--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never sat down and said, 'Now I must…" description: "\"I never sat down and said, 'Now I must make a contribution, that one person can make a difference.' But I felt I was in a position where I could contri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_contribution_i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-mak_2620381.jpg" --- # I never sat down and said, 'Now I must make a… ![“I never sat down and said, 'Now I must make a contribution, that one person can make a difference.' But I felt I was in a position where I could contribute. I never thought of it in the light of history or my brothers. I just felt I had an obligation.” quote by Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_contribution_i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-mak_2620381.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_contribution_i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-mak_2620381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_contribution_i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-mak_2620381.jpg) > “I never sat down and said, 'Now I must make a contribution, that one person can make a difference.' But I felt I was in a position where I could contribute. I never thought of it in the light of history or my brothers. I just felt I had an obligation.” [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A sense of duty drives contributions, not for fame but because one feels responsible to help others. **In simple terms:** Duty inspires action. Key Takeaway Act when you feel responsible. Themes service responsibility humility legacy Mood inspirational reflective humble Type speech personal narrative When to use this quote - community service - family legacy - personal motivation Key Concepts obligation to contribute personal duty Questions to Reflect On - What obligations feel personal to you? - How do you balance duty and self‑care? A Different Perspective May romanticize self‑sacrifice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contribute Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribute-thought-2104596/) [Contribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) [Contribution Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution-person-2104597/) [Felt Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-obligation-1835104/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Make a difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-a-difference/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Position Contribute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position-contribute-2104598/) ## Related quotes > [For years, I've felt an obligation to harvest an animal, since all my life I've so mindlessly consumed them. But that was from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosecrans-baldwin/for-years-i-ve-felt-an-obligation-to-harvest-an-animal-since-all-my/) [Rosecrans Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosecrans-baldwin/) > [I've always stayed independent, but I've always felt an obligation to make movies an untutored audience could like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-morrissey/i-ve-always-stayed-independent-but-i-ve-always-felt-an-obligation-to/) [Paul Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-morrissey/) > [I never felt an obligation to say every single terrible thing that happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lindhout/i-never-felt-an-obligation-to-say-every-single-terrible-thing-that/) [Amanda Lindhout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lindhout/) > [I came up in a family oriented towards the sick, so I always felt an obligation for doing something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bernice-johnson/i-came-up-in-a-family-oriented-towards-the-sick-so-i-always-felt-an/) [Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bernice-johnson/) > [I felt no obligation to bow to any 21st Century political correctness. What I did feel an obligation to do was to take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-felt-no-obligation-to-bow-to-any-21st-century-political-correctness/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [ I at least felt the obligation to speak clearly \[in 'The Last Tycoon'\]. This is pre-Brando and pre-James Dean. Nobody mumbled back then. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bomer/i-at-least-felt-the-obligation-to-speak-clearly-in-the-last-tycoon/) [Matt Bomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bomer/) > [When you encourage others, you, in the process, are encouraged because you're making a commitment and difference in that person's life. Encouragement really does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/when-you-encourage-others-you-in-the-process-are-encouraged-because/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Does it make a difference if I score 8000 or 10,000 runs in Test cricket? Not in anybody's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virender-sehwag/does-it-make-a-difference-if-i-score-8000-or-10-000-runs-in-test/) [Virender Sehwag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virender-sehwag/) > [“You can choose when and when not to be stopped... Choose to be stopped after you die... when your work is done and done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-can-choose-when-and-when-not-to-be-stopped-choose-to-be-stopped/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Writing children's books all started out as a way for me to give back and make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coy-bowles/writing-children-s-books-all-started-out-as-a-way-for-me-to-give-back/) [Coy Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coy-bowles/) > [“Some people die and you realize that the only mark they left on earth are the tomb stones under which they lie. The impacts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/some-people-die-and-you-realize-that-the-only-mark-they-left-on-earth/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I just try to find things that either need to be done, should be done, or where I can make a difference in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allen/i-just-try-to-find-things-that-either-need-to-be-done-should-be-done/) [Paul Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allen/) > [It is our job to make a difference and leave the world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karol-g/it-is-our-job-to-make-a-difference-and-leave-the-world-a-better-place/) [Karol G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karol-g/) > [If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. I don't just want to maintain the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/if-you-ask-why-i-do-what-i-do-i-want-to-make-a-difference-i-don-t/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [I like candidates who tell me something that is going to make a difference to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/i-like-candidates-who-tell-me-something-that-is-going-to-make-a/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) ## More by Jean Kennedy Smith > [I'm not in public life except by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-m-not-in-public-life-except-by-accident/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [But I believe Ireland is getting more European, and the young are looking toward Europe for jobs - just as there are a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/but-i-believe-ireland-is-getting-more-european-and-the-young-are/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [To all of us, Dad was Number One in our house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/to-all-of-us-dad-was-number-one-in-our-house/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [The Irish people were willing to take me at face value, to give me the benefit of the doubt because I was a Kennedy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/the-irish-people-were-willing-to-take-me-at-face-value-to-give-me-the/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [We can't be dominated by ruthless terrorism and the American principle is that we never will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/we-can-t-be-dominated-by-ruthless-terrorism-and-the-american/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [While I cannot comment in detail about the inter workings of the State Department, it is a matter of public record that I recommended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/while-i-cannot-comment-in-detail-about-the-inter-workings-of-the/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I can say without reservation that I do not remember a day in our childhood without laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-can-say-without-reservation-that-i-do-not-remember-a-day-in-our/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [To tell the truth, I don't feel the pressure of fame. I don't have the problem of being a celebrity in terms of recognizability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/to-tell-the-truth-i-don-t-feel-the-pressure-of-fame-i-don-t-have-the/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [Next to President of the United States, Ambassador to Ireland is surely one of the best jobs an Irish American can hold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/next-to-president-of-the-united-states-ambassador-to-ireland-is/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I'm one of nine children, and I have a lot of pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-m-one-of-nine-children-and-i-have-a-lot-of-pictures/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [After Joe passed away in the war, it seemed only natural that Jack and Bobby and then Teddy might pursue office as well. Public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/after-joe-passed-away-in-the-war-it-seemed-only-natural-that-jack-and/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [Our Family is deeply honoured to see the Irish Government taking this enormous interest in the development of the Kennedy Homestead Visitor attraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/our-family-is-deeply-honoured-to-see-the-irish-government-taking-this/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I happen to like children and I happen to like the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-happen-to-like-children-and-i-happen-to-like-the-arts/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I don't buy from any one special designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-don-t-buy-from-any-one-special-designer/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I tried to explain in 'The Nine of Us' how we grew up with politics. At meals we talked about what was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-tried-to-explain-in-the-nine-of-us-how-we-grew-up-with-politics-at/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) [Explore all 43 Jean Kennedy Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "I never sat down and said, 'Now I must make a contribution, that one person can make a difference.' But I felt I was in a position where I could contribute. I never thought of it in the light of history or my brothers. I just felt I had an obligation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean Kennedy Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-make-a-contribution-that-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contribution" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-make-a-contribution-that-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_contribution_i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-mak_2620381.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_contribution_i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-mak_2620381.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_contribution_i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-mak_2620381.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never sat down and said, 'Now I must make a contribution, that one person can make a difference.' But I…” — Jean Kennedy Smith", "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": "Jean Kennedy Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never sat down and said,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-make-a-contribution-that-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-never-sat-down-and-said-now-i-must-make-a-contribution-that-one/#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 } } ] } ```