--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We know only too well that what we are…" description: "\"“We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing some..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/mother-teresa-196_actions_we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-d_1383772.jpg" --- # We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing… ![“We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.” quote by Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/mother-teresa-196_actions_we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-d_1383772.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/mother-teresa-196_actions_we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-d_1383772.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/mother-teresa-196_actions_we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-d_1383772.jpg) > ““We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.”” [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. She likens individual actions to a single drop, emphasizing each contribution's importance to the whole. **In simple terms:** Every small act matters. Key Takeaway Value each contribution. Themes service humility collective impact Mood inspirational humble Type spiritual ethical When to use this quote - Community service - environmental activism - team projects Key Concepts Interdependence ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can individual actions drive larger change? - What systems need collective effort? A Different Perspective Focusing on small acts may overlook systemic change needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actions/) [Good works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-works/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) ## Related quotes > [“We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-baker/we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-doing-is-nothing-more-than-a/) [Heidi Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-baker/) > [“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop were not there, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa-of-calcutta/we-ourselves-feel-that-what-we-are-doing-is-just-a-drop-in-the-ocean/) [Mother Teresa of Calcutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa-of-calcutta/) > [We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-ourselves-feel-that-what-we-are-doing-is-just-a-drop-in-the-ocean-3/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [“What we are trying to do may be just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less because of that missing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/what-we-are-trying-to-do-may-be-just-a-drop-in-the-ocean-but-the/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [You are not just the drop in the ocean. You are the mighty ocean in the drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/you-are-not-just-the-drop-in-the-ocean-you-are-the-mighty-ocean-in/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [You are not the drop in the ocean, but the ocean in the drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-are-not-the-drop-in-the-ocean-but-the-ocean-in-the-drop/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“You are not just a drop in the ocean, you are the mighty ocean in the drop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/you-are-not-just-a-drop-in-the-ocean-you-are-the-mighty-ocean-in-the/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [We realize that what we are accomplishing is a drop in the ocean. But if this drop were not in the ocean, it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-realize-that-what-we-are-accomplishing-is-a-drop-in-the-ocean-but/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-meredith-walters/we-ourselves-feel-that-what-we-are-doing-is-just-a-drop-in-the-ocean-2/) [A. Meredith Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-meredith-walters/) > [You are not a drop in the ocean. You are an entire ocean in one drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlet-kim/you-are-not-a-drop-in-the-ocean-you-are-an-entire-ocean-in-one-drop/) [Scarlet Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlet-kim/) > [“you are not a drop in the ocean... you are entire ocean in a drop”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/you-are-not-a-drop-in-the-ocean-you-are-entire-ocean-in-a-drop/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-not-a-drop-in-the-ocean-you-are-the-entire-ocean-in-a-drop/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [YOu are not a drop in ocean,You're a whole ocean in a drop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zarnab/you-are-not-a-drop-in-ocean-you-re-a-whole-ocean-in-a-drop/) [Zarnab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zarnab/) > [A Drop In The Ocean, A Change In The Weather, I Pray That You And Me End Up Together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-drop-in-the-ocean-a-change-in-the-weather-i-pray-that-you-and-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know if you can change things, but it's a drop in the ocean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/i-don-t-know-if-you-can-change-things-but-it-s-a-drop-in-the-ocean/) [Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/) ## 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 Actions quotes > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [A lot of my work involves instilling objects with the power of touch - a transference of soul, spirit, energy through actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-colen/a-lot-of-my-work-involves-instilling-objects-with-the-power-of-touch/) [Dan Colen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-colen/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [True love is proven through the actions of your true love!! Not through the act of saying it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-love-is-proven-through-the-actions-of-your-true-love-not-through/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [As we get more transparent with data sets about infrastructure and systems management, I have a feeling we'll see big changes in how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-koblin/as-we-get-more-transparent-with-data-sets-about-infrastructure-and/) [Aaron Koblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-koblin/) > [“When you are pushed to the wall, you will act and do things you have never done before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-you-are-pushed-to-the-wall-you-will-act-and-do-things-you-have/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“The definition of a professional is one who does a job well even when they don't like it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sheinwald/the-definition-of-a-professional-is-one-who-does-a-job-well-even-when/) Alan Sheinwald > [“FLIES IN DISGUISE Tell me, Have you Really seen Flies in a child's eyes Or heard their hungry cries In the middle Of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/flies-in-disguise-tell-me-have-you-really-seen-flies-in-a-child-s/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“We are the result of our mere actions. What we do, we become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/we-are-the-result-of-our-mere-actions-what-we-do-we-become/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) > [I would rather have my actions speak for me on the pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-insigne/i-would-rather-have-my-actions-speak-for-me-on-the-pitch/) [Lorenzo Insigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-insigne/) > [If you want to know someone's mind, listen to their words. If you want to know their heart, watch their actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-know-someone-s-mind-listen-to-their-words-if-you-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Twitter didn't make up the hashtag. Twitter didn't make up the retweet. It's our users. And people started using them so much that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-jacobs-stanton/twitter-didn-t-make-up-the-hashtag-twitter-didn-t-make-up-the-retweet/) Katie Jacobs Stanton > [I personally claim no special insight into Satan's methods, but I have at times been able to identify his influence and his actions in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/i-personally-claim-no-special-insight-into-satan-s-methods-but-i-have/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) [Browse all 1,287 Actions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mother Teresa" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-doing-is-nothing-more-than-a-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-doing-is-nothing-more-than-a-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/mother-teresa-196_actions_we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-d_1383772.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/mother-teresa-196_actions_we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-d_1383772.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/mother-teresa-196_actions_we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-d_1383772.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were…” — Mother Teresa", "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": "Mother Teresa", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We know only too well that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-doing-is-nothing-more-than-a-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-know-only-too-well-that-what-we-are-doing-is-nothing-more-than-a-2/#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 } } ] } ```