--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's only the giving that makes you what…" description: "\"It's only the giving that makes you what you are.\" — Ian Anderson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/ian-anderson-10053_generosity_it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what_1670321.png" --- # It's only the giving that makes you what you are. ![“It's only the giving that makes you what you are.” quote by Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/ian-anderson-10053_generosity_it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what_1670321.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/ian-anderson-10053_generosity_it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what_1670321.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/ian-anderson-10053_generosity_it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what_1670321.png) > “It's only the giving that makes you what you are.” [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Giving defines identity; the act of generosity shapes who we become. **In simple terms:** Giving shapes us. Key Takeaway Give to define yourself. Themes generosity identity self‑definition Mood warm inspirational Type personal ethical When to use this quote - volunteering - charitable donations - community service - mentorship Key Concepts Altruism personal growth social contribution Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly gain from giving? - How does generosity affect self‑perception? A Different Perspective Giving can be driven by ego. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-makes-335498/) [Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes/) ## Related quotes > [Giving is God's way. It is the way that I now understand is the truth of the Universe. Giving multiplies me and makes me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/giving-is-god-s-way-it-is-the-way-that-i-now-understand-is-the-truth/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [Generosity is giving until it makes you uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/generosity-is-giving-until-it-makes-you-uncomfortable/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [Giving is what makes a nation great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/giving-is-what-makes-a-nation-great/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [Nothing for giving up makes one strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marry-ka/nothing-for-giving-up-makes-one-strong/) [Marry Ka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marry-ka/) > [Having a belief in God, being able to find joy, despite your circumstances or put yourself outside of yourself, and stop looking inwards and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/having-a-belief-in-god-being-able-to-find-joy-despite-your/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [If one first gives himself to the Lord, all other giving is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/if-one-first-gives-himself-to-the-lord-all-other-giving-is-easy/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [I own about 300 pairs of shoes. When I start to go over 300, I have mini-sales from my closet and give the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/i-own-about-300-pairs-of-shoes-when-i-start-to-go-over-300-i-have/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [Giving is the business of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/giving-is-the-business-of-the-rich/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [That which is called liberality is frequently nothing more than the vanity of giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-parker/that-which-is-called-liberality-is-frequently-nothing-more-than-the/) [Theodore Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-parker/) > [There's a certain feeling of giving, a certain feeling of generosity in love songs. When you sing a song of love, you're actually giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/there-s-a-certain-feeling-of-giving-a-certain-feeling-of-generosity/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Love doesnt stake claims. It is free for the giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/love-doesnt-stake-claims-it-is-free-for-the-giving/) [Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/) > [Children must early learn the the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/children-must-early-learn-the-the-beauty-of-generosity-they-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) ## More by Ian Anderson > [Writing lyrics is part spontaneous, intuitive and part really thought through and carefully analyzed as you write it. It's a mixture of two approaches,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/writing-lyrics-is-part-spontaneous-intuitive-and-part-really-thought/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [Cafe society is as old as the hills. Starbucks and its imitators are the coffee face of the new man in a hurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/cafe-society-is-as-old-as-the-hills-starbucks-and-its-imitators-are/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [It's nice to be recognized, but it's not great to have it too conspicuously recognized, if you see what I mean. Gold records on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/it-s-nice-to-be-recognized-but-it-s-not-great-to-have-it-too/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [The original Jethro Tull was a 19th century English agriculturist who invented a seed drill you see. The first automatic process where by small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/the-original-jethro-tull-was-a-19th-century-english-agriculturist-who/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [I'm very much an observer and a conduit of thoughts and ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/i-m-very-much-an-observer-and-a-conduit-of-thoughts-and-ideas/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [A lot of pop music is about stealing pocket money from children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/a-lot-of-pop-music-is-about-stealing-pocket-money-from-children/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [Question all as to their ways and learn the secrets that they hold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/question-all-as-to-their-ways-and-learn-the-secrets-that-they-hold/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [When I was in my teenage years, I went to sign up as a cadet entrant to the police force but was at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/when-i-was-in-my-teenage-years-i-went-to-sign-up-as-a-cadet-entrant/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [As a songwriter, you tend to develop your own style, your own technique, based around what it is you're trying to write and perform,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/as-a-songwriter-you-tend-to-develop-your-own-style-your-own-technique/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > ['Aqualung' marks the point at which I had the confidence as a songwriter and as a guitar player to actually pick up and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/aqualung-marks-the-point-at-which-i-had-the-confidence-as-a/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [Martin, Dave, and I get together and rough out a few songs and put them on cassettes for some reference...With the actual music, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/martin-dave-and-i-get-together-and-rough-out-a-few-songs-and-put-them/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [Not to be mean about it, but some great rock and rollers, like Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry, are pretty one-dimensional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/not-to-be-mean-about-it-but-some-great-rock-and-rollers-like-bo/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [I think the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first of all, has got to be put into the context of being an American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/i-think-the-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-first-of-all-has-got-to-be-put/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [If you're gonna use simile, analogy, metaphor, be descriptive and have some flowery adjectives and a few odd nouns and some engaging bits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/if-you-re-gonna-use-simile-analogy-metaphor-be-descriptive-and-have/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [Bring me a wheel of oaken wood A rein of polished leather A Heavy Horse and a tumbling sky Brewing heavy weather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/bring-me-a-wheel-of-oaken-wood-a-rein-of-polished-leather-a-heavy/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) [Explore all 68 Ian Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) ## More Generosity quotes > [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/i-would-have-none-of-that-rigid-circumspect-charity-which-is-never/) [Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/) > [I'm publicist, patron of nine charities, creative director, food consultant, recipe developer - and mum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-m-publicist-patron-of-nine-charities-creative-director-food/) [Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/) > [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead. Ask about the scale of their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Businesses acting as businesses, not as charitable donors, are the most powerful force for addressing the pressing issues society face(s)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-elumelu/businesses-acting-as-businesses-not-as-charitable-donors-are-the-most/) [Tony Elumelu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-elumelu/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) [F. A. Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-a-harper/) > [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [I think more and more people are becoming much more sensitive to what they do with their money when they die, especially if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-think-more-and-more-people-are-becoming-much-more-sensitive-to-what/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [Children must early learn the the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/children-must-early-learn-the-the-beauty-of-generosity-they-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was always clear that I didn't want to just do pure charity. My thinking was definitely about looking at the levers in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-nilekani/i-was-always-clear-that-i-didn-t-want-to-just-do-pure-charity-my/) [Rohini Nilekani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-nilekani/) > [Love doesnt stake claims. It is free for the giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/love-doesnt-stake-claims-it-is-free-for-the-giving/) [Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“Secure-attachment 7Rs show more generosity than average. Thus 7R has something to do with generosity—but its effect is entirely context dependent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/secure-attachment-7rs-show-more-generosity-than-average-thus-7r-has/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) [Browse all 3,867 Generosity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's only the giving that makes you what you are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian Anderson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what-you-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Generosity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what-you-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/ian-anderson-10053_generosity_it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what_1670321.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/ian-anderson-10053_generosity_it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what_1670321.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/ian-anderson-10053_generosity_it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what_1670321.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's only the giving that makes you what you are.” — Ian Anderson", "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": "Ian Anderson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's only the giving that makes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what-you-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/it-s-only-the-giving-that-makes-you-what-you-are/#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 } } ] } ```