--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't give something back when you…" description: "\"If you don't give something back when you get, you don't keep.\" — Oprah Winfrey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/oprah-winfrey-186_back-when_if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-yo_855012.png" --- # If you don't give something back when you get, you don't… ![“If you don't give something back when you get, you don't keep.” quote by Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/oprah-winfrey-186_back-when_if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-yo_855012.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/oprah-winfrey-186_back-when_if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-yo_855012.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/oprah-winfrey-186_back-when_if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-yo_855012.png) > “If you don't give something back when you get, you don't keep.” [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Giving back creates reciprocal value and sustains relationships; without generosity, possessions are fleeting. **In simple terms:** Generosity sustains you; selfishness empties you. Key Takeaway Practice regular gratitude and sharing. Themes generosity reciprocity relationships Mood grateful inspired Type motivational ethical When to use this quote - career mentorship - community service - family support - financial planning Key Concepts social capital psychology of giving Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate giving into daily life? - What limits should you set when helping others? A Different Perspective Giving can be exploited if not balanced with personal boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Back when](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-when/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) ## Related quotes > [You can't keep giving someone everything if you get nothing in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/you-can-t-keep-giving-someone-everything-if-you-get-nothing-in-return/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [You only get to keep what you give away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/you-only-get-to-keep-what-you-give-away/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [Every time you get something, give something away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendie-malick/every-time-you-get-something-give-something-away/) [Wendie Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendie-malick/) > [You won't always get back exactly what you wanted or expected, but when you give what you can you almost always receive what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/you-won-t-always-get-back-exactly-what-you-wanted-or-expected-but/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [If you only give back what you get from other people, you're not giving as much as you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-kaufman/if-you-only-give-back-what-you-get-from-other-people-you-re-not/) [Ron Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-kaufman/) > [Give. Even when you know you can get nothing back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/give-even-when-you-know-you-can-get-nothing-back/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [You always get back much more than you give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/you-always-get-back-much-more-than-you-give/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [What I gave I have, what I spent I had, what I left I lost by not giving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ravenscroft/what-i-gave-i-have-what-i-spent-i-had-what-i-left-i-lost-by-not/) [Thomas Ravenscroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ravenscroft/) > [After a while it gets old to give someone everything and get nothing in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/after-a-while-it-gets-old-to-give-someone-everything-and-get-nothing/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [When you give, it comes back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-t/when-you-give-it-comes-back-to-you/) [Mr. T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-t/) > [I can only give what I have. And when I receive, I give it back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaka-khan/i-can-only-give-what-i-have-and-when-i-receive-i-give-it-back/) [Chaka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaka-khan/) > [From where I came from, the way I was raised, when somebody does something for you, you always want to give something back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/from-where-i-came-from-the-way-i-was-raised-when-somebody-does/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [Whatever you give out in life is what you receive back in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/whatever-you-give-out-in-life-is-what-you-receive-back-in-life/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [When you give people so much, you don't have anything left for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergie/when-you-give-people-so-much-you-don-t-have-anything-left-for-yourself/) [Fergie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergie/) > [Whatever you give to Others, Definitely comes back to you in multiples, You cannot stop what is Coming Back, But you can Choose What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandi-tanko/whatever-you-give-to-others-definitely-comes-back-to-you-in-multiples/) [Vandi Tanko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandi-tanko/) ## More by Oprah Winfrey > [I've seen that many times in rural African villages where people have nothing but a hut and a bowl. The joy in the children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-ve-seen-that-many-times-in-rural-african-villages-where-people-have/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [These French-style caramels are handmade in California. It's always hard to give them away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/these-french-style-caramels-are-handmade-in-california-it-s-always/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Forgiveness is about letting go of the past and not holding on to it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/forgiveness-is-about-letting-go-of-the-past-and-not-holding-on-to-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The deepest courage we can exercise is continuing to believe in our dreams until we make them come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/the-deepest-courage-we-can-exercise-is-continuing-to-believe-in-our/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [If you can see it, and believe it, it is a LOT easier to achieve it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-can-see-it-and-believe-it-it-is-a-lot-easier-to-achieve-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It's why you were born. And how you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/there-is-no-greater-gift-you-can-give-or-receive-than-to-honor-your/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Gratitude is the single greatest treasure I will take with me from this experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/gratitude-is-the-single-greatest-treasure-i-will-take-with-me-from/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-disappointed-by-this-controversy-surrounding-a-million-little/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. 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You're worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/we-often-block-our-own-blessings-because-we-don-t-feel-inherently/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [One if the hardest things in life to learn are which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/one-if-the-hardest-things-in-life-to-learn-are-which-bridges-to-cross/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [You must feed your mind with reading material, thoughts, and ideas that open you to new possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/you-must-feed-your-mind-with-reading-material-thoughts-and-ideas-that/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Your soul tells you when it's time to move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/your-soul-tells-you-when-it-s-time-to-move-on/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) [Explore all 971 Oprah Winfrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## More Back when quotes > [Even the Supreme Court, back when it used to makes sense, the Supreme Court has never ruled that a baby born to illegal aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-the-supreme-court-back-when-it-used-to-makes-sense-the-supreme/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I've been playing videogames since before my career in this business, but what happened is several videogame companies were recruiting students back then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-shimomura/i-ve-been-playing-videogames-since-before-my-career-in-this-business/) [Yoko Shimomura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-shimomura/) > [The origin of nursing started out with prostitutes, who would go care for people in jail. That was back when nobody wanted to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-hewson/the-origin-of-nursing-started-out-with-prostitutes-who-would-go-care/) [Eve Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-hewson/) > [We must not allow ourselves to become like the system we oppose. We cannot afford to use methods of which we will be ashamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-must-not-allow-ourselves-to-become-like-the-system-we-oppose-we/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [When you feel yourself in the grip of an emotion such as jealousy or anger or sorrow, detach yourself from it. Take a step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/when-you-feel-yourself-in-the-grip-of-an-emotion-such-as-jealousy-or/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [We humans have indeed always been adept at dovetailing our minds and skills to the shape of our current tools and aids. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-clark/we-humans-have-indeed-always-been-adept-at-dovetailing-our-minds-and/) [Andy Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-clark/) > [We shouldn't knee jerk anything. The Iraqi government a few years back, when they had a chance to sign an agreement that would keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/we-shouldn-t-knee-jerk-anything-the-iraqi-government-a-few-years-back/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [Chris Chandler reminds me of my own self way back when - listen to him Now!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paxton/chris-chandler-reminds-me-of-my-own-self-way-back-when-listen-to-him/) [Tom Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paxton/) > [Bell, book and candle shall not drive me back, When gold and silver becks me to come on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/bell-book-and-candle-shall-not-drive-me-back-when-gold-and-silver/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I've always hate child stars, starting from way back when, when I was a child. The first child star I saw was Shirley Temple.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-ve-always-hate-child-stars-starting-from-way-back-when-when-i-was-a/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [Help is a conversation. If one side talks too much, the other side will get bored. So make sure you help back when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/help-is-a-conversation-if-one-side-talks-too-much-the-other-side-will/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Back when I was looking for my next step and was researching Gannett, I was interested in who was leading the various businesses within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracia-martore/back-when-i-was-looking-for-my-next-step-and-was-researching-gannett/) [Gracia Martore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracia-martore/) > [In later years, holding forth to an interviewer or to an audience of aging fans at a comic book convention, Sam Clay liked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/in-later-years-holding-forth-to-an-interviewer-or-to-an-audience-of/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [By the time I was twelve, I had started my own theater company and was doing plays in the backyard and the front yard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/by-the-time-i-was-twelve-i-had-started-my-own-theater-company-and-was/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [Back when I was training, probably the only nutritious thing on the market was Gatorade-that's all that we knew. But now in this day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-jackson/back-when-i-was-training-probably-the-only-nutritious-thing-on-the/) [Bo Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-jackson/) [Browse all 178 Back when quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-when/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you don't give something back when you get, you don't keep.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oprah Winfrey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-you-get-you-don-t-keep/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Back when" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-you-get-you-don-t-keep/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/oprah-winfrey-186_back-when_if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-yo_855012.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/oprah-winfrey-186_back-when_if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-yo_855012.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/oprah-winfrey-186_back-when_if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-yo_855012.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you don't give something back when you get, you don't keep.” — Oprah Winfrey", "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": "Oprah Winfrey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you don't give something back...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-you-get-you-don-t-keep/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-don-t-give-something-back-when-you-get-you-don-t-keep/#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 } } ] } ```