to-genre-literature/) William F. Nolan > [Of course, corporations and governments have a right to something for their money. They pay the wages. But they don't have the ethical right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/of-course-corporations-and-governments-have-a-right-to-something-for/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Fundamentally transforming the foundations of the economy is the biggest contribution we can make towards building a sustainable future. The current economic crisis may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathon-porritt/fundamentally-transforming-the-foundations-of-the-economy-is-the/) [Jonathon Porritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathon-porritt/) > [I think self-deprecation is such a disease, and I want to cure everybody of it and so that's my contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-self-deprecation-is-such-a-disease-and-i-want-to-cure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It is in the measure that special methods acknowledge their common core in transcendental method, that norms common to all the sciences will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/it-is-in-the-measure-that-special-methods-acknowledge-their-common/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [Chaperons, even in their days of glory, were almost never able to enforce morality; what they did was to force immorality to be discreet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/chaperons-even-in-their-days-of-glory-were-almost-never-able-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Replace your pursuit of success with the pursuit of contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/replace-your-pursuit-of-success-with-the-pursuit-of-contribution/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [There is no art or science that is too difficult for industry to attain to; it is the gift of tongues, and makes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/there-is-no-art-or-science-that-is-too-difficult-for-industry-to/) [Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) [Browse all 1,297 Contribution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Human contribution is the essential ingredient. 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