--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the great underlying principles…" description: "\"One of the great underlying principles governing our life is service. Most of us have to work, but do we serve? Do we work in a spirit of service? Do w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/henry-thomas-hamblin-36058_fellows_one-of-the-great-underlying-principles-g_1811473.jpg" --- # One of the great underlying principles governing our life… ![“One of the great underlying principles governing our life is service. Most of us have to work, but do we serve? Do we work in a spirit of service? Do we work for Life and our fellows? Or do we merely work for self, in order to make a living?” quote by Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/henry-thomas-hamblin-36058_fellows_one-of-the-great-underlying-principles-g_1811473.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/henry-thomas-hamblin-36058_fellows_one-of-the-great-underlying-principles-g_1811473.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/henry-thomas-hamblin-36058_fellows_one-of-the-great-underlying-principles-g_1811473.jpg) > “One of the great underlying principles governing our life is service. Most of us have to work, but do we serve? Do we work in a spirit of service? Do we work for Life and our fellows? Or do we merely work for self, in order to make a living?” [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True purpose in work is found when actions aim to benefit others rather than solely self‑interest. **In simple terms:** Work should help others, not just yourself. Key Takeaway Align work with serving others. Themes service purpose ethics work community Mood reflective inspirational Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - volunteering - team projects - customer service - nonprofit work - leadership Key Concepts Altruism meaningful labor social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you measure the impact of your work on others? - What changes would make your job more service‑oriented? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can dominate, making service feel secondary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fellows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellows/) [Governing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governing/) [Governing Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governing-life-2118003/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Helping others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-others/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Life Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-service/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Serve Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serve-work-1328787/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) [Service Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service-work-626673/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Work For Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-for-life-223257/) [Work Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-self-438346/) ## Related quotes > [To be a good artist, you have to serve the work of art and allow it to be what it is supposed to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/to-be-a-good-artist-you-have-to-serve-the-work-of-art-and-allow-it-to/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Our duty is to understand youth, but more, to help them understand themselves that they may release their varied abilities... We must help them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrietta-mears/our-duty-is-to-understand-youth-but-more-to-help-them-understand/) [Henrietta Mears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrietta-mears/) > [“I love you, but I should poorly serve the work to which I devote myself anew at the side of one to whom it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-rostand/i-love-you-but-i-should-poorly-serve-the-work-to-which-i-devote/) [Edmond Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-rostand/) > [“These artists pay little attention to an encircling present that bears no direct relation to the world of work in which they live, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/these-artists-pay-little-attention-to-an-encircling-present-that/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) > [I like being on a plane with no phone service because I get so much work done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-like-being-on-a-plane-with-no-phone-service-because-i-get-so-much/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [“Work means offering a valuable product or service – and that work has to inspire people to pay you for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-jarvis/work-means-offering-a-valuable-product-or-service-and-that-work-has/) [Paul Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-jarvis/) > [While most of my public service work centers on improving our schools and fixing our broken immigration system, I also strongly stand for personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/while-most-of-my-public-service-work-centers-on-improving-our-schools/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [The meaning of service is to do the work assigned ungrudgingly and without thought of personal reward material or moral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-t-suzuki/the-meaning-of-service-is-to-do-the-work-assigned-ungrudgingly-and/) [D.T. Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-t-suzuki/) > [That is part of our critique of some of the charity and service work is that we can still keep relationships at a distance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/that-is-part-of-our-critique-of-some-of-the-charity-and-service-work/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [As creative people, we should be really conscious of being of service in our work, being as generous as we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/as-creative-people-we-should-be-really-conscious-of-being-of-service/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [Work done for the Self gives no bondage. Neither desire pleasure nor fear pain from work. It is the mind and body that work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/work-done-for-the-self-gives-no-bondage-neither-desire-pleasure-nor/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Ninety-nine percent of all work on self is attitudinal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-gold/ninety-nine-percent-of-all-work-on-self-is-attitudinal/) [E. J. Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-gold/) > [“Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel, when asked how to strike a better balance between family, work and self-realisation says: "You need the intention, good scheduling, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mattis-namgyel-dakini-power-twelve-extraordinary-women-shaping-the-transmission-of-tibetan/elizabeth-mattis-namgyel-when-asked-how-to-strike-a-better-balance/) [Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel Dakini Power Twelve Extraordinary Women Shaping the Transmission of Tibetan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mattis-namgyel-dakini-power-twelve-extraordinary-women-shaping-the-transmission-of-tibetan/) > [“Behind every successful person is a relentless work ethic, the ability to block out distractions, and a well-defined six-pack of self-control. Find creative ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-singh/behind-every-successful-person-is-a-relentless-work-ethic-the-ability/) [Lilly Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-singh/) > [Education is a work of self-organization by which man adapts himself to the conditions of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/education-is-a-work-of-self-organization-by-which-man-adapts-himself/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) ## More by Henry Thomas Hamblin > [There are principles which govern our life-they are the principles of Life. If our life is lived according to these principles all is well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/there-are-principles-which-govern-our-life-they-are-the-principles-of/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [You are the architect of your own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/you-are-the-architect-of-your-own-life/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [Service rendered as a gift or love-offering to Life: work that is engaged in, not for self or for profit, but as an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/service-rendered-as-a-gift-or-love-offering-to-life-work-that-is/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [There is only one principle, and this is Good. There is no principle of evil. If there were a principle of evil, evil would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/there-is-only-one-principle-and-this-is-good-there-is-no-principle-of/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [If you believe that God overrules all things for good, and only permits apparently evil happenings for good and the achievement of great ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/if-you-believe-that-god-overrules-all-things-for-good-and-only/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [The abundance of God is like a mighty ocean, so vast you cannot possibly exhaust it or cause a shortage for others. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/the-abundance-of-god-is-like-a-mighty-ocean-so-vast-you-cannot/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [It is the experience of those who have tried it, that working from a sense of duty, working for the work's sake, working as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/it-is-the-experience-of-those-who-have-tried-it-that-working-from-a/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [Supply does not come through prayer. It comes as a result of an attitude of faith, a condition of mind and heart, in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/supply-does-not-come-through-prayer-it-comes-as-a-result-of-an/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [Religious teaching in the past has dealt mainly with preparing people for the next world. This is of course of the utmost importance, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/religious-teaching-in-the-past-has-dealt-mainly-with-preparing-people/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [People suffer from pain and call it evil, yet in reality it may be growing pains of the Spirit-the changing of the body into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/people-suffer-from-pain-and-call-it-evil-yet-in-reality-it-may-be/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [Nothing is too small a subject for prayer, because nothing is too small to be the subject of God's care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/nothing-is-too-small-a-subject-for-prayer-because-nothing-is-too/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [Life is good and is always trying to do us a good turn if we will only allow it to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/life-is-good-and-is-always-trying-to-do-us-a-good-turn-if-we-will/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) [Explore all 13 Henry Thomas Hamblin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) ## More Fellows quotes > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [... a fellow can't predict what he will pick up in the form of influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/a-fellow-can-t-predict-what-he-will-pick-up-in-the-form-of-influence/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-is-no-sweeter-sound-than-the-crumbling-of-one-s-fellow-man/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I have thoroughly tried school-keeping, and found that my expenses were in proportion, or rather out of proportion, to my income,for I was obliged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-thoroughly-tried-school-keeping-and-found-that-my-expenses/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-first-person-who-having-enclosed-a-plot-of-land-took-it-into-his/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [There is only one good substitute for the endearments of a sister, and that is the endearments of some other fellow's sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/there-is-only-one-good-substitute-for-the-endearments-of-a-sister-and/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [If you take the the insults of your fellow human beings personally, you will be offended for the rest of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-take-the-the-insults-of-your-fellow-human-beings-personally/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [When indeed shall we learn that we are all related one to the other, that we are all members of one body? Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/when-indeed-shall-we-learn-that-we-are-all-related-one-to-the-other/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [I am by nature the most intolerant and insular Englishman... If you happen to be a person like that and you learn from evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dowding-1st-baron-dowding/i-am-by-nature-the-most-intolerant-and-insular-englishman-if-you/) [Hugh Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dowding-1st-baron-dowding/) > [True, the fragile bodies of his fellows do not weigh down his plane; true, the fretful minds of weaker men are missing from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/true-the-fragile-bodies-of-his-fellows-do-not-weigh-down-his-plane/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [The shortest way to change a radical into a conservative, a liberal into a tyrant, a man into a beast, is to give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-shortest-way-to-change-a-radical-into-a-conservative-a-liberal/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God, first fill your own house with the fragrance of love. Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/go-not-to-the-temple-to-put-flowers-upon-the-feet-of-god-first-fill/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [ \[T\]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between-man-and-man-ought-to-be-not/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) [Browse all 1,897 Fellows quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellows/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the great underlying principles governing our life is service. Most of us have to work, but do we serve? Do we work in a spirit of service? Do we work for Life and our fellows? 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