--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We expect rewards for goodness, and…" description: "\"“We expect rewards for goodness, and punishments for the bad things which we do. Often, they are not immediately”\" — Leo Tolstoy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/leo-tolstoy-55_bad-thing_we-expect-rewards-for-goodness-and-punis_1413583.png" --- # We expect rewards for goodness, and punishments for the… ![“We expect rewards for goodness, and punishments for the bad things which we do. Often, they are not immediately” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/leo-tolstoy-55_bad-thing_we-expect-rewards-for-goodness-and-punis_1413583.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/leo-tolstoy-55_bad-thing_we-expect-rewards-for-goodness-and-punis_1413583.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/leo-tolstoy-55_bad-thing_we-expect-rewards-for-goodness-and-punis_1413583.png) > ““We expect rewards for goodness, and punishments for the bad things which we do. Often, they are not immediately”” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good deeds are often unrewarded and bad deeds unpunished in the short term, but moral balance eventually asserts itself. **In simple terms:** Goodness may not be instantly rewarded. Key Takeaway Trust that justice will unfold over time. Themes morality justice patience Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal setbacks - career challenges - social injustice - long‑term planning Key Concepts karma ethical causality Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay ethical when rewards are delayed? - What evidence supports delayed justice? A Different Perspective Immediate outcomes can be misleading; not all consequences are visible right away. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-thing/) [Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Expect Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expect-rewards-2653252/) [Goodness Punishments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness-punishments-4987154/) [Punishments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishments/) [Punishments Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishments-bad-4987155/) [Rewards Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards-goodness-4987156/) ## Related quotes > [It's normal for people, especially politicians, to expect rewards in return for favors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/it-s-normal-for-people-especially-politicians-to-expect-rewards-in/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [You cannot expect rewards without putting in hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagma/you-cannot-expect-rewards-without-putting-in-hard-work/) [Nagma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagma/) > [In any case, frequent punishments are a sign of weakness or slackness in the government. There is no man so bad that he cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/in-any-case-frequent-punishments-are-a-sign-of-weakness-or-slackness/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [When you're going through pain so much in your heart, start sewing it back with from all thy issues that you don't want anymore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bigheartedperson/when-you-re-going-through-pain-so-much-in-your-heart-start-sewing-it/) [BigHeartedPerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bigheartedperson/) > [Years of research in psychology has shown that rewards and punishments can be very effective in changing behavior. 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Society's punishments are small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-never-be-afraid-to-do-what-s-right-especially-if-the-well-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/nations-like-individuals-are-subjected-to-punishments-and/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All of our punishment institutions, including jails, laws, church confessionals, and so forth, are systems of illusion. The order of the universe, the infinite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kushi/all-of-our-punishment-institutions-including-jails-laws-church/) [Michio Kushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kushi/) > [If soldiers are punished before they have grown attached to you, they will not prove submissive; and, unless submissive, then will be practically useless.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/if-soldiers-are-punished-before-they-have-grown-attached-to-you-they/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Rewards and punishments, to speak frankly, are the desk of the soul, that is, a means of enslaving a child's spirit, and better suited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/rewards-and-punishments-to-speak-frankly-are-the-desk-of-the-soul/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [There is not eternal damnation, the only rewards and punishments are right here in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-not-eternal-damnation-the-only-rewards-and-punishments-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don’t get me wrong, Brianna. Punishments aren’t pleasant. They aren’t meant to be, but they are bearable. And it’s not like you don’t know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherri-hayes/don-t-get-me-wrong-brianna-punishments-aren-t-pleasant-they-aren-t/) [Sherri Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherri-hayes/) > [Face it," Gary told her kindly. "You'll never catch up. You just do as much as you can and take the punishments without saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/face-it-gary-told-her-kindly-you-ll-never-catch-up-you-just-do-as/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! 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She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Bad thing quotes > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. 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