--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I define love thus: The will to extend…" description: "\"I define love thus: The will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth.\" — M. Scott Peck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/m-scott-peck-1921_define-love_i-define-love-thus-the-will-to-extend-on_800216.png" --- # I define love thus: The will to extend one's self for the… ![“I define love thus: The will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth.” quote by M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/m-scott-peck-1921_define-love_i-define-love-thus-the-will-to-extend-on_800216.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/m-scott-peck-1921_define-love_i-define-love-thus-the-will-to-extend-on_800216.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/m-scott-peck-1921_define-love_i-define-love-thus-the-will-to-extend-on_800216.png) > “I define love thus: The will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth.” [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love is the intentional act of nurturing spiritual growth in oneself or others. **In simple terms:** Love means fostering spiritual development. Key Takeaway Cultivate nurturing relationships. Themes love spiritual growth self‑extension Mood inspirational thoughtful Type psychological philosophical When to use this quote - counseling - marriage - parenting - community building Key Concepts humanistic psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can you nurture without smothering? - What practices support mutual spiritual growth? A Different Perspective Love can become overbearing if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Define love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-love/) [Extend Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extend-self-2148766/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-does/) [Love Extend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-extend-954541/) [Nurturing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurturing/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-growth/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [Of all the definitions of love that abound in our universe, a special favorite of mine is... “the will to extend one's self for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/of-all-the-definitions-of-love-that-abound-in-our-universe-a-special/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Love is the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth... Love is as love does.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/love-is-the-will-to-extend-one-s-self-for-the-purpose-of-nurturing/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [“I have defined love as the will to extend oneself for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth. Genuine love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/i-have-defined-love-as-the-will-to-extend-oneself-for-the-purpose-of/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Discipline, it has been suggested, is the means of human spiritual evolution. What provides the motive, the energy for discipline? This force I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/discipline-it-has-been-suggested-is-the-means-of-human-spiritual/) [M. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [Poetry is another space, like love, where we extend that extra credit to the writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/poetry-is-another-space-like-love-where-we-extend-that-extra-credit/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [Although the act of nurturing another's spiritual growth has the effect of nurturing one's own, a major characteristic of genuine love is that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/although-the-act-of-nurturing-another-s-spiritual-growth-has-the/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Everything that happens in life is there to aid our spiritual growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/everything-that-happens-in-life-is-there-to-aid-our-spiritual-growth/) [M. 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Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [The quickest way to change your attitude toward pain is to accept the fact that everything that happens to us has been designed for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/the-quickest-way-to-change-your-attitude-toward-pain-is-to-accept-the/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [“I love him in a way I cannot define, as if my love were an organ within my body that I could not live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-nowlin/i-love-him-in-a-way-i-cannot-define-as-if-my-love-were-an-organ/) [Laura Nowlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-nowlin/) > [If u can define what is love..then you are not in Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/if-u-can-define-what-is-love-then-you-are-not-in-love/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myself/) ## More by M. Scott Peck > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [As I grow through love, so grows my joy, ever more present, ever more constant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/as-i-grow-through-love-so-grows-my-joy-ever-more-present-ever-more/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [“Life is difficult.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/life-is-difficult/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [“The second most common misconception about love is the idea that dependency is love...Its effect is seen most dramatically in an individual who makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/the-second-most-common-misconception-about-love-is-the-idea-that/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Although I was raised in a profoundly secular home, I had a belief, an awareness of God, from as far back as I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/although-i-was-raised-in-a-profoundly-secular-home-i-had-a-belief-an/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [I've gone to great lengths not to be a guru. I think the notion of guruhood is utterly pathological, and I couldn't live that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/i-ve-gone-to-great-lengths-not-to-be-a-guru-i-think-the-notion-of/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [The whole course of human history may depend on a change of heart in one solitary and even humble individual - for it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/the-whole-course-of-human-history-may-depend-on-a-change-of-heart-in/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [The act of loving is an act of self-evolution even when the purpose of the act is someone else's growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/the-act-of-loving-is-an-act-of-self-evolution-even-when-the-purpose/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [“Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/benjamin-franklin-said-those-things-that-hurt-instruct/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Abandon the urge to simplify everything, to look for formulas and easy answers, and to begin to think multidimensionally, to glory in the mystery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/abandon-the-urge-to-simplify-everything-to-look-for-formulas-and-easy/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Listening well is an exercise of attention and by necessity hard work. It is because they do not realize this or because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/listening-well-is-an-exercise-of-attention-and-by-necessity-hard-work/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [“It is not selfishness or unselfishness that distinguishes love from non-love; it is the aim of the action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/it-is-not-selfishness-or-unselfishness-that-distinguishes-love-from/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Love is too large, too deep ever to be truly understood or measured or limited within the framework of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/love-is-too-large-too-deep-ever-to-be-truly-understood-or-measured-or/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [There is no act of love that is not an act of work or courage. No exceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/there-is-no-act-of-love-that-is-not-an-act-of-work-or-courage-no/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [To be free people we must assume total responsibility for ourselves, but in doing so must possess the capacity to reject responsibility that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/to-be-free-people-we-must-assume-total-responsibility-for-ourselves/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) [Explore all 198 M. Scott Peck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) ## More Define love quotes > [If u can define what is love..then you are not in Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/if-u-can-define-what-is-love-then-you-are-not-in-love/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myself/) > [“I love him in a way I cannot define, as if my love were an organ within my body that I could not live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-nowlin/i-love-him-in-a-way-i-cannot-define-as-if-my-love-were-an-organ/) [Laura Nowlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-nowlin/) > [“The further truth that the undivided mind is aware of experience as a unity, of the world as itself, and that the whole nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-further-truth-that-the-undivided-mind-is-aware-of-experience-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The define of love is cannot define it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reny/the-define-of-love-is-cannot-define-it/) [Reny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reny/) > [I don’t think you can really define love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/i-don-t-think-you-can-really-define-love/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) > [I define myself by everything that I love, everything I can create, everything that I can imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stedman-graham/i-define-myself-by-everything-that-i-love-everything-i-can-create/) [Stedman Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stedman-graham/) > [Love. What is love? No word can define it, it's something so great, only God could design it. Yes, love is beyond, what man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/love-what-is-love-no-word-can-define-it-it-s-something-so-great-only/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [I did some more soul searching. I asked myself, "What do I want more than happiness?" and there was only one answer - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/i-did-some-more-soul-searching-i-asked-myself-what-do-i-want-more/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [Define love in 4 letters?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fhebryan-perez/define-love-in-4-letters/) [Fhebryan Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fhebryan-perez/) > [Dont define love, just feel it..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-define-love-just-feel-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is difficult to define love; all we can say is, that in the soul it is a desire to rule, in the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-difficult-to-define-love-all-we-can-say-is-that-in-the-soul-it/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Sometimes your head is telling you to use common sense but your heart is telling you to go with what you feel. After everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-your-head-is-telling-you-to-use-common-sense-but-your-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whenever someone asks me to define love, I usually think for a minute, then I spin around and pin the guy's arm behind his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/whenever-someone-asks-me-to-define-love-i-usually-think-for-a-minute/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [DEFINE LOVE, DONT TAKE OTHERS DEFINITIONS. MAKE UP UR OWN, AFETR U'VE FELL IN LOVE. IN REALITY ITS MUCH BETTER THEN EVERYTHING ANYONE EVER…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryam/define-love-dont-take-others-definitions-make-up-ur-own-afetr-u-ve/) [Maryam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryam/) > [“Perhaps we can define love, at once in its familial, sexual and worldly forms, as a kind of respect, a sensitivity on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/perhaps-we-can-define-love-at-once-in-its-familial-sexual-and-worldly/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) [Browse all 50 Define love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I define love thus: The will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "M. 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