--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most successful givers aren’t doing…" description: "\"The most successful givers aren’t doing it because they’re being told to. They do it because doing it is fun. It gives them joy.\" — Seth Godin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-godin-152_fun_the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing_2680999.png" --- # The most successful givers aren’t doing it because they’re… ![“The most successful givers aren’t doing it because they’re being told to. They do it because doing it is fun. It gives them joy.” quote by Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-godin-152_fun_the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing_2680999.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-godin-152_fun_the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing_2680999.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-godin-152_fun_the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing_2680999.png) > “The most successful givers aren’t doing it because they’re being told to. They do it because doing it is fun. It gives them joy.” [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People who give willingly are motivated by intrinsic enjoyment, not external pressure, creating lasting fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Giving is fun and joyful. Key Takeaway Find joy in giving. Themes generosity intrinsic motivation fulfillment Mood uplifted inspired Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - team building - customer loyalty - community service Key Concepts psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - What activities bring you joy when you help others? - How can you cultivate fun in giving? A Different Perspective Motivation can wane if external expectations dominate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Givers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/givers/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [This is what I find most magnetic about successful givers: they get to the top without cutting others down, finding ways of expanding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-is-what-i-find-most-magnetic-about-successful-givers-they-get-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Although many successful givers start from the default of trusting others’ intentions, they’re also careful to scan their environments to screen for potential takers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/although-many-successful-givers-start-from-the-default-of-trusting/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“We all have goals for our own individual achievments, and it turns out that the givers who excel are willing to ask for help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/we-all-have-goals-for-our-own-individual-achievments-and-it-turns-out/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“Successful givers, it turns out, are just as ambitious as takers and matchers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/successful-givers-it-turns-out-are-just-as-ambitious-as-takers-and/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [Success is reciprocated by the things we put out into the world my friends and if we put out light, we will receive light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jsv/success-is-reciprocated-by-the-things-we-put-out-into-the-world-my/) [JSV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jsv/) > [Never forget to have fun. Fun gives you a new outlook. It helps you expand your mind and your spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-forget-to-have-fun-fun-gives-you-a-new-outlook-it-helps-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think the great livers, the people who are fully self-actualizing and alive, are the great givers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/i-think-the-great-livers-the-people-who-are-fully-self-actualizing/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [People like givers, people want to help givers. I get stuff all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patch-adams/people-like-givers-people-want-to-help-givers-i-get-stuff-all-the-time/) [Patch Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patch-adams/) > [Cheerful givers do not count the cost of what they give. Their hearts are set on pleasing and cheering the person to whom the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-of-norwich/cheerful-givers-do-not-count-the-cost-of-what-they-give-their-hearts/) [Julian of Norwich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-of-norwich/) > [Selfless giving is a choice. The primary choice we make is not what to give, how to give, where to give. What we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/selfless-giving-is-a-choice-the-primary-choice-we-make-is-not-what-to/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We are better givers than getters, not because we are generous people, but because we are proud, arrogant people. The Christmas story-the one according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-willimon/we-are-better-givers-than-getters-not-because-we-are-generous-people/) [William Henry Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-willimon/) > [Givers for God disarm the power of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kent-hughes/givers-for-god-disarm-the-power-of-money/) [R. Kent Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kent-hughes/) > [My father (Danny Thomas) used to tell me there are two kinds of people, the takers and the givers. 'The takers sometimes eat better,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/my-father-danny-thomas-used-to-tell-me-there-are-two-kinds-of-people/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/people-who-are-obsessed-with-god-are-known-as-givers-not-takers/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“No one lost anything by giving, a tree loses nothing by giving away its fruits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/no-one-lost-anything-by-giving-a-tree-loses-nothing-by-giving-away/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) ## More by Seth Godin > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The easier it is to quantify, the less it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-easier-it-is-to-quantify-the-less-it-s-worth/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you're just a middleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/developing-expertise-or-assets-that-are-not-easily-copied-is/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Leadership is a choice. It's the choice not to do nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/leadership-is-a-choice-it-s-the-choice-not-to-do-nothing/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The next thing you do today will be the most important thing on your agenda, because, after all, you're doing it next. Well, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-next-thing-you-do-today-will-be-the-most-important-thing-on-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I look at Starbucks, Howard Schultz has made many brilliant decisions, and one of the things that they did was they invented the third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-look-at-starbucks-howard-schultz-has-made-many-brilliant-decisions/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Be relentlessly generous, without focusing on when it will come back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/be-relentlessly-generous-without-focusing-on-when-it-will-come-back/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The public square is more public than ever, but minds are rarely changed in 140 character bursts and by selfies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-public-square-is-more-public-than-ever-but-minds-are-rarely/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Making an average pitch to average people, or having an average gala for average people isn't going to scale anymore. You've got to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/making-an-average-pitch-to-average-people-or-having-an-average-gala/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Our job is to make change. Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/our-job-is-to-make-change-our-job-is-to-connect-to-people-to-interact/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Life is actually far better than it is in the movies. And it takes longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/life-is-actually-far-better-than-it-is-in-the-movies-and-it-takes/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I don't think there's a shortage of remarkable ideas. I think your business has plenty of great opportunities to do great things. Nope, what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-remarkable-ideas-i-think-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The mirror we hold up to the person next to us is one of the most important pictures she will ever see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-mirror-we-hold-up-to-the-person-next-to-us-is-one-of-the-most/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you're a marketer who doesn't know how to invent, design, influence, adapt, and ultimately discard products, then you're no longer a marketer. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-you-re-a-marketer-who-doesn-t-know-how-to-invent-design-influence/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) [Explore all 1,110 Seth Godin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) ## More Fun quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [I think taking a hookline of a hit song and making a new song is fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-kumar/i-think-taking-a-hookline-of-a-hit-song-and-making-a-new-song-is-fun/) [Tulsi Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-kumar/) > [I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-enjoy-upsetting-the-right-people-i-love-poking-fun-at-earnest/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [I really like John McCain. He's an awesome dude and was a lot of fun when he hosted "SNL." I'd love to see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-like-john-mccain-he-s-an-awesome-dude-and-was-a-lot-of-fun/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [I guess I'm attracted to things that are fun. I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I can't imagine not working, really. I just think work's more fun than fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-quant/i-can-t-imagine-not-working-really-i-just-think-work-s-more-fun-than/) [Mary Quant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-quant/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [It ain't because lovers are so sensitive that they quarrel so often; it is because there is so much fun n the making up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-because-lovers-are-so-sensitive-that-they-quarrel-so-often/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [It's great when you can write a meaningful song that touches people, but sometimes you just wanna have fun and sing a silly song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/it-s-great-when-you-can-write-a-meaningful-song-that-touches-people/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [I loved duping my parents; I liked manipulating them. It was a way for me to stand out. It was fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/i-loved-duping-my-parents-i-liked-manipulating-them-it-was-a-way-for/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) [Browse all 15,947 Fun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most successful givers aren’t doing it because they’re being told to. They do it because doing it is fun. It gives them joy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Godin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing-it-because-they-re-being-told/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fun" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing-it-because-they-re-being-told/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-godin-152_fun_the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing_2680999.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-godin-152_fun_the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing_2680999.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/seth-godin-152_fun_the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing_2680999.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The most successful givers aren’t doing it because they’re being told to. They do it because doing it is…” — Seth Godin", "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": "Seth Godin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The most successful givers aren’t doing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing-it-because-they-re-being-told/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-most-successful-givers-aren-t-doing-it-because-they-re-being-told/#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 } } ] } ```