--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Doing your best is taking the action…" description: "\"Doing your best is taking the action because you love it, not because you're expecting a reward. Most people do the exact opposite: They only take acti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_action_doing-your-best-is-taking-the-action-bec_1017643.jpg" --- # Doing your best is taking the action because you love it… ![“Doing your best is taking the action because you love it, not because you're expecting a reward. Most people do the exact opposite: They only take action when they expect a reward, and they don't enjoy the action. And that's the reason why they don't do their best.” quote by Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_action_doing-your-best-is-taking-the-action-bec_1017643.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_action_doing-your-best-is-taking-the-action-bec_1017643.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_action_doing-your-best-is-taking-the-action-bec_1017643.jpg) > “Doing your best is taking the action because you love it, not because you're expecting a reward. Most people do the exact opposite: They only take action when they expect a reward, and they don't enjoy the action. And that's the reason why they don't do their best.” [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True effort stems from intrinsic love for the activity, not external rewards. **In simple terms:** Do what you love, not for pay. Key Takeaway Pursue passion, not just payoff. Themes motivation intrinsic reward authenticity Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career choice - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts psychology self‑determination flow Questions to Reflect On - What activities bring you joy without reward? - How can you cultivate love for a task? A Different Perspective Rewards can still motivate responsibly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Doing your best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-your-best/) [Four agreements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four-agreements/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) [Taking action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-action/) ## Related quotes > [Doing your best is taking the action because you love it, not because you're expecting a reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/doing-your-best-is-taking-the-action-because-you-love-it-not-because-2/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [“if you take action just for the sake of doing it, without expecting a reward, you will find that you enjoy every action you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz/if-you-take-action-just-for-the-sake-of-doing-it-without-expecting-a/) [Miguel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz/) > [Action is about living fully. Inaction is the way that we deny life. Inaction is sitting in front of the television every day for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/action-is-about-living-fully-inaction-is-the-way-that-we-deny-life/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action while reason leads to conclusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-calne/the-essential-difference-between-emotion-and-reason-is-that-emotion/) Donald Calne > [Know your limitation in all things and every action you do for no reason to regret at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-alapan/know-your-limitation-in-all-things-and-every-action-you-do-for-no/) [Mitch Alapan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-alapan/) > [“Who has not, a hundred times, found himself committing a vile or a silly action for no other reason than because he knows he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/who-has-not-a-hundred-times-found-himself-committing-a-vile-or-a/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [I enjoy action movies - it's the kind of space I'm comfortable with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikitin-dheer/i-enjoy-action-movies-it-s-the-kind-of-space-i-m-comfortable-with/) [Nikitin Dheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikitin-dheer/) > [I think there's certain things that I know in my head that I enjoy: action movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-think-there-s-certain-things-that-i-know-in-my-head-that-i-enjoy/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [My son does enjoy my action films. But the women in my family would be happier if I did socially relevant films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suniel-shetty/my-son-does-enjoy-my-action-films-but-the-women-in-my-family-would-be/) [Suniel Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suniel-shetty/) > [The word is not just a sound or a written symbol. The word is a force; it is the power you have to express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/the-word-is-not-just-a-sound-or-a-written-symbol-the-word-is-a-force/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Don't make assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/don-t-make-assumptions-find-the-courage-to-ask-questions-and-to/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [The real us is pure love, pure light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/the-real-us-is-pure-love-pure-light/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Whatever you perceive, you always make a story with yourself as the main character, and that dictates your life. Then when you read 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/whatever-you-perceive-you-always-make-a-story-with-yourself-as-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [We only see what we want to see, and hear what we want to hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/we-only-see-what-we-want-to-see-and-hear-what-we-want-to-hear/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [You can choose to follow your heart always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/you-can-choose-to-follow-your-heart-always/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) ## More by Miguel Angel Ruiz > [There is nothing to do except to be just who you are. You have the right to feel beautiful and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/there-is-nothing-to-do-except-to-be-just-who-you-are-you-have-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [The only reason you are happy is because you choose to be happy. Happiness is a choice, and so is suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/the-only-reason-you-are-happy-is-because-you-choose-to-be-happy/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [What we call education is nothing but domestication of the human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/what-we-call-education-is-nothing-but-domestication-of-the-human-being/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [The only way to change the world is to change the main character of our story - the one we believe that we are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/the-only-way-to-change-the-world-is-to-change-the-main-character-of/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [You can choose to follow your heart always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/you-can-choose-to-follow-your-heart-always/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [What I have most learned from my son is to respect him and to love him unconditionally. I believe that if parents respect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/what-i-have-most-learned-from-my-son-is-to-respect-him-and-to-love/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [We only see what we want to see, and hear what we want to hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/we-only-see-what-we-want-to-see-and-hear-what-we-want-to-hear/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Today is the most wonderful day of your life. This moment represents eternity. It is the moment when you return to love by deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/today-is-the-most-wonderful-day-of-your-life-this-moment-represents/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Whatever you perceive, you always make a story with yourself as the main character, and that dictates your life. Then when you read 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/whatever-you-perceive-you-always-make-a-story-with-yourself-as-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [If there is anything in your life that takes away your happiness, you have all the power you need to change it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/if-there-is-anything-in-your-life-that-takes-away-your-happiness-you/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Only the truth can set us free from the fear, the drama and the conflict of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/only-the-truth-can-set-us-free-from-the-fear-the-drama-and-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [You can recover the truth of what you really are. When you finally see yourself as you are, when you finally take responsibility for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/you-can-recover-the-truth-of-what-you-really-are-when-you-finally-see/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Every prayer is an agreement with yourself. The mind is asking the real you, which is life, to guide your decisions for every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/every-prayer-is-an-agreement-with-yourself-the-mind-is-asking-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [With knowledge, our creation can go in any direction - from the worst kind of drama, to the most beautiful dream. Then the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/with-knowledge-our-creation-can-go-in-any-direction-from-the-worst/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [You are what you believe you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/you-are-what-you-believe-you-are/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) [Explore all 256 Miguel Angel Ruiz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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