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About this quote

What does it mean?
Kindness becomes self-reinforcing; practicing it creates the motivation to continue being kind.
In plain terms
Being kind to others makes you want to be kind again.
What can you take from it?
Acts of kindness generate their own reward and motivation.

Where it applies

  • daily interactions
  • conflict resolution
  • community building

Putting it to work

  • start small acts of service
  • notice positive feedback
  • reinforce good habits

Questions to consider

  • What happens after you do something kind?
  • Can kindness become a habit?

Another view

External stress or trauma can inhibit the capacity for kindness regardless of intent.

More from Eric Hoffer

  1. The real 'haves' are they who can acquire freedom, self-confidence, and even riches without depriving others of them. They acquire all of these by developing a…

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  2. The sick in soul insist that it is humanity that is sick, and they are the surgeons to operate on it. They want to turn the world into a sickroom. And once the…

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  3. The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are…

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