---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's important to ask yourself, How am I…"
description: "\"It's important to ask yourself, How am I useful to others? What do people want from me? That may very well reveal what you are here for.\" — James Hillman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/james-hillman-2336_ask-yourself_it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i_2666654.png"
---

#  It's important to ask yourself, How am I useful to others?…

![“It's important to ask yourself, How am I useful to others? What do people want from me? That may very well reveal what you are here for.” quote by James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/james-hillman-2336_ask-yourself_it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i_2666654.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/james-hillman-2336_ask-yourself_it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i_2666654.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/james-hillman-2336_ask-yourself_it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i_2666654.png)

> “It's important to ask yourself, How am I useful to others? What do people want from me? That may very well reveal what you are here for.”

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Finding purpose involves asking how you can serve others and what they need, which reveals your life's meaning

**In simple terms:** Ask how you help others to discover purpose

Key Takeaway

Identify your unique contribution

Themes

purpose service self‑discovery

Mood

introspective motivational

Type

philosophical self‑help

When to use this quote

- career planning
- volunteering
- relationship building
- personal development

Key Concepts

existential psychology humanistic theory

Questions to Reflect On

- What needs do you fulfill for others?
- How can you align your talents with those needs?

A Different Perspective

Purpose may shift over time, requiring continual reassessment

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [I care so much about making things that are useful for people to have and listen to, but I don't care so much that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/i-care-so-much-about-making-things-that-are-useful-for-people-to-have/)

[Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/)

> [Yes, the car is still useful - for a few people it's essential. It would make a good servant. But it has become our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-monbiot/yes-the-car-is-still-useful-for-a-few-people-it-s-essential-it-would/)

[George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/)

> [“those who have made their own money don’t just care about it because {5} it’s useful, as other people do, but because it’s something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/those-who-have-made-their-own-money-don-t-just-care-about-it-because/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [You want to do things you’re passionate about but also are useful to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/you-want-to-do-things-you-re-passionate-about-but-also-are-useful-to/)

[Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/)

> [One thing you learn: if you want to reveal yourself, you also have to know where to stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-jarrett/one-thing-you-learn-if-you-want-to-reveal-yourself-you-also-have-to/)

[Keith Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-jarrett/)

> [I like that with social media, you can choose how much you want to reveal. If there is an issue that requires clarification, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ileana-d-cruz/i-like-that-with-social-media-you-can-choose-how-much-you-want-to/)

[Ileana D'Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ileana-d-cruz/)

> [For me, it's important to ask what are you making, and what's the public's relationship to that. And I say public relationship because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-rogers/for-me-it-s-important-to-ask-what-are-you-making-and-what-s-the/)

[Maggie Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-rogers/)

> [Every day, it's important to ask and answer these questions: "What's good in my life?" and "What needs to be done?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/every-day-it-s-important-to-ask-and-answer-these-questions-what-s/)

[Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/)

> [You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/you-must-constantly-ask-yourself-these-questions-who-am-i-around-what/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [“You must learn that it is not important for you to ask questions. Nobody needs for you to ask questions. Your job is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-cicero/you-must-learn-that-it-is-not-important-for-you-to-ask-questions/)

[Noah Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-cicero/)

> [“For no medium is excessively dangerous if its users understand what its dangers are. It is not important that those who ask the questions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/for-no-medium-is-excessively-dangerous-if-its-users-understand-what/)

[Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/)

> [You are important enough to ask and you are blessed enough to receive back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/you-are-important-enough-to-ask-and-you-are-blessed-enough-to-receive/)

[Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/)

> [When it comes to our everyday habits, it's important to ask: 'Am I putting God first?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/when-it-comes-to-our-everyday-habits-it-s-important-to-ask-am-i/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [I am a son of my nation. It does not matter whether I am prime minister, a soldier, or a policeman. The main thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramzan-kadyrov/i-am-a-son-of-my-nation-it-does-not-matter-whether-i-am-prime/)

[Ramzan Kadyrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramzan-kadyrov/)

> [Advice is not really very useful. People gave me terrible advice, and I guess I was just smart enough to ignore some of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-morrison/advice-is-not-really-very-useful-people-gave-me-terrible-advice-and-i/)

[Travis Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-morrison/)

## More by James Hillman

> [“Each life is formed by its unique image, an image that is the essence of that life and calls it to a destiny. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/each-life-is-formed-by-its-unique-image-an-image-that-is-the-essence/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Fear is a huge thing for older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/fear-is-a-huge-thing-for-older-people/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [It's a terrible cruelty of predatory capitalism: both parents now have to work. A family has to have two incomes in order to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-a-terrible-cruelty-of-predatory-capitalism-both-parents-now-have/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [You know, people come to therapy really for a blessing. Not so much to fix what's broken, but to get what's broken blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/you-know-people-come-to-therapy-really-for-a-blessing-not-so-much-to/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Until the culture recognizes the legitimacy of growing down, each person in the culture struggles blindly to make sense of the darkness that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/until-the-culture-recognizes-the-legitimacy-of-growing-down-each/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [ “The first way has been excellently presented by David Holt in his lecture on “Jung and Marx.” \[1\] There Holt shows that Jung imagined his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-first-way-has-been-excellently-presented-by-david-holt-in-his/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [I'm the result of upbringing, class, race, gender, social prejudices, and economics. So I'm a victim again. A result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-m-the-result-of-upbringing-class-race-gender-social-prejudices-and/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [There is more in a human life than our theories of it allow. Sooner or later something seems to call us onto a particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/there-is-more-in-a-human-life-than-our-theories-of-it-allow-sooner-or/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Depression opens the door to beauty of some kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/depression-opens-the-door-to-beauty-of-some-kind/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [The idea of death robs inquiry of its passionate vitality and empties our efforts of their purpose by coming to one predestined conclusion, death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-idea-of-death-robs-inquiry-of-its-passionate-vitality-and-empties/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [I'm in favor of destruction, aggression, hating things. Not bearing things anymore. We think the breakdown comes because our life is in bad shape.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-m-in-favor-of-destruction-aggression-hating-things-not-bearing/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [In the past, friendship was a huge thing. But it's hard for us to think of friendship as a calling, because it's not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/in-the-past-friendship-was-a-huge-thing-but-it-s-hard-for-us-to-think/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Psychotherapy theory turns it all on you: you are the one who is wrong. If a kid is having trouble or is discouraged, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/psychotherapy-theory-turns-it-all-on-you-you-are-the-one-who-is-wrong/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [The self divided is precisely where the self is authentically located. . . We all have identity crises because a single identity is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-self-divided-is-precisely-where-the-self-is-authentically-located/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Love alone is not enough. Without imagination, love stales into sentiment, duty, boredom. Relationships fail not because we have stopped loving but because we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/love-alone-is-not-enough-without-imagination-love-stales-into/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

[Explore all 171 James Hillman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

## More Ask yourself quotes

> [“If you want to stop smoking, ask yourself, do you do it because you love nicotine, or because it provides a burst of stimulation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/if-you-want-to-stop-smoking-ask-yourself-do-you-do-it-because-you/)

[Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/)

> [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/)

[Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/)

> [“I've written about persistence and perseverance and yet for those of us with patchwork lives (projects, earnings, caretaking, home-tending, playing, friending, loving, celebrating, hurting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/i-ve-written-about-persistence-and-perseverance-and-yet-for-those-of/)

[Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/)

> [When you experience difficulty at work or in your life, instead of looking back on it as something that was really challenging, look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-ghosn/when-you-experience-difficulty-at-work-or-in-your-life-instead-of/)

[Caroline Ghosn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-ghosn/)

> [“ask yourself how many people you have met who grumbled at a thing as incurable, and how many who attacked it as curable? How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/ask-yourself-how-many-people-you-have-met-who-grumbled-at-a-thing-as/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“I have seen plenty of ‘Struggle minus Success’ stories where you are forced to ask yourself ‘Why to him/her?’. There are few questions unanswered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavik-sarkhedi/i-have-seen-plenty-of-struggle-minus-success-stories-where-you-are/)

[Bhavik Sarkhedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavik-sarkhedi/)

> [“What is true for you? What makes your heart smile? When do you feel most yourself? What do you love to do? Ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/what-is-true-for-you-what-makes-your-heart-smile-when-do-you-feel/)

[Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/)

> [“When a bad experience shakes your faith in humanity, hold those depressing thoughts and ask yourself. 1. How many things in life have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drishti-bablani/when-a-bad-experience-shakes-your-faith-in-humanity-hold-those/)

[Drishti Bablani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drishti-bablani/)

> [“It is important you understand how fear affects you and how it drives human behavior so you can start to see situations and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-giles/it-is-important-you-understand-how-fear-affects-you-and-how-it-drives/)

[Kimberly Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-giles/)

> [“It is idle to talk always of the alternative of reason and faith. Reason is itself a matter of faith. It is an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/it-is-idle-to-talk-always-of-the-alternative-of-reason-and-faith/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [Picture your life exactly the way you want it and then ask yourself, am I doing the things that will take me there? Take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-cook/picture-your-life-exactly-the-way-you-want-it-and-then-ask-yourself/)

[Stephanie Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-cook/)

> [“Just make sure you've taken a moment or two to ask yourself if it's really a need, and to reflect on the potential benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-laricchia/just-make-sure-you-ve-taken-a-moment-or-two-to-ask-yourself-if-it-s/)

[Pam Laricchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-laricchia/)

> [“Em's the first woman I've met who seems to be...well, the answer.' 'Answer to what?' He shrugged. 'All the questions, I suppose.' Fay looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-gillard/em-s-the-first-woman-i-ve-met-who-seems-to-be-well-the-answer-answer/)

[Linda Gillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-gillard/)

> [“Listen to what you tell yourself about your life situation. If you find it's pessimistic or negative, ask yourself, "What's another way of thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-a-robinson/listen-to-what-you-tell-yourself-about-your-life-situation-if-you/)

[Lynn A. Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-a-robinson/)

> [“Often the most tricky questions are the ones we secretly know the answers of. What are you running from? What are you waiting for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/often-the-most-tricky-questions-are-the-ones-we-secretly-know-the/)

[Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/)

Browse all 1,272 Ask yourself quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's important to ask yourself, How am I useful to others? What do people want from me? That may very well reveal what you are here for.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Hillman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i-useful-to-others-what-do/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ask yourself"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i-useful-to-others-what-do/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/james-hillman-2336_ask-yourself_it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i_2666654.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/james-hillman-2336_ask-yourself_it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i_2666654.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/james-hillman-2336_ask-yourself_it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i_2666654.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's important to ask yourself, How am I useful to others? What do people want from me? That may very well…” — James Hillman",
                "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": "James Hillman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's important to ask yourself, How...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i-useful-to-others-what-do/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-important-to-ask-yourself-how-am-i-useful-to-others-what-do/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
