It's Not About You Quotes

“Essentially, giving another person your undivided attention is a measure of how much you care.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“This study, titled “The iPhone Effect,” was based on an experiment with two hundred participants and examined the effect the mere presence of the smartphone has on a conversation. What the researchers essentially found is anytime a smartphone is visible, even if it is not ringing, buzzing, vibrating, or even powered on, it degrades the quality of the conversation for everyone. In the cases where the phone was visible, participants had lower levels of empathetic concern and found the conversations less fulfilling.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“You have a talent for bringing things to life with words,”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“I am increasingly convinced that even fifteen minutes of time spent listening to another person is one of the most valuable things you can do today. In this era of hyperdistraction, asking great questions and listening are two of the qualities we look for most in friends, partners, and colleagues. Yet most people are sending the exact opposite message to friends and loved ones today.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“When you move past self, life is simpler and less stressful.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“When you see a rare opportunity, take it. Life is too brief for living with regrets.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“Life is not about you. It’s about what you do for others. The faster you are able to get over yourself, the more you can do for the people who matter most.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“choice”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“respond.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“What can I do for another person?”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“When you think about getting over yourself and doing more for others, I encourage you to learn from those who shaped your story.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“to make contributions to others’ lives that will grow infinitely in our absence.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“Think about that. Work can actually improve your health and well-being every day. Work can also be about doing something each day that improves your relationship with your family and friends.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“I am increasingly convinced that even fifteen minutes of time spent listening to another person is one of the most valuable things you can do today.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“All the talent, motivation, and hard work in the world will not be valued or remembered if it does not help another human being.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“In contrast, those who choose to assume I did not have any bad intent get to move on through their day as usual, or perhaps even feel good about letting me off the hook. You always have a choice of how to respond. Start by assuming the other person has positive intent.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“Next, start asking what the world around you needs today. I know from my own experience that you may not have tomorrow to do what matters most. Tomorrow turns into the next day, but you always have today. Every morning, wake up and remind yourself: it’s not about me. Then ask yourself: How can I contribute to another person’s life today?”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“When you think about getting over yourself and doing more for others, I encourage you to learn from those who shaped your story. Take a few moments now to think about some of the people who have had the greatest influence on your life. What can you learn from them? How can you let them know what a difference they made, before it is too late to tell them?”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“A great commonality we all share is that we only have today to invest in what could outlive us. After today, there are no guarantees. As Mark taught me, every hour you devote to answering the question “What are you doing for others?” becomes something that gets to live on.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“Knowing we’re making meaningful contributions to others’ lives leads not only to improved work outcomes but also to enhanced health and well-being. Even small acts of generosity trigger changes in our brains that make us happier. Each prosocial act at work creates energy that measurably benefits “the giver, the receiver, and the whole organization.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“I have read that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. described “life’s most persistent and urgent question” as being “What are you doing for others?” It is easy to see how, in the last decade of his life, Dr. King dedicated almost all his time to answering this question. In doing so, he showed us how orienting your efforts outward creates perpetual growth for generations to come.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“All the talent, motivation, and hard work in the world”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“While your talents are nature’s best building blocks, they serve the world best when your efforts are directed outward—not inward. Being “anything you want” or “more of who you already are” doesn’t add value for society unless it provides something others need. Simply put, your strengths and efforts must be focused on specific contributions you can make to other people’s lives.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“You have to find work that you know in your heart is making a positive contribution.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“Don was able to have an outsized influence because he was always playing the long game of contribution. Every day he invested in the growth of other people and worked on projects that could have a wider reach and influence. It was not about him—Don’s actions showed me how helping other people to thrive was a much better strategy.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“You always have a choice of how to respond. Start by assuming the”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“When researchers study the importance of brief interactions, they generally find that a single bad exchange can counteract several positive ones.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“The brilliance of the human species lies in our ability to put collective interests ahead of our own.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“In the end, you are what you contributed to the world.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

“We are, to a large degree, the product of what others have contributed to our lives. From relationships to experiences and the environment in which we are raised, life is shaped by the actions of others, for better and for worse. This is more important to acknowledge than you may imagine, in an era where self-oriented thinking and development reign.”
― Tom Rath, It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life