--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we think of work, we think of work…" description: "\"When we think of work, we think of work as an act of service. We think of it as an act of love for humanity.\" — Justin Rosenstein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/justin-rosenstein-24771_acts-of-love_when-we-think-of-work-we-think-of-work-a_1693214.png" --- # When we think of work, we think of work as an act of… ![“When we think of work, we think of work as an act of service. We think of it as an act of love for humanity.” quote by Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/justin-rosenstein-24771_acts-of-love_when-we-think-of-work-we-think-of-work-a_1693214.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/justin-rosenstein-24771_acts-of-love_when-we-think-of-work-we-think-of-work-a_1693214.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/justin-rosenstein-24771_acts-of-love_when-we-think-of-work-we-think-of-work-a_1693214.png) > “When we think of work, we think of work as an act of service. We think of it as an act of love for humanity.” [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Work should be viewed as serving humanity, infusing tasks with purpose and love. **In simple terms:** Treat work as a service to others. Key Takeaway Align job with helping people. Themes purpose service humanity Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - nonprofit work - customer service - team collaboration Key Concepts ethical work meaningful labor social impact Questions to Reflect On - Can any role be reframed as service? - How does this view affect motivation? A Different Perspective Not all jobs have direct human impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acts of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-love/) [Acts of service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-service/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love for humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-for-humanity/) [Love Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-humanity/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Reason and justice tell me there's more love for humanity in electricity and steam than in chastity and vegetarianism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/reason-and-justice-tell-me-there-s-more-love-for-humanity-in/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“My so-called love for humanity, for instance, isn't something I get to carry around in my heart. It has to find application among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dark/my-so-called-love-for-humanity-for-instance-isn-t-something-i-get-to/) [David Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dark/) > [The more I detest men individually the more ardent becomes my love for humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-i-detest-men-individually-the-more-ardent-becomes-my-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I heard exactly the same thing, a long time ago to be sure, from a doctor," the elder remarked. "He was then an old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-heard-exactly-the-same-thing-a-long-time-ago-to-be-sure-from-a/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [Meditation on the majestic energyof the universe should increase our love for humanity, should widen, not narrow, our hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-holloway/meditation-on-the-majestic-energyof-the-universe-should-increase-our/) [Richard Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holloway/) > [“we all had our own reasons to hate the narrative, but that didn’t necessarily mean we had an overwhelming love for humanity. 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That's the only thing that's worrying me. What if He doesn't exist? What if Rakitin's right -that it's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/it-s-god-that-s-worrying-me-that-s-the-only-thing-that-s-worrying-me/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [When I listen to old music, that's one of the few times that I actually have a kind of love for humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/when-i-listen-to-old-music-that-s-one-of-the-few-times-that-i/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [We must work to build a criminal-legal system that is deeply rooted in a love for humanity, which begins with ending the federal death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/we-must-work-to-build-a-criminal-legal-system-that-is-deeply-rooted/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [“Making the choice to exercise compassion is an expression of Love for Humanity and Life itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/making-the-choice-to-exercise-compassion-is-an-expression-of-love-for/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [Reading poetry gives me a sense of calm, well-being, and love for humanity - the same stuff more flexible women get from yoga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-courtney-sullivan/reading-poetry-gives-me-a-sense-of-calm-well-being-and-love-for/) [J. Courtney Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-courtney-sullivan/) > [Everyday you have to fight so that love for humanity can be transformed into concrete deeds, into acts that set an example, that mobilize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/everyday-you-have-to-fight-so-that-love-for-humanity-can-be/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) ## More by Justin Rosenstein > [Historically, software for business was seen as unsexy because the products were seen as so poor - they provided such a poor user experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/historically-software-for-business-was-seen-as-unsexy-because-the/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [Meetings get a bad rap, and deservedly so - most are disorganized and distracted. But they can be a critical tool for getting your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/meetings-get-a-bad-rap-and-deservedly-so-most-are-disorganized-and/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [Know when to email vs. when to meet. Logistics are best handled over a non-immediate communication channel like email or Asana tasks. Detailed status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/know-when-to-email-vs-when-to-meet-logistics-are-best-handled-over-a/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [Whether you're a programming prodigy or the office manager holding it all together, technology empowers small groups of passionate people with an astonishing degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/whether-you-re-a-programming-prodigy-or-the-office-manager-holding-it/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [People spend an enormous amount of time in their inboxes, compulsively checking, and it's slow, distracting, and inefficient. It's almost a counterproductivity tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/people-spend-an-enormous-amount-of-time-in-their-inboxes-compulsively/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [When I ask people how much time they spend not doing their job - time spent on 'work-about-work' or phone calls or e-mails -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/when-i-ask-people-how-much-time-they-spend-not-doing-their-job-time/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [I do not doubt that services like social games and coupons bring delight to peoples lives, and I mean no disrespect to the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/i-do-not-doubt-that-services-like-social-games-and-coupons-bring/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [When topics are complex and meaty, don't create a never-ending email thread. It's amazing how much time people waste composing and reading carefully-worded essays,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/when-topics-are-complex-and-meaty-don-t-create-a-never-ending-email/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [We could go work on curing cancer. We could go work on building spaceships. We could go work on art projects. What's fun about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/we-could-go-work-on-curing-cancer-we-could-go-work-on-building/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [If you look at the history of communication, new technologies like the phone and e-mail didnt just let people do things faster; it fundamentally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/if-you-look-at-the-history-of-communication-new-technologies-like-the/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [Life is short, youth is finite, and opportunities endless. Have you found the intersection of your passion and the potential for world-shaping positive impact?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/life-is-short-youth-is-finite-and-opportunities-endless-have-you/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [Life is short, youth is finite, and opportunities endless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/life-is-short-youth-is-finite-and-opportunities-endless/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [If you're going to devote the best years of your life to your work, have enough love for yourself and the world around you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/if-you-re-going-to-devote-the-best-years-of-your-life-to-your-work/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [The human brain is a product of natural selection. In the face of scarcity, our hominid great-great-uncles were unable to compete against our sapient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/the-human-brain-is-a-product-of-natural-selection-in-the-face-of/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [Just as the mind emerges from the actions of individual neurons and their cooperation, the success of an organization emerges not only from its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/just-as-the-mind-emerges-from-the-actions-of-individual-neurons-and/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) [Explore all 24 Justin Rosenstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) ## More Acts of love quotes > [All women love semi-rape. They love to be taken.It was his sweet brutality against my bruised body that made his act of love so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/all-women-love-semi-rape-they-love-to-be-taken-it-was-his-sweet/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“When people think of slavery, they think of whips, chains and neurological implants. While these things may be necessary, the real tools of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalin-ringkvist/when-people-think-of-slavery-they-think-of-whips-chains-and/) Kalin Ringkvist > [Like the Good Samaritan, may we not be ashamed of touching the wounds of those who suffer, but try to heal them with concrete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/like-the-good-samaritan-may-we-not-be-ashamed-of-touching-the-wounds/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“As the connections have been broken by the fragmentation and isolation of work, they can be restored by restoring the wholeness of work. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/as-the-connections-have-been-broken-by-the-fragmentation-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [There is no act of love that is not an act of work or courage. No exceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/there-is-no-act-of-love-that-is-not-an-act-of-work-or-courage-no/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [you can't kill love. you can't even kill it with hate. you can kill in-love, and loving, and even loveliness. you can kill them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/you-can-t-kill-love-you-can-t-even-kill-it-with-hate-you-can-kill-in/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [... the greatest act of love is to pay attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/the-greatest-act-of-love-is-to-pay-attention/) [Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/) > [We make pictures. At the end of the day, we create something potentially significant that did not exist at the beginning of the day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mcnally/we-make-pictures-at-the-end-of-the-day-we-create-something/) [Joe McNally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mcnally/) > [Your work should be an act of love, not a marriage of convenience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/your-work-should-be-an-act-of-love-not-a-marriage-of-convenience/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [During courtship, guarding each other's purity and refraining from intimacy are the acts of lovemaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-harris/during-courtship-guarding-each-other-s-purity-and-refraining-from/) [Joshua Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-harris/) > [In the act of love, as in photography, there is a form of life and a kind of slow death,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobuyoshi-araki/in-the-act-of-love-as-in-photography-there-is-a-form-of-life-and-a/) [Nobuyoshi Araki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobuyoshi-araki/) > [The truth is that, no matter what kind of game you find yourself in, no matter how good or bad the luck, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/the-truth-is-that-no-matter-what-kind-of-game-you-find-yourself-in-no/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [The conclusion I have reached is that, above all, dogs are witnesses. 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