John Gardner Quotes

From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.

We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life.

One thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.

The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.

I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.

When I see people that are my age and reaching 50, the ones that are really sparkly and full of joy are the ones that are committed to something bigger than themselves.

Human life has meaning only to that degree and as long as it is lived in the service of humanity.

No man or woman is an island. To exist just for yourself is meaningless. You can achieve the most satisfaction when you feel related to some greater purpose in life, something greater than yourself.

When you have so many things, and you have no idea why, you think, 'Maybe I'm supposed to do things for other people.'

The secret of happiness is: Find something more important than you are and dedicate your life to it.

To have a meaningful life, you have to be of service …

If life only has the meaning you bring to it, we have the opportunity to bring rich meaning to our lives by the service we do for others.

The goal of life is not to have our lives mean something to ourselves. The goal of life is to have our lives mean something to others.

Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.

I think love and beauty are what life is all about.

I have so much in my life. I want to be of value to the world.

I profoundly feel that the art of living is the art of giving. You're fulfilled in the moment of giving, of doing something beyond yourself.

All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others.

Joy can only be real if people look upon their life as a service and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.

The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.

If I didn't feel that I was doing something or trying to do something for others, then I would have very little excuse for the life that I lead.

When we talk about having a life of significance and meaning, it's not about fame or money or resources. It's about people and lives and hearts. That's my biggest passion in life.

As long as God lets me live, I want to do things that make a difference in the world besides play music.

The service we render others is the rent we pay for our room on earth.

The great happiness in life is not to donate but to serve.