--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Spend your life lifting people up, not…" description: "\"Spend your life lifting people up, not putting them down.\" — H. Jackson Brown, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_compassion_spend-your-life-lifting-people-up-not-pu_1217164.png" --- # Spend your life lifting people up, not putting them down. ![“Spend your life lifting people up, not putting them down.” quote by H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_compassion_spend-your-life-lifting-people-up-not-pu_1217164.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_compassion_spend-your-life-lifting-people-up-not-pu_1217164.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_compassion_spend-your-life-lifting-people-up-not-pu_1217164.png) > “Spend your life lifting people up, not putting them down.” [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages focusing on uplifting others rather than criticizing them. **In simple terms:** Lift others, don’t put them down. Key Takeaway Choose to support, not diminish. Themes kindness leadership empathy Mood encouraging warm Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - team meetings - mentoring - community service - family gatherings Key Concepts positive influence social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance support with respect for autonomy? - What habits nurture a habit of uplifting others? A Different Perspective May overlook personal boundaries when over‑helping. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Lifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-lifting-3713600/) [Lifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifting/) [Lifting People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifting-people-531172/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Spend Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-life/) ## Related quotes > [There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holmes/there-is-no-exercise-better-for-the-heart-than-reaching-down-and/) [John Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holmes/) > [I believe safety comes from lifting people up, not locking people up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/i-believe-safety-comes-from-lifting-people-up-not-locking-people-up/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [When at length we tire of putting people down, this self-inflicted fatigue can give way to the invigorating calisthenics of lifting people up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/when-at-length-we-tire-of-putting-people-down-this-self-inflicted/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [Some people don't operate in that way: they can't understand how much strength comes from being compassionate and lifting other people up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-cohan/some-people-don-t-operate-in-that-way-they-can-t-understand-how-much/) [Lauren Cohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-cohan/) > [Drink your wine. Laugh from your gut. Burden your moments with thankfulness. Be as empty as you can be when that clock winds down.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/drink-your-wine-laugh-from-your-gut-burden-your-moments-with/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [“Live your life striving to complete the journey to your vision; don't spend your life dreaming of a vision with a journey you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/live-your-life-striving-to-complete-the-journey-to-your-vision-don-t/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [I can wait forever if you say you'll be there too. I can wait forever if you will. I know it's worth it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/air-supply/i-can-wait-forever-if-you-say-you-ll-be-there-too-i-can-wait-forever/) [Air Supply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/air-supply/) > [Spend life with who makes you hsppy, not who you have to impress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie/spend-life-with-who-makes-you-hsppy-not-who-you-have-to-impress/) [Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie/) > [It’s worth noting that you can devote your life to community service and be a total schmuck. You can spend your life on Wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/it-s-worth-noting-that-you-can-devote-your-life-to-community-service/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [You don't want to spend your life explaining yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-garrett/you-don-t-want-to-spend-your-life-explaining-yourself/) [Peter Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-garrett/) > [I didn't want to spend my life behind a desk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gilpin/i-didn-t-want-to-spend-my-life-behind-a-desk/) [John Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gilpin/) > [You can spend your whole life complaining about how much you hate life or you can spend it finding new ways to love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/you-can-spend-your-whole-life-complaining-about-how-much-you-hate/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [The trouble is if you dont spend your life yourself, other people spend it for you.à](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/the-trouble-is-if-you-dont-spend-your-life-yourself-other-people/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [Give me one good reason why we can't just press rewind. I don't wanna spend my life thinking what it could have been like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/give-me-one-good-reason-why-we-can-t-just-press-rewind-i-don-t-wanna/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I think we are not spend our life as it pick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-narwal/i-think-we-are-not-spend-our-life-as-it-pick/) [ANKIT NARWAL](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankit-narwal/) ## More by H. Jackson Brown, Jr > [Hire people more for their judgment than for their talents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/hire-people-more-for-their-judgment-than-for-their-talents/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [We're constantly striving for success, fame and comfort when all we really need to be happy is someone or some thing to be enthusiastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/we-re-constantly-striving-for-success-fame-and-comfort-when-all-we/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Develop a sense of urgency in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/develop-a-sense-of-urgency-in-your-life/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Give children toys that are powered by their imagination, not by batteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/give-children-toys-that-are-powered-by-their-imagination-not-by/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Dont say you dont have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/dont-say-you-dont-have-enough-time-you-have-exactly-the-same-number/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Put a love note in his shaving kit before he leaves on a business trip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/put-a-love-note-in-his-shaving-kit-before-he-leaves-on-a-business-trip/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Always have something beautiful in sight, even if it's just a daisy in a jelly glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/always-have-something-beautiful-in-sight-even-if-it-s-just-a-daisy-in/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [You can get by on charm for about 15 minutes. After that, you better know something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/you-can-get-by-on-charm-for-about-15-minutes-after-that-you-better/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Spend your time and energy creating, not criticizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/spend-your-time-and-energy-creating-not-criticizing/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Oh, the difference between nearly right and exactly right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/oh-the-difference-between-nearly-right-and-exactly-right/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Become the world's most thoughtful friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/become-the-world-s-most-thoughtful-friend/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Remember that almost everything looks better after a good night's sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-almost-everything-looks-better-after-a-good-night-s/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Mature love is composed and sustaining; a celebration of commitment, companionship, and trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/mature-love-is-composed-and-sustaining-a-celebration-of-commitment/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Remember that creating a successful marriage is like farming: you have to start over again every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-creating-a-successful-marriage-is-like-farming-you-have/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/be-modest-a-lot-was-accomplished-before-you-were-born/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) [Explore all 239 H. Jackson Brown, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Spend your life lifting people up, not putting them down.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H. 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