--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They [the people under you] may desire…" description: "\"They [the people under you] may desire help, but more than anything else they desire sympathy. Don't make the mistake of turning such men down with the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/napoleon-hill-201_desire_they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-hel_336486.jpg" --- # They \[the people under you\] may desire help, but more than… ![“They [the people under you] may desire help, but more than anything else they desire sympathy. Don't make the mistake of turning such men down with the statement that you have troubles of your own.” quote by Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/napoleon-hill-201_desire_they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-hel_336486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/napoleon-hill-201_desire_they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-hel_336486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/napoleon-hill-201_desire_they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-hel_336486.jpg) > “They \[the people under you\] may desire help, but more than anything else they desire sympathy. Don't make the mistake of turning such men down with the statement that you have troubles of your own.” [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People desire empathy more than assistance; denying their struggles harms them. **In simple terms:** Sympathy matters more than help. Key Takeaway Offer empathy before solutions. Themes empathy help human connection Mood compassionate practical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - customer service - management - friendship Key Concepts psychology leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can you show empathy? - When is help appropriate? A Different Perspective Focusing only on help can feel dismissive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sympathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathy/) ## Related quotes > [There are two types of people with desire. the first one is a path which leads to greed and suffering. The second is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/there-are-two-types-of-people-with-desire-the-first-one-is-a-path/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Woman's fatal weakness is to desire sympathy and comprehension. --"Wanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/woman-s-fatal-weakness-is-to-desire-sympathy-and-comprehension-wanda/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Woman's fatal weakness is to desire sympathy and comprehension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/woman-s-fatal-weakness-is-to-desire-sympathy-and-comprehension/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) > [It is a waste of money to help those who show no desire to help themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-caldwell/it-is-a-waste-of-money-to-help-those-who-show-no-desire-to-help/) [Taylor Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-caldwell/) > [Today I found a rey of hope ... hopefully it help me to get my desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sina-grg/today-i-found-a-rey-of-hope-hopefully-it-help-me-to-get-my-desire/) Sina Grg > [Men take on the nature and the habits and the power of thought of those with whom they associate in a spirit of sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/men-take-on-the-nature-and-the-habits-and-the-power-of-thought-of/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Remember, the thoughts that you think and the statements you make regarding yourself determine your mental attitude. If you have a worthwhile objective, find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/remember-the-thoughts-that-you-think-and-the-statements-you-make/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“People desire so many things and waste their days in vain... Some yearn for gold, others for power, yet others for glory and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borje-vahamaki/people-desire-so-many-things-and-waste-their-days-in-vain-some-yearn/) Borje Vahamaki > [I see what I want of Love... I see horses making the meadow dance, fifty guitars sighing, and a swarm of bees suckling the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-darwish/i-see-what-i-want-of-love-i-see-horses-making-the-meadow-dance-fifty/) [Mahmoud Darwish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-darwish/) > [Never underestimate people. They do desire the cut of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/never-underestimate-people-they-do-desire-the-cut-of-truth/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Because people's desire to be comfortable supersedes their desire for self knowledge and well being, they avoid any form of discomfort. This is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stewart/because-people-s-desire-to-be-comfortable-supersedes-their-desire-for/) Ben Stewart > [If you pay attention to the movies they will tell you what people desire and fear. Movies are hardly ever about what they seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/if-you-pay-attention-to-the-movies-they-will-tell-you-what-people/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [In the end, therefore, money will be the one thing people will desire, which is moreover only representative, an abstraction. Nowadays a young man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/in-the-end-therefore-money-will-be-the-one-thing-people-will-desire/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“Back then I was always looking ahead to who I wanted to be versus who I didn’t realize I already was, and the wished-for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/back-then-i-was-always-looking-ahead-to-who-i-wanted-to-be-versus-who/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) ## More by Napoleon Hill > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The mind requires regular use to remain strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-requires-regular-use-to-remain-strong/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/to-all-these-i-wish-to-convey-the-thought-that-all-achievement-no/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it.” This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/tell-the-world-what-you-intend-to-do-but-first-show-it-this/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You become what you think about](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-become-what-you-think-about/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Every man's own character is written so all who will may read it, in the expression of his eyes, the tone of his voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/every-man-s-own-character-is-written-so-all-who-will-may-read-it-in/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Life is a mirror of your consistent thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/life-is-a-mirror-of-your-consistent-thoughts/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Success requires no explanations. Failure permits no alibis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/success-requires-no-explanations-failure-permits-no-alibis/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“There are no limitations to the mind except those that we acknowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/there-are-no-limitations-to-the-mind-except-those-that-we-acknowledge/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) [Explore all 928 Napoleon Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [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/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They [the people under you] may desire help, but more than anything else they desire sympathy. Don't make the mistake of turning such men down with the statement that you have troubles of your own.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Napoleon Hill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-help-but-more-than-anything-else/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-help-but-more-than-anything-else/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/napoleon-hill-201_desire_they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-hel_336486.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/napoleon-hill-201_desire_they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-hel_336486.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/napoleon-hill-201_desire_they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-hel_336486.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They [the people under you] may desire help, but more than anything else they desire sympathy. Don't make…” — Napoleon Hill", "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": "Napoleon Hill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They [the people under you] may...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-help-but-more-than-anything-else/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/they-the-people-under-you-may-desire-help-but-more-than-anything-else/#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 } } ] } ```