Children Quote by Leo Tolstoy
““Formerly (it had begun almost from childhood and kept growing till full maturity), whenever he had tried to do something that would be good for everyone, for mankind, for Russia, for the district, for the whole village, he had noticed that thinking about it was pleasant, but the doing itself was always awkward, there was no full assurance that the thing was absolutely necessary, and the doing itself, which at the start had seemed so big, kept diminishing and diminishing, dwindling to nothing; while now, after his marriage, when he began to limit himself more and more to living for himself, though he no longer experienced any joy at the thought of what he was doing, he felt certain that his work was necessary, saw that it turned out much better than before and that it was expanding more and more.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy, 1869
When personal motives shift from collective ideals to self‑interest, work feels more certain and productive, even if the original altruistic joy fades.
In simple terms: Self‑interest can make effort feel necessary and effective.
Key Takeaway
Embrace personal purpose to sustain effort.
Themes
purpose
motivation
self‑interest
productivity
Mood
reflective
determined
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- career decisions
- community projects
- personal goals
- creative work
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
moral philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives your work now?
- How does self‑interest reshape your sense of duty?
A Different Perspective
Neglecting broader impact may limit societal benefit.
