--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Compassion has to become a discipline…" description: "\"Compassion has to become a discipline. It's something that you do. It's no good thinking that you agree with compassion or not, you've just got to do i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/karen-armstrong-1053_agree_compassion-has-to-become-a-discipline-it_1402959.jpg" --- # Compassion has to become a discipline. It's something that… ![“Compassion has to become a discipline. It's something that you do. It's no good thinking that you agree with compassion or not, you've just got to do it. Just like it's no good agreeing that it's possible to float, you just have to get into the pool and then you learn that it's possible.” quote by Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/karen-armstrong-1053_agree_compassion-has-to-become-a-discipline-it_1402959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/karen-armstrong-1053_agree_compassion-has-to-become-a-discipline-it_1402959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/karen-armstrong-1053_agree_compassion-has-to-become-a-discipline-it_1402959.jpg) > “Compassion has to become a discipline. It's something that you do. It's no good thinking that you agree with compassion or not, you've just got to do it. Just like it's no good agreeing that it's possible to float, you just have to get into the pool and then you learn that it's possible.” [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compassion must be practiced deliberately, not just intellectually accepted; it requires active, disciplined effort. **In simple terms:** Compassion needs active practice. Key Takeaway Practice compassion daily. Themes compassion discipline action ethics Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - caregiving - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts mindfulness empathy behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate compassion into routine tasks? - What barriers stop you from acting compassionately? A Different Perspective Compassion can feel overwhelming without guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Good thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thinking/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Those who unlock your compassion are those to whom you've been assigned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-murdock/those-who-unlock-your-compassion-are-those-to-whom-you-ve-been/) [Mike Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-murdock/) > [I have compassion, I've told you people that over and over again. Enforcing the law overrides my compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-have-compassion-i-ve-told-you-people-that-over-and-over-again/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I wanted to learn a little bit about acting, not because I thought I'd find a star vehicle and set the world on fire,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-wanted-to-learn-a-little-bit-about-acting-not-because-i-thought-i-d/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [I don't mind sacrifice. I don't mind discipline. But a good coach allows people to blossom. I've seen that. I didn't have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-moceanu/i-don-t-mind-sacrifice-i-don-t-mind-discipline-but-a-good-coach/) [Dominique Moceanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-moceanu/) > [“Discipline is good but putting yourself in a Routine is not very productive as your mind starts working unconsciously instead of you being conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-negi/discipline-is-good-but-putting-yourself-in-a-routine-is-not-very/) [Ritu Negi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-negi/) > [“The best education is self-discipline with good principles through human university.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzoma-nnadi/the-best-education-is-self-discipline-with-good-principles-through/) [Uzoma Nnadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzoma-nnadi/) > [You have to get into the water and learn against what seems to be the law gravity to float and dancing, or athletics takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/you-have-to-get-into-the-water-and-learn-against-what-seems-to-be-the/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Beau, will you please watch the entrance for us?" 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Because when you show up in the classroom, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-barton/teaching-and-writing-really-they-support-and-nourish-each-other-and/) [Emily Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-barton/) > [The people of Indonesia have to learn, realize, that fighting for a better country is great and inspiring. Like those men, women, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/the-people-of-indonesia-have-to-learn-realize-that-fighting-for-a/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [The laughter in response to my question unmasked the double standard our deconstructionists espouse. And that is precisely the double standard of atheism! It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/the-laughter-in-response-to-my-question-unmasked-the-double-standard/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) ## More by Karen Armstrong > [If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-attention-a-novel-like-a-myth/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [A gentleman is not born but crafted. He had to work on himself in the same way as a sculptor shaped a rough stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/a-gentleman-is-not-born-but-crafted-he-had-to-work-on-himself-in-the/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I was a lousy nun. I couldn't do it. I couldn't find God. It wasn't suitable for me. It is suitable for very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-was-a-lousy-nun-i-couldn-t-do-it-i-couldn-t-find-god-it-wasn-t/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [In the past some of the most influential Jewish, Christian and Muslim theologians, such as Maimonides, Aquinas and Ibn Sina, made it clear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/in-the-past-some-of-the-most-influential-jewish-christian-and-muslim/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [The great task of our time is to build a global society, where people can live together in peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-great-task-of-our-time-is-to-build-a-global-society-where-people/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. 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