--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Generous gestures yield the most when…" description: "\"Generous gestures yield the most when that isn't their purpose.\" — Malcolm Forbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/malcolm-forbes-1510_generous_generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-th_1103124.jpg" --- # Generous gestures yield the most when that isn't their… ![“Generous gestures yield the most when that isn't their purpose.” quote by Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/malcolm-forbes-1510_generous_generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-th_1103124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/malcolm-forbes-1510_generous_generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-th_1103124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/malcolm-forbes-1510_generous_generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-th_1103124.jpg) > “Generous gestures yield the most when that isn't their purpose.” [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that generous acts are most valuable when they are not driven by ulterior motives. **In simple terms:** Generosity works best when sincere. Key Takeaway Give without expecting. Themes generosity motivation authenticity Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - charity - workplace - friendship Key Concepts ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your giving? - How to recognize genuine generosity? A Different Perspective Insincere generosity can undermine trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) [Gestures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [We ought to ban hunting, I suggest, if there isn't a purpose other than sport and fun. That should be against the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/we-ought-to-ban-hunting-i-suggest-if-there-isn-t-a-purpose-other-than-2/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [Profit isn't a purpose, it's a result. To have purpose means the things we do are of real value to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/profit-isn-t-a-purpose-it-s-a-result-to-have-purpose-means-the-things/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [My feeling is that in the purest form, an actor is a service to the people. It's democratic in its purest form. That's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cohen/my-feeling-is-that-in-the-purest-form-an-actor-is-a-service-to-the/) [Scott Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cohen/) > [We ought to ban hunting, I suggest, if there isn't a purpose other than sport and fun. That should be against the law. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/we-ought-to-ban-hunting-i-suggest-if-there-isn-t-a-purpose-other-than/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [“That's something we all want to know, isn't it? Is there a "purpose" to our form and substance? Or are we simply the random…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sinn-nachtrieb/that-s-something-we-all-want-to-know-isn-t-it-is-there-a-purpose-to/) Peter Sinn Nachtrieb > [You want to enjoy life, don't you? If you get your job done quickly and your job is fun, that's good isn't it? That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukihiro-matsumoto/you-want-to-enjoy-life-don-t-you-if-you-get-your-job-done-quickly-and/) [Yukihiro Matsumoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukihiro-matsumoto/) > [Hope and purpose in this world is living as best as you can and maybe having life that gives back. But simply giving back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/hope-and-purpose-in-this-world-is-living-as-best-as-you-can-and-maybe/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [As Gandhi wisely points out, even as we serve others we are working on ourselves; every act, every word, every gesture of genuine compassion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-muller/as-gandhi-wisely-points-out-even-as-we-serve-others-we-are-working-on/) [Wayne Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-muller/) > [F For Fake is a talentless concoction of unparalleled ineptitude... It would have been a more generous gesture to show a retrospective of old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-reed/f-for-fake-is-a-talentless-concoction-of-unparalleled-ineptitude-it/) [Rex Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-reed/) > [Sweeping gestures from the shoulder allow you to make generous marks, well suited to large scale work. You don't get anything simpler than this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-smith/sweeping-gestures-from-the-shoulder-allow-you-to-make-generous-marks/) [Stan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-smith/) > [But she still had that something which fires the imagination, could still stop one's breath for a moment by a look or gesture that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/but-she-still-had-that-something-which-fires-the-imagination-could/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Wonder is the foundation of all philosophy; research, the progress; ignorance, the end. There is, by heavens, a strong and generous kind of ignorance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/wonder-is-the-foundation-of-all-philosophy-research-the-progress/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Poems come from ordinary experiences and objects, I think. Out of memory - a dress I lent my daughter on her way back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/poems-come-from-ordinary-experiences-and-objects-i-think-out-of/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [A fine lady; by which term I wish to express the result of that perfect education in taste and manner, down to every gesture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/a-fine-lady-by-which-term-i-wish-to-express-the-result-of-that/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [It takes a little more time to get into the role, but not very much more. In making a record you don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/it-takes-a-little-more-time-to-get-into-the-role-but-not-very-much/) [Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/) ## More by Malcolm Forbes > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [ I don't think anybody can be a success who doesn't like what they do. \[But it's\] no job if it has no challenge; there's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-don-t-think-anybody-can-be-a-success-who-doesn-t-like-what-they-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Real writers-that is, capital W Writers-rarely make much money. Their biggest reward is the occasional reader's response… Commentators-in-print voicing big fat opinions-you might call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/real-writers-that-is-capital-w-writers-rarely-make-much-money-their/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-things-are-bad-we-take-comfort-in-the-thought-that-they-could/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Some people as a result of adversity are sadder, wiser, kinder, more human. Most of us are better, though, when things go better. Knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/some-people-as-a-result-of-adversity-are-sadder-wiser-kinder-more/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The best vision is insight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-best-vision-is-insight/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When you don't understand, it's sometimes easier to look like you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-you-don-t-understand-it-s-sometimes-easier-to-look-like-you-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-s-so-much-easier-to-suggest-solutions-when-you-don-t-know-too-much/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Security isn't securities. It's knowing that someone cares whether you are or cease to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/security-isn-t-securities-it-s-knowing-that-someone-cares-whether-you/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is unfortunate we can't buy many business executives for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-unfortunate-we-can-t-buy-many-business-executives-for-what-they/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from-sing-sing-prison-or-harvard/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Compliment others on the virtues they have; and they're not half as pleased as being complimented for the ones they don't have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/compliment-others-on-the-virtues-they-have-and-they-re-not-half-as/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [. . . the most difficult thing asked by our young is not our earnings but our ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-most-difficult-thing-asked-by-our-young-is-not-our-earnings-but/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) [Explore all 232 Malcolm Forbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## More Generous quotes > [Plenty of white space and generous line spacing,and don't make the type size too miserly. Then you will be assured of a product fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giambattista-bodoni/plenty-of-white-space-and-generous-line-spacing-and-don-t-make-the/) Giambattista Bodoni > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Generous in spirit, richly poetic, and packed with memorable characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-millman/generous-in-spirit-richly-poetic-and-packed-with-memorable-characters/) [Lawrence Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-millman/) > [As most New Yorkers have done, I have given serious and generous thought to the state of my apartment should I get killed during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/as-most-new-yorkers-have-done-i-have-given-serious-and-generous/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [Love is the key to the mystery. Love by its very nature is not selfish, but generous. It seeks not its own, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/love-is-the-key-to-the-mystery-love-by-its-very-nature-is-not-selfish/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [SCIENCE! thou fair effusive ray From the great source of mental Day, Free, generous, and refin'd! Descend with all thy treasures fraught, Illumine each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/science-thou-fair-effusive-ray-from-the-great-source-of-mental-day/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [If you're a generous person, when you get money and fame, you're going to be more generous. If you're a sharer, you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/if-you-re-a-generous-person-when-you-get-money-and-fame-you-re-going/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [Be relentlessly generous, without focusing on when it will come back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/be-relentlessly-generous-without-focusing-on-when-it-will-come-back/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [You know, whenever women make imaginary female kingdoms in literature, they are always very permissive, to use the jargon word, and easy and generous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/you-know-whenever-women-make-imaginary-female-kingdoms-in-literature/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [In terms of the unemployed, of which we have over a million-and-a-half, don't feel particularly bad for many of these people. They don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/in-terms-of-the-unemployed-of-which-we-have-over-a-million-and-a-half/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [Precise, graceful, and generous, the poems in SuperLoop, seem to be born out of a deep, careful attention and a profound compassion. Sometimes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-limon/precise-graceful-and-generous-the-poems-in-superloop-seem-to-be-born/) [Ada Limon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-limon/) [Browse all 1,450 Generous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Generous gestures yield the most when that isn't their purpose.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm Forbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-that-isn-t-their-purpose/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Generous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-that-isn-t-their-purpose/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/malcolm-forbes-1510_generous_generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-th_1103124.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/malcolm-forbes-1510_generous_generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-th_1103124.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/malcolm-forbes-1510_generous_generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-th_1103124.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Generous gestures yield the most when that isn't their purpose.” — Malcolm Forbes", "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": "Malcolm Forbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Generous gestures yield the most when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-that-isn-t-their-purpose/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/generous-gestures-yield-the-most-when-that-isn-t-their-purpose/#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 } } ] } ```