George Herbert Quotes

He who lives only to benefit himself confers on the world a benefit when he dies.

That what appears to be egoism so often isn't.

Our true passions are selfish.

Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?'

But I felt that most of us in the world today gave priority to our personal interests.

Every forward is selfish, and any forward who tells you he is not selfish is a liar.

We are selfish when we are exclusively or predominantly concerned with the good for ourselves. We are altruistic when we are exclusively or predominantly concerned with the good of others.

I only pray when it suits my own needs. I'm not proud about that.

Those who joined us for selfish personal reasons, for a career or other motives will be the ones to leave.

You know, we're really destroying ourselves because we're really making the motivating force of anything we do selfish.

I don't like people who are just takers.

Each man seeks his own interest, not the general interest. Let his own selfish interests be touched, and all concord is at an end.

If you love friends, you will serve your friends. If you love community, you will serve your community. If you love money, you will serve your money. And if you love only yourself, you will serve only yourself. And you will have only yourself.

It's kind of selfish to say that you're only going to fight for a victory that you will live to see.

That spirit of freedom, which at the commencement of this contest would have gladly sacrificed everything to the attainment of its object, has long since subsided, and every selfish passion has taken its place. It is not the public, but private interest, which influences the generality of mankind, nor can the Americans any longer boast an exception. Under these circumstances it would rather have been surprising if you had succeeded.

I've had teammates that are mirror guys. While they want to win, what they're really concerned about is themselves. In a win, they could be upset. In a loss, they could be happy. All that mattered was their own success. Window people, on the other hand, measure success by the contribution they make into the lives of others.

I'm not a naturally giving person.

It's good to be authentic, to help other people, but if it's not helping other people, then don't do it.

There are times where you have to be selfish.

Satan had two conditions [to his plan]: the first was the denial of agency, and the second, that he would have the honor. In other words, something had to be in it for him. And thus he became the father of lies and selfishness. Taking up one's cross and following the Savior means overcoming selfishness; it is a commitment to serve others. Selfishness is one of the baser human traits, which must be subdued and overcome. We torture our souls when we focus on getting rather than giving.

Selfishness is the making a man's self his own centre, the beginning and end of all he doeth.

Self-interest, or rather self-love, or egoism, has been more plausibly substituted as the basis of morality.

The trouble is, most people are not so generous. Everybody wants love for themselves. I hear this all the time from the women I work with. I hear them say, "I want, I want." I never hear them saying what they want to give.

From now on I'm thinking only of me." Major Danby replied indulgently with a superior smile: "But, Yossarian, suppose everyone felt that way." "Then," said Yossarian, "I'd certainly be a damned fool to feel any other way, wouldn't I?

Altruism is a hard master, but so is opportunism.