--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes we do something for sake of…" description: "\"“Sometimes we do something for sake of doing and not for purpose. Sometimes, if we try to rationalize and invent a purpose of the action we do, it just..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/karthigeyan-srinivasan-252136_quote_sometimes-we-do-something-for-sake-of-do_1737232.jpg" --- # Sometimes we do something for sake of doing and not for… ![“Sometimes we do something for sake of doing and not for purpose. Sometimes, if we try to rationalize and invent a purpose of the action we do, it just belittles the whole thing.” quote by Karthigeyan Srinivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/karthigeyan-srinivasan-252136_quote_sometimes-we-do-something-for-sake-of-do_1737232.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/karthigeyan-srinivasan-252136_quote_sometimes-we-do-something-for-sake-of-do_1737232.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/karthigeyan-srinivasan-252136_quote_sometimes-we-do-something-for-sake-of-do_1737232.jpg) > ““Sometimes we do something for sake of doing and not for purpose. Sometimes, if we try to rationalize and invent a purpose of the action we do, it just belittles the whole thing.”” [Karthigeyan Srinivasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthigeyan-srinivasan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Doing actions without purpose and then rationalizing them cheapens meaning. **In simple terms:** Empty tasks lose significance when forced into purpose. Key Takeaway Seek authentic purpose before acting. Themes meaning action authenticity self‑deception purpose Mood thoughtful philosophical introspective Type Rationalize:0 Doing Purpose:0 Try Rationalize:0 Purpose Action:0 Invent Purpose:0 When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - personal habits - mindfulness practice Key Concepts existentialism psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - Why do we create purposes after the fact? - How can genuine intent improve outcomes? A Different Perspective Rationalizing can lead to superficial fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-purpose-976742/) [Invent Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent-purpose-1486445/) [Purpose Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-action-1486444/) [Rationalize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationalize/) [Try Rationalize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-rationalize-1486443/) ## Related quotes > [“When life is this dull, you have to invent purpose. Collecting torn-up newspaper gives you a hobby, provides an anchoring intimacy with your surroundings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-masters/when-life-is-this-dull-you-have-to-invent-purpose-collecting-torn-up/) [Alexander Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-masters/) > [“Frederick knows better than to believe, as his wife sometimes claims to, that all things happen for a reason. Things happen; it is up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-merrill-block/frederick-knows-better-than-to-believe-as-his-wife-sometimes-claims/) [Stefan Merrill Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-merrill-block/) > [The mind must see visual achievement of the purpose before action is initiated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mack-r-douglas/the-mind-must-see-visual-achievement-of-the-purpose-before-action-is/) [Mack R Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mack-r-douglas/) > [“The secret of success is before attempting anything, be very clear about why you are doing it.” If you don’t know your objective or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bohdi-sanders/the-secret-of-success-is-before-attempting-anything-be-very-clear/) [Bohdi Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bohdi-sanders/) > [“Once you have a clear idea of what your higher purpose is, invest some quality time to make a plan. How are you going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-frey/once-you-have-a-clear-idea-of-what-your-higher-purpose-is-invest-some/) [Chuck Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-frey/) > [Action is the activity of the rational soul, which abhors irrationality and must combat it or be corrupted by it. When it sees the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/action-is-the-activity-of-the-rational-soul-which-abhors/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [When every action has a purpose, every action has a result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-plitt/when-every-action-has-a-purpose-every-action-has-a-result/) [Greg Plitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-plitt/) > [Purpose of words is to create silence. Purpose of action is to bring deep rest. Purpose of deep rest is to bring you fulfillment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/purpose-of-words-is-to-create-silence-purpose-of-action-is-to-bring/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [You gotta do the work and understand why you're doing it, and what is your purpose for doing it. And for me, it is...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-vine-joy-randolph/you-gotta-do-the-work-and-understand-why-you-re-doing-it-and-what-is/) [Da'Vine Joy Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/da-vine-joy-randolph/) > [So yeah, it's nothing that I'm doing on purpose, I just think that the more records, the more songs that I write, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-chesney/so-yeah-it-s-nothing-that-i-m-doing-on-purpose-i-just-think-that-the/) [Kenny Chesney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-chesney/) > [What I want to say about the Kanye thing is that whoever wants me to be in their life - whether it's a rapper,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-franklin/what-i-want-to-say-about-the-kanye-thing-is-that-whoever-wants-me-to/) [Kirk Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-franklin/) > [“Was there ever a time you thought - I am doing this on purpose, I am fucking up and I don't know why.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-m-homes-2/was-there-ever-a-time-you-thought-i-am-doing-this-on-purpose-i-am/) [A. M. Homes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-m-homes-2/) > [“We must trust that what we're doing has a purpose. We must realize that we're not here to make kids conform or perform, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/we-must-trust-that-what-we-re-doing-has-a-purpose-we-must-realize/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [We all sorely complain of the shortness of time, and yet have much more than we know what to do with. Our lives are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/we-all-sorely-complain-of-the-shortness-of-time-and-yet-have-much/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [It is important to ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing and what purpose it serves in the big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/it-is-important-to-ask-yourself-why-you-re-doing-what-you-re-doing/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) ## More Rationalize quotes > [Your ability to rationalize your own bad deeds makes you believe that the whole world is as amoral as you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/your-ability-to-rationalize-your-own-bad-deeds-makes-you-believe-that/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“To recklessly excuse a failure is to believe that I’ve effectively erased it from the story of my life, when I’ve actually imprinted it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-recklessly-excuse-a-failure-is-to-believe-that-i-ve-effectively/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [When you're tired, you rationalize. You make excuses in your mind. You say, "I'm too tired; I'm bushed; I can't do this; I'll loaf."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/when-you-re-tired-you-rationalize-you-make-excuses-in-your-mind-you/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [Man has an infinite capacity to rationalize - especially when it comes to what he wants to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleveland-amory/man-has-an-infinite-capacity-to-rationalize-especially-when-it-comes/) [Cleveland Amory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleveland-amory/) > [I rationalize out, well, how much help could you really be, you know? And maybe if people saw this, they'd realize the brutality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haskell-wexler/i-rationalize-out-well-how-much-help-could-you-really-be-you-know-and/) [Haskell Wexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haskell-wexler/) > [The mind's ability to rationalize it's own shortcomings is unlimited; I am no exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-mind-s-ability-to-rationalize-it-s-own-shortcomings-is-unlimited/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Of course, I rationalize the fear. I realize it’s not real, that my house isn’t burning down, that the deer aren’t going to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-celebi/of-course-i-rationalize-the-fear-i-realize-it-s-not-real-that-my/) [Shannon Celebi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-celebi/) > [The Second World War is and was constantly being drudged up by Blair and Bush to rationalize the invasion of Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/the-second-world-war-is-and-was-constantly-being-drudged-up-by-blair/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [Human beings, when they encounter that which can't be understood, either run away from it, run towards it blindly, or just rationalize it out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/human-beings-when-they-encounter-that-which-can-t-be-understood/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [People sometimes rationalize their greed by saying that it is all for the good of their children but this is nothing but an excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/people-sometimes-rationalize-their-greed-by-saying-that-it-is-all-for/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [“...you’d be amazed at the grand tales the human brain will throw up to make sense of something nonsensical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/you-d-be-amazed-at-the-grand-tales-the-human-brain-will-throw-up-to/) [Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/) > [Our primeval Mother Earth is an organism that no science in the world can rationalize. Everything on her that crawls and flies is dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-schauberger/our-primeval-mother-earth-is-an-organism-that-no-science-in-the-world/) [Viktor Schauberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-schauberger/) > [Amazing what we can self-rationalize when we really want something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/amazing-what-we-can-self-rationalize-when-we-really-want-something/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [Government is full of people who think they know what's best for others and can rationalize compelling them to accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/government-is-full-of-people-who-think-they-know-what-s-best-for/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [I am a product of a rat and roach infested black ghetto. It is easy for me to rationalize my dealings as a numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-king/i-am-a-product-of-a-rat-and-roach-infested-black-ghetto-it-is-easy/) [Don King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-king/) [Browse all 125 Rationalize quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationalize/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes we do something for sake of doing and not for purpose. 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