--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Responsibility can never be given. It can…" description: "\"Responsibility can never be given. It can only be taken.\" — Maharishi Mahesh Yogi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/maharishi-mahesh-yogi-1567_given_responsibility-can-never-be-given-it-can_788523.jpg" --- # Responsibility can never be given. It can only be taken. ![“Responsibility can never be given. It can only be taken.” quote by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/maharishi-mahesh-yogi-1567_given_responsibility-can-never-be-given-it-can_788523.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/maharishi-mahesh-yogi-1567_given_responsibility-can-never-be-given-it-can_788523.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/maharishi-mahesh-yogi-1567_given_responsibility-can-never-be-given-it-can_788523.jpg) > “Responsibility can never be given. It can only be taken.” [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Responsibility cannot be assigned by others; it must be voluntarily embraced and acted upon. **In simple terms:** Responsibility is taken, not given. Key Takeaway Choose to own your duties. Themes ethics leadership agency self‑reliance Mood reflective empowering Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - workplace - community service - personal projects - leadership roles Key Concepts philosophy psychology social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities have you avoided? - How can you proactively claim them? A Different Perspective External pressures may hinder genuine responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-taken-284052/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsibility Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility-given-577573/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) ## Related quotes > [It can be stolen, but never bought. It can be given, but never taken. It can be stepped on, but cannot walk . It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-can-be-stolen-but-never-bought-it-can-be-given-but-never-taken-it/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [It was my goal and dream to be selected to the Olympic team, so I knew going into it the amount of responsibility I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirai-nagasu/it-was-my-goal-and-dream-to-be-selected-to-the-olympic-team-so-i-knew/) [Mirai Nagasu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirai-nagasu/) > [It is impossible to get the measure of what an individual can accomplish unless the responsibility is given him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/it-is-impossible-to-get-the-measure-of-what-an-individual-can/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [“Worry is refusing the given. Today’s care, not tomorrow’s, is the responsibility given to us, apportioned in the wisdom of God. Often we neglect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-ludy/worry-is-refusing-the-given-today-s-care-not-tomorrow-s-is-the-2/) [Leslie Ludy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-ludy/) > [Children allowed to take responsibility and given a serious part in the larger world are always superior to those merely permitted to play and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/children-allowed-to-take-responsibility-and-given-a-serious-part-in/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [People that take responsibility are often given responsibility!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/people-that-take-responsibility-are-often-given-responsibility/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Children can only learn to take responsibility when given a chance to assess and mitigate risk for themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gever-tulley/children-can-only-learn-to-take-responsibility-when-given-a-chance-to/) [Gever Tulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gever-tulley/) > [“Worry is refusing the given. Today’s care, not tomorrow’s, is the responsibility given to us, apportioned in the wisdom of God. Often we neglect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-ludy/worry-is-refusing-the-given-today-s-care-not-tomorrow-s-is-the/) [Leslie Ludy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-ludy/) > [“He knew the best way to learn responsibility was to be given the opportunity to be responsible, and at as young an age as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chesley-b-sullenberger/he-knew-the-best-way-to-learn-responsibility-was-to-be-given-the/) [Chesley B. 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It can only be taken away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allan-coe/freedom-cannot-be-given-it-can-only-be-taken-away/) [David Allan Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allan-coe/) > [Rock and roll has probably given more than it's taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-watts/rock-and-roll-has-probably-given-more-than-it-s-taken/) [Charlie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-watts/) > [U Have Given And Taken A Lot From Me. You Gave Me A Reason To Smile, But You Took Away My Ability To Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/u-have-given-and-taken-a-lot-from-me-you-gave-me-a-reason-to-smile/) [Hemantsmarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemantsmarty/) ## More by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi > [Nature supports right action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/nature-supports-right-action/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [Adopt the standard of perfection, because it is a perfect universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/adopt-the-standard-of-perfection-because-it-is-a-perfect-universe/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [The dignity of a woman's life is infinite, her status immeasurable, her capacity unbounded, her role divine...In the fast changing world of today her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-dignity-of-a-woman-s-life-is-infinite-her-status-immeasurable-her/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [The golden gate to peace in life is the experience of bliss, and it is easy for everyone to acquire this great glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-golden-gate-to-peace-in-life-is-the-experience-of-bliss-and-it-is/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [In the process of evolution, the body lasts for some time and then will take other body and take other body and take other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/in-the-process-of-evolution-the-body-lasts-for-some-time-and-then/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [The power of light is always bigger than the power of darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-power-of-light-is-always-bigger-than-the-power-of-darkness/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [The habit of quietly absorbing the shocks will be quite a great help to stabilize pure awareness. The technique is: Just feel not disturbed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-habit-of-quietly-absorbing-the-shocks-will-be-quite-a-great-help/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [Established in Being, perform action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/established-in-being-perform-action/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [America is the most creative country and the most powerful government in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/america-is-the-most-creative-country-and-the-most-powerful-government/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [Meditation is the direct means of enjoying the greatest happiness and is the only means to quench the thirst for happiness on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/meditation-is-the-direct-means-of-enjoying-the-greatest-happiness-and/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [The factor of time is very vital in life. Those who have accomplished great things in the world have been those who valued time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-factor-of-time-is-very-vital-in-life-those-who-have-accomplished/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [The most effective teachers embody the teaching they give out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-most-effective-teachers-embody-the-teaching-they-give-out/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [A new humanity will be born, fuller in conception and richer in experience and accomplishments in all fields. Joy of life will belong to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/a-new-humanity-will-be-born-fuller-in-conception-and-richer-in/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [God grants us the faculty to open ourselves to peace. If we don't then we are responsible if wars continue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/god-grants-us-the-faculty-to-open-ourselves-to-peace-if-we-don-t-then/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [See the job, do the job, stay out of the misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/see-the-job-do-the-job-stay-out-of-the-misery/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) [Explore all 227 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) ## More Given quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. 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I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-life-were-like-a-competitive-race-some-people-would-be-given-a/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Music is one of the ways by which you can know everything which is going on in the world. You can feel... through music...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/music-is-one-of-the-ways-by-which-you-can-know-everything-which-is/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [Today, at Harvard, any student with the currently fashionable color of skin is given rights denied to students of the currently unfashionable color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capp/today-at-harvard-any-student-with-the-currently-fashionable-color-of/) [Al Capp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capp/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [It was given out that the animals there practised cannibalism, tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes, and had their females in common. 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