--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People are unreasonable, illogical, and…" description: "\"People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/mother-teresa-196_false-friends_people-are-unreasonable-illogical-and-se_2287285.jpg" --- # People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered… ![“People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway…” quote by Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/mother-teresa-196_false-friends_people-are-unreasonable-illogical-and-se_2287285.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/mother-teresa-196_false-friends_people-are-unreasonable-illogical-and-se_2287285.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/mother-teresa-196_false-friends_people-are-unreasonable-illogical-and-se_2287285.jpg) > “People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway. Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway.” [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Goodness often meets misunderstanding, betrayal, and loss, yet perseverance in virtue yields inner integrity and societal impact. **In simple terms:** Being good is hard, but keep doing it. Key Takeaway Persist in kindness despite risks. Themes compassion integrity resilience altruism courage Mood determined empathetic reflective Type advice philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - volunteering - leadership - personal setbacks - community building - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethical duty self‑sacrifice human dignity Questions to Reflect On - How can you protect yourself while staying true to your values? - What does “anyway” mean in your life? A Different Perspective Even noble actions can be misinterpreted or cause personal harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [End Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-year/) [False friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-friends/) [Selfish motives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-motives/) ## Related quotes > [Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/honesty-and-transparency-make-you-vulnerable-be-honest-and/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway. If you are successful you will win some false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/if-you-are-kind-people-may-accuse-you-of-selfish-ulterior-motives-be/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway… Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway… What you spend years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/people-are-unreasonable-illogical-and-self-centered-love-them-anyway/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-do-good-people-will-accuse-you-of-selfish-ulterior-motives-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/if-you-are-kind-people-may-accuse-you-of-selfish-ulterior-motives-be-2/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/if-you-are-honest-and-frank-people-may-cheat-you-be-honest-and-frank/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/give-the-world-the-best-you-have-and-you-may-get-hurt-give-the-world/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/if-you-are-kind-people-may-accuse-you-of-ulterior-motives-be-kind/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/people-who-really-want-help-may-attack-you-if-you-help-them-help-them/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-are-often-unreasonable-irrational-and-self-centered-forgive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Honesty and transparency are my guiding principles in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shatrughan-sinha/honesty-and-transparency-are-my-guiding-principles-in-politics/) [Shatrughan Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shatrughan-sinha/) > [“Clients don’t expect perfection from the service providers they hire, but they do expect honesty and transparency. There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/clients-don-t-expect-perfection-from-the-service-providers-they-hire-2/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I don't really speak for anybody else's music, and I don't think I should, but I think the reason why people enjoy my music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-mineo/i-don-t-really-speak-for-anybody-else-s-music-and-i-don-t-think-i/) [Andy Mineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-mineo/) > [“We live in a culture of secrecy, where hiding and lying are accepted as natural, even though we don’t like it. We want honesty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/we-live-in-a-culture-of-secrecy-where-hiding-and-lying-are-accepted/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [Clients don't expect perfection from the service providers they hire, but they do expect honesty and transparency. There is no better way to demonstrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/clients-don-t-expect-perfection-from-the-service-providers-they-hire/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) ## More by Mother Teresa > [Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/love-is-a-fruit-in-season-at-all-times-and-within-the-reach-of-every/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [All works of love are works of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/all-works-of-love-are-works-of-peace/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Keep the corners of your mouth turned up. Speak in a low, persuasive tone. Listen; be teachable. Laugh at good stories and learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/keep-the-corners-of-your-mouth-turned-up-speak-in-a-low-persuasive/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Holy living consists in doing God's work with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/holy-living-consists-in-doing-god-s-work-with-a-smile/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [I don't look at anything. Every person whether he is Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist, he is my brother, my sister. I think we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-don-t-look-at-anything-every-person-whether-he-is-hindu-muslim-or/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [We may not be able to give much but we can always give the joy that springs in a heart that is in LOVE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-may-not-be-able-to-give-much-but-we-can-always-give-the-joy-that/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Maybe if I didn't pick up that one person, I wouldn't have picked up forty-two thousand...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/maybe-if-i-didn-t-pick-up-that-one-person-i-wouldn-t-have-picked-up/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [We too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence and aloneness with God, together as a community as well as personally;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-too-are-called-to-withdraw-at-certain-intervals-into-deeper/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [People are unrealistic, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/people-are-unrealistic-illogical-and-self-centered-love-them-anyway/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Recovering in a Calcutta, India hospital. I think I'm more difficult than critical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/recovering-in-a-calcutta-india-hospital-i-think-i-m-more-difficult/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [So many signatures for such a small heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/so-many-signatures-for-such-a-small-heart/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [They should give until it hurts, maybe a very small thing, maybe just a packet of cigarettes, but instead of by smoking that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/they-should-give-until-it-hurts-maybe-a-very-small-thing-maybe-just-a/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/it-is-by-forgiving-that-one-is-forgiven/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [The more we empty ourselves, the more room we give God to fill us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/the-more-we-empty-ourselves-the-more-room-we-give-god-to-fill-us/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Joy is prayer; joy is strength: joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/joy-is-prayer-joy-is-strength-joy-is-love-joy-is-a-net-of-love-by/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) [Explore all 951 Mother Teresa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) ## More False friends quotes > [To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-laugh-often-and-love-much-to-win-the-respect-of-intelligent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markesa-yeager/to-laugh-often-and-much-to-win-the-respect-of-intelligent-people-and/) [Markesa Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markesa-yeager/) > [“Reality Check His lying is not contigent on who you are or what you do. His lying is not your fault. Lying is his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/reality-check-his-lying-is-not-contigent-on-who-you-are-or-what-you/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [False friends leave you in times of trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/false-friends-leave-you-in-times-of-trouble/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [When you become successful,you will get many false friends and true enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-become-successful-you-will-get-many-false-friends-and-true/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [False friends are like your shadow; they follow you in the sun, but leave your side when it gets dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/false-friends-are-like-your-shadow-they-follow-you-in-the-sun-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [True Friends are like angels. they are precious and rare, and false friends are like leaves, found everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-friends-are-like-angels-they-are-precious-and-rare-and-false/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Not all friends know they have lost you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-rachelle/not-all-friends-know-they-have-lost-you/) [Joyce Rachelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-rachelle/) > [“Learning After some time, you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and imprisoning a soul; You learn that love does not equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/learning-after-some-time-you-learn-the-subtle-difference-between/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“True friends will always push you towards the great possibilities of your future, false friends will always chain you to the mistakes in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-brown/true-friends-will-always-push-you-towards-the-great-possibilities-of/) Seth Brown > [“If the years have taught me one thing it's that those who care are always scarce. Those who genuinely care; not the acquaintances, false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/if-the-years-have-taught-me-one-thing-it-s-that-those-who-care-are/) [Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/) > [“ True friends esteem you of greater worth than you feel deserving. False friends demand you prove that worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/true-friends-esteem-you-of-greater-worth-than-you-feel-deserving/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“There’s nothing lonelier than empty relationships. At least when you’re alone you can be yourself, but when you’re in empty relationships you can’t even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/there-s-nothing-lonelier-than-empty-relationships-at-least-when-you/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [“I learned something recently: our true friends are those who are with us when the good things happen. They cheer us on and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-learned-something-recently-our-true-friends-are-those-who-are-with/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [We must recognize the eloquence of our passions and refuse to be taken in. Instead of saying, 'That false friend always did despise me,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-chartier/we-must-recognize-the-eloquence-of-our-passions-and-refuse-to-be/) [Emile Chartier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-chartier/) [Browse all 70 False friends quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-friends/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway. 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