--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can ill afford to have activities…" description: "\"We can ill afford to have activities conducted as \"non-profit,\" that is, as activities that devour capital rather than form it, if they can be organize..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/peter-drucker-393_activity_we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-con_151778.jpg" --- # We can ill afford to have activities conducted as… ![“We can ill afford to have activities conducted as "non-profit," that is, as activities that devour capital rather than form it, if they can be organized as activities that form capital, as activities that make a profit.” quote by Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/peter-drucker-393_activity_we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-con_151778.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/peter-drucker-393_activity_we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-con_151778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/peter-drucker-393_activity_we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-con_151778.jpg) > “We can ill afford to have activities conducted as "non-profit," that is, as activities that devour capital rather than form it, if they can be organized as activities that form capital, as activities that make a profit.” [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Profit‑oriented thinking should replace non‑profit mindsets that consume capital without creating value. **In simple terms:** Focus on activities that generate value, not just consume it. Key Takeaway Shift to value‑creating, profit‑generating actions. Themes business strategy economics value creation Mood analytical pragmatic Type business strategic When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - corporate planning - financial management Key Concepts capital formation profitability resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - How can profit goals align with social good? - What value‑creation metrics matter most? A Different Perspective Profit focus may neglect social impact or ethical considerations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Non profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-profit/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't have the luxury of devoting myself entirely to not-for-profit activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-hefner/i-didn-t-have-the-luxury-of-devoting-myself-entirely-to-not-for/) [Christie Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-hefner/) > [Society, community, family are all conserving institutions. They try to maintain stability, and to prevent, or at least to slow down, change. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/society-community-family-are-all-conserving-institutions-they-try-to/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Strategic planning is the continuous process of making present entrepreneurial (risk-taking) decisions systematically and with the greatest knowledge of their futurity; organizing systematically the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/strategic-planning-is-the-continuous-process-of-making-present/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The fastest surging woman leadership position is heading non-profit organizations. Women are not rejecting leadership positions -- they're rejecting politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celinda-lake/the-fastest-surging-woman-leadership-position-is-heading-non-profit/) [Celinda Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celinda-lake/) > [The solutions the non-profits are trying to provide aren't keeping pace with the problems they're trying to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-henderson/the-solutions-the-non-profits-are-trying-to-provide-aren-t-keeping/) [Jeff Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-henderson/) > [ In a nutshell, this United Nations non-profit organization \[World Food Programme\] feeds millions of starving children at schools in third world countries as an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/in-a-nutshell-this-united-nations-non-profit-organization-world-food/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [When I was first thinking about what would become Venture for America, I was trying to figure out how to solve a problem -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/when-i-was-first-thinking-about-what-would-become-venture-for-america/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [I just thought I could broaden my impact and my reach by starting a non-profit and putting investment into our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-just-thought-i-could-broaden-my-impact-and-my-reach-by-starting-a/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [There's sort of a chilling effect on non-profits and the media and a lot of other places because the establishment is so powerful. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/there-s-sort-of-a-chilling-effect-on-non-profits-and-the-media-and-a/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [“Please read my dads book 'wounded rangers'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-hagans/please-read-my-dads-book-wounded-rangers/) Dominic hagans > [The core community is passionate about quality and getting it right. If you want to read some good criticisms of Wikipedia, probably the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/the-core-community-is-passionate-about-quality-and-getting-it-right/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [14 ways Traditional Marketing fails where Social Media thrives What traditional marketing failed to achieve in the past is being organically achieved in Social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hania-whitfield/14-ways-traditional-marketing-fails-where-social-media-thrives-what/) [Hania Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hania-whitfield/) > [Gov. Romney is a proven and effective leader with vast experience in the business world, in the non-profit world and in government. And in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-talent/gov-romney-is-a-proven-and-effective-leader-with-vast-experience-in/) [Jim Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-talent/) > [In today's social business marketplace Facebook is one of the best places for nonprofits to be discovered and connect with a larger audience on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/in-today-s-social-business-marketplace-facebook-is-one-of-the-best/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [When people make donations to non profits, they want to know that their money goes to good use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-simon/when-people-make-donations-to-non-profits-they-want-to-know-that/) [Sam Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-simon/) ## More by Peter Drucker > [One reason for the tremendous increase in health-care costs in the U.S. is managerial neglect of the "hotel services" by the people who dominate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/one-reason-for-the-tremendous-increase-in-health-care-costs-in-the-u/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [No executive has ever suffered because his subordinates were strong and effective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/no-executive-has-ever-suffered-because-his-subordinates-were-strong/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Results is all that separates one company from another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/results-is-all-that-separates-one-company-from-another/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. Peter Drucker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/there-is-nothing-so-useless-as-doing-efficiently-that-which-should/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Our society has become an employee society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/our-society-has-become-an-employee-society/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Replace your pursuit of success with the pursuit of contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/replace-your-pursuit-of-success-with-the-pursuit-of-contribution/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Management means, in the last analysis, the substitution of thought for brawn and muscle, of knowledge for folkways and superstition, and of cooperation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/management-means-in-the-last-analysis-the-substitution-of-thought-for/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Don't try to innovate for the future. Innovate for the present!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/don-t-try-to-innovate-for-the-future-innovate-for-the-present/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The critical question is not "How can I achieve?" but "What can I contribute?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-critical-question-is-not-how-can-i-achieve-but-what-can-i/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [We can say with certainty - or 90% probability - that the new industries that are about to be born will have nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/we-can-say-with-certainty-or-90-probability-that-the-new-industries/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [When it rains manna from heaven, some people put up an umbrella. Others reach for a big spoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/when-it-rains-manna-from-heaven-some-people-put-up-an-umbrella-others/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The enterprise can fulfill its human and social functions only if it prospers as a business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-enterprise-can-fulfill-its-human-and-social-functions-only-if-it/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The computer actually may have aggravated management's degenerative tendency to focus inward on costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-computer-actually-may-have-aggravated-management-s-degenerative/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Nobody can predict the future; the idea is to have a firm grasp of the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/nobody-can-predict-the-future-the-idea-is-to-have-a-firm-grasp-of-the/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [An executive should be a realist; and no one is less realistic than the cynic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/an-executive-should-be-a-realist-and-no-one-is-less-realistic-than/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) [Explore all 603 Peter Drucker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) Gero Miesenbock > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can ill afford to have activities conducted as \"non-profit,\" that is, as activities that devour capital rather than form it, if they can be organized as activities that form capital, as activities that make a profit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Drucker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-conducted-as-non-profit-that-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-conducted-as-non-profit-that-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/peter-drucker-393_activity_we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-con_151778.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/peter-drucker-393_activity_we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-con_151778.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/peter-drucker-393_activity_we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-con_151778.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can ill afford to have activities conducted as \"non-profit,\" that is, as activities that devour capital…” — Peter Drucker", "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": "Peter Drucker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We can ill afford to have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-conducted-as-non-profit-that-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/we-can-ill-afford-to-have-activities-conducted-as-non-profit-that-is/#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 } } ] } ```