--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Actively deciding to give to causes that…" description: "\"Actively deciding to give to causes that move you deeply is far more fulfilling than the momentary gratification derived from signing a check and maili..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/laura-arrillaga-andreessen-166_about_actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that_1164432.jpg" --- # Actively deciding to give to causes that move you deeply… ![“Actively deciding to give to causes that move you deeply is far more fulfilling than the momentary gratification derived from signing a check and mailing it to a nonprofit about which you know little more than what's on the brochure they sent you.” quote by Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/laura-arrillaga-andreessen-166_about_actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that_1164432.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/laura-arrillaga-andreessen-166_about_actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that_1164432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/laura-arrillaga-andreessen-166_about_actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that_1164432.jpg) > “Actively deciding to give to causes that move you deeply is far more fulfilling than the momentary gratification derived from signing a check and mailing it to a nonprofit about which you know little more than what's on the brochure they sent you.” [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True fulfillment comes from personally connecting with causes you care about, not from impersonal, transactional donations. **In simple terms:** Give to causes you truly care about for deeper fulfillment. Key Takeaway Choose impact over convenience. Themes philanthropy purpose fulfillment Mood inspired reflective Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - volunteer work - community projects - direct donations - cause advocacy Key Concepts empathy meaningful giving personal connection Questions to Reflect On - How can you learn more about a cause before donating? - What personal values guide your charitable choices? A Different Perspective Impersonal giving can still provide tax benefits and support larger organizations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Actively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actively/) [Brochures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brochures/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Check](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/check/) [Checks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checks/) [Deciding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deciding/) [Deeply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeply/) [Derived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/derived/) [Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far/) [Far Fulfilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-fulfilling-2326736/) [Fulfilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfilling/) [Give](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Gratification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratification/) [Gratification Derived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratification-derived-897912/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Mailing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mailing/) [Momentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/momentary/) [Momentary Gratification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/momentary-gratification-3347806/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Move](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/move/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Nonprofit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonprofit/) [Nonprofits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonprofits/) [Sent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sent/) [Signing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signing/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [Imagination is far more fulfilling than reality,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagination-is-far-more-fulfilling-than-reality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We want box office success, critical acclaim, awards and everything else. But I think when the audience likes a film, that appreciation is far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-rao/we-want-box-office-success-critical-acclaim-awards-and-everything/) [Kiran Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-rao/) > [The superior gratification derived from the use and contemplation of costly and supposedly beautiful products is, commonly, in great measure a gratification of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/the-superior-gratification-derived-from-the-use-and-contemplation-of/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“The nuisance of her presence outweighs the gratification to be derived from tormenting her”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/the-nuisance-of-her-presence-outweighs-the-gratification-to-be/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [“The problem is that the payoff or instant gratification derived from bad habits often far outweighs what’s going on in your rational mind concerning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/the-problem-is-that-the-payoff-or-instant-gratification-derived-from/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [Philanthropy is often seen as society's risk capital. That means the onus is on philanthropists, nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs to innovate. But philanthropic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/philanthropy-is-often-seen-as-society-s-risk-capital-that-means-the/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [In the United States those bits of our history that remain are paved over, sanitized, packaged for easy consumption. At those sites not already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biloine-w-young/in-the-united-states-those-bits-of-our-history-that-remain-are-paved/) [Biloine W. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biloine-w-young/) > [We look at the Web as being our basic power plant, kind of like electricity, so the Web and communicating in this fashion is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-leonsis/we-look-at-the-web-as-being-our-basic-power-plant-kind-of-like/) [Ted Leonsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-leonsis/) > [So that’s our approach. Very simple, and we’re really shooting for Museum of Modern Art quality. The way we’re running the company, the product…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/so-that-s-our-approach-very-simple-and-we-re-really-shooting-for/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [He gave me the brochure. It was about the Hunters of Artemis. The front read, A WISE CHOICE FOR YOUR FUTURE! Inside were pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-gave-me-the-brochure-it-was-about-the-hunters-of-artemis-the-front/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [There was an old brochure for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts with a quote from Robert Redford or someone, that said, "You're only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/there-was-an-old-brochure-for-the-american-academy-of-dramatic-arts/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [When I was asked to write a message for your brochure I gladly accepted as I remember my first school tour of England was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-smith/when-i-was-asked-to-write-a-message-for-your-brochure-i-gladly/) [Graeme Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-smith/) > [If your stories are all about your products and services, that's not storytelling. It's a brochure. Give yourself permission to make the story bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-baer/if-your-stories-are-all-about-your-products-and-services-that-s-not/) [Jay Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-baer/) > [Life is never quite like the brochure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-lorre/life-is-never-quite-like-the-brochure/) [Chuck Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-lorre/) > [To judge from all Communist papers, magazines and brochures, and from all public assemblies, one might even surmise that a revolt of the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-gorter/to-judge-from-all-communist-papers-magazines-and-brochures-and-from/) [Herman Gorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-gorter/) ## More by Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen > ['Giving 2.0' is about making your giving matter more to the people we all hope to help, and it's about making your giving matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/giving-2-0-is-about-making-your-giving-matter-more-to-the-people-we/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [The word ‘philanthropy’ brings up an image of somebody who’s had an illustrious career, has retired and is giving to highly established institutions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/the-word-philanthropy-brings-up-an-image-of-somebody-who-s-had-an/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [My father taught me many important giving lessons, but two stand out. First, always give as much as you possibly can. And second, give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/my-father-taught-me-many-important-giving-lessons-but-two-stand-out/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [Shouldn't you put the same amount of effort into your giving as you might for your for-profit investments? After all, philanthropy is an investment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/shouldn-t-you-put-the-same-amount-of-effort-into-your-giving-as-you/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [By making all my materials freely available through 'Giving 2.0' ProjectU, I am on a mission to extend philanthropy education to colleges globally and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/by-making-all-my-materials-freely-available-through-giving-2-0/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [ANYONE WHO GIVES ANYTHING—TIME, MONEY, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, AND NETWORKS—IN ANY AMOUNT, TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/anyone-who-gives-anything-time-money-experience-skills-and-networks/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [When I look at founders and CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook and Brian Chesky at Airbnb and Sebastian Thrun at Udacity, these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/when-i-look-at-founders-and-ceos-like-mark-zuckerberg-at-facebook-and/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [Philanthropy is often seen as society's risk capital. That means the onus is on philanthropists, nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs to innovate. But philanthropic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/philanthropy-is-often-seen-as-society-s-risk-capital-that-means-the/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [My mother taught me that to maximize your philanthropic potential, you need to constantly challenge your capabilities and put yourself in situations that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/my-mother-taught-me-that-to-maximize-your-philanthropic-potential-you/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [When I started teaching at Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2000, no field-based courses in strategic philanthropy existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/when-i-started-teaching-at-stanford-graduate-school-of-business-in/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [Proactive giving is what you do when you've found your passion. It expresses your values, interests and concerns. It engages not just your dollars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/proactive-giving-is-what-you-do-when-you-ve-found-your-passion-it/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [Religion is a complex and often contradictory force in our world. It fosters hope and comfort but also doubt and guilt. It creates both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/religion-is-a-complex-and-often-contradictory-force-in-our-world-it/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [Philanthropic dollars are precious resources, so it's our responsibility to consider how we use them carefully. Yet few of us spend enough time doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/philanthropic-dollars-are-precious-resources-so-it-s-our/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [Giving is a universal opportunity. Regardless of your age, profession, religion, income bracket, and background, you have the capacity to create change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/giving-is-a-universal-opportunity-regardless-of-your-age-profession/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [Too often we're happy to receive thanks from the nonprofits we fund, accepting gratitude instead of feedback or performance measurements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/too-often-we-re-happy-to-receive-thanks-from-the-nonprofits-we-fund/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) [Explore all 39 Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Actively deciding to give to causes that move you deeply is far more fulfilling than the momentary gratification derived from signing a check and mailing it to a nonprofit about which you know little more than what's on the brochure they sent you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that-move-you-deeply-is-far-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that-move-you-deeply-is-far-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/laura-arrillaga-andreessen-166_about_actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that_1164432.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/laura-arrillaga-andreessen-166_about_actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that_1164432.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/laura-arrillaga-andreessen-166_about_actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that_1164432.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Actively deciding to give to causes that move you deeply is far more fulfilling than the momentary…” — Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen", "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": "Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Actively deciding to give to causes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that-move-you-deeply-is-far-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/actively-deciding-to-give-to-causes-that-move-you-deeply-is-far-more/#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 } } ] } ```