--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's when I feel most alive, when I'm…" description: "\"That's when I feel most alive, when I'm helping people.\" — Paul Farmer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/paul-farmer-9803_alive_that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-h_1083819.jpg" --- # That's when I feel most alive, when I'm helping people. ![“That's when I feel most alive, when I'm helping people.” quote by Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/paul-farmer-9803_alive_that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-h_1083819.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/paul-farmer-9803_alive_that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-h_1083819.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/paul-farmer-9803_alive_that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-h_1083819.jpg) > “That's when I feel most alive, when I'm helping people.” [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Helping others gives a deep sense of purpose and vitality, making life feel most alive. **In simple terms:** Helping others feels most alive. Key Takeaway Prioritize service to feel alive. Themes service purpose fulfillment Mood inspired empathetic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - healthcare work - community projects Key Concepts altruism meaning human connection Questions to Reflect On - How does helping others affect your personal well‑being? - What boundaries protect you while serving? A Different Perspective Altruism can lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Alive Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-helping-2766566/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feel Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-alive-260912/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Helping people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [We are only fully alive when we're helping others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/we-are-only-fully-alive-when-we-re-helping-others/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [She made me feel alive. <3 :\*](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-made-me-feel-alive-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I could lie, could lie, could lie. Everything thats kills me, makes me feel alive,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/i-could-lie-could-lie-could-lie-everything-thats-kills-me-makes-me/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [Playing interesting characters makes me feel alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawad-khan/playing-interesting-characters-makes-me-feel-alive/) [Fawad Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawad-khan/) > [That's when I feel most alive, he told me once on an airplane, when I'm helping people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-kidder/that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-he-told-me-once-on-an-airplane-when-i-m/) [Tracy Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-kidder/) > [I think if I pick the right thing to spend my time doing, then time moves differently, because I really can get fully immersed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-if-i-pick-the-right-thing-to-spend-my-time-doing-then-time/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I was always really shy growing up, so to find that one thing that made me feel alive, it felt so good. I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-villasenor/i-was-always-really-shy-growing-up-so-to-find-that-one-thing-that/) [Melissa Villasenor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-villasenor/) > [It's both exciting and scary, I feel my heart and skin when I receive a ball. Of course I'm excited and scared but those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willy-caballero/it-s-both-exciting-and-scary-i-feel-my-heart-and-skin-when-i-receive/) [Willy Caballero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willy-caballero/) > [As a sports fan, the Los Angeles Kings winning the Stanley Cup makes me feel very alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/five-for-fighting/as-a-sports-fan-the-los-angeles-kings-winning-the-stanley-cup-makes/) [Five for Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/five-for-fighting/) > [A good movie can take you out of your dull funk and the hopelessness that so often goes with slipping into a theatre; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/a-good-movie-can-take-you-out-of-your-dull-funk-and-the-hopelessness/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [Giving to other people makes me feel alive. Not my car or my house. Not what I look like in the mirror. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/giving-to-other-people-makes-me-feel-alive-not-my-car-or-my-house-not/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I never thought in terms of being a leader. I thought very simply in terms of helping people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/i-never-thought-in-terms-of-being-a-leader-i-thought-very-simply-in/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [More than half of all the hip hop record sales are white people, and I think that might be a result of my record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/more-than-half-of-all-the-hip-hop-record-sales-are-white-people-and-i/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [I would never want to take TOMS or myself into an issues debate. That's not what we're about. We're about helping people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/i-would-never-want-to-take-toms-or-myself-into-an-issues-debate-that/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [We have a visceral reaction to the idea that anyone would make very much money helping other people. Interesting that we don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pallotta/we-have-a-visceral-reaction-to-the-idea-that-anyone-would-make-very/) [Dan Pallotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pallotta/) ## More by Paul Farmer > [If you look at people who seek a lot of care in American cities for multiple illnesses, it's usually people with a number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/if-you-look-at-people-who-seek-a-lot-of-care-in-american-cities-for/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [It is very expensive to give bad medical care to poor people in a rich country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/it-is-very-expensive-to-give-bad-medical-care-to-poor-people-in-a/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [The idea that because you're born in Haiti you could die having a child. The idea that because you're born in you know Malawi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/the-idea-that-because-you-re-born-in-haiti-you-could-die-having-a/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [I critique market-based medicine not because I haven't seen its heights but because I've seen its depths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/i-critique-market-based-medicine-not-because-i-haven-t-seen-its/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [With rare exceptions, all of your most important achievements on this planet will come from working with others- or, in a word, partnership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/with-rare-exceptions-all-of-your-most-important-achievements-on-this/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [The poorest parts of the world are by and large the places in which one can best view the worst of medicine and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/the-poorest-parts-of-the-world-are-by-and-large-the-places-in-which/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [One of the things we have to acknowledge is that if you look at Haiti, many billions of dollars have gone into development aid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/one-of-the-things-we-have-to-acknowledge-is-that-if-you-look-at-haiti/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [I feel it's part of my job to make the problems of the poor compelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/i-feel-it-s-part-of-my-job-to-make-the-problems-of-the-poor-compelling/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [I can't think of a better model for Haiti rebuilding than Rwanda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/i-can-t-think-of-a-better-model-for-haiti-rebuilding-than-rwanda/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [But as for activism, my parents did what they could, given the constraints, but were never involved in the causes I think of when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/but-as-for-activism-my-parents-did-what-they-could-given-the/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [What I can argue is that no one should have to die of a disease that is treatable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/what-i-can-argue-is-that-no-one-should-have-to-die-of-a-disease-that/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [I'm not an austere person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/i-m-not-an-austere-person/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [Again, conventional Catholicism does not much appeal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/again-conventional-catholicism-does-not-much-appeal-to-me/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [I would say that, intellectually, Catholicism had no more impact on me than did social theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/i-would-say-that-intellectually-catholicism-had-no-more-impact-on-me/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [I think we will see better vaccines within the next 15 years, but I'm not a scientist and am focused on the short-term -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/i-think-we-will-see-better-vaccines-within-the-next-15-years-but-i-m/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) [Explore all 70 Paul Farmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That's when I feel most alive, when I'm helping people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Farmer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-helping-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-helping-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/paul-farmer-9803_alive_that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-h_1083819.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/paul-farmer-9803_alive_that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-h_1083819.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da7/paul-farmer-9803_alive_that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-h_1083819.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That's when I feel most alive, when I'm helping people.” — Paul Farmer", "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": "Paul Farmer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That's when I feel most alive,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-helping-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/that-s-when-i-feel-most-alive-when-i-m-helping-people/#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 } } ] } ```