QuoteProject
Being a giver is not good for a 100-yard dash, but it’s valuable in a marathon.
Adam Grant
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Giving may not yield immediate rewards, but it is beneficial in the long run.

Adam Grant's quote emphasizes the idea that acts of generosity and support may not result in quick gains, likening it to the short sprint of a 100-yard dash. However, in the extended journey of life, represented by a marathon, these acts of giving cultivate lasting relationships, trust, and community which ultimately lead to greater fulfillment and success.

Themes

GivingMarathonGenerosityLong TermRelationships

In practice

Example use cases

During a leadership workshop, this quote can inspire attendees to prioritize long-term contributions over short-term success.

More from Adam Grant

No one wants to hear everything that's in your head. They just want you to live up to what comes out of your mouth.
Adam GrantRead
In the eyes of many people, giving doesn't count unless it's completely selfless. In reality, though, giving isn't sustainable when it's completely selfless.
Adam GrantRead
When you procrastinate, you're more likely to let your mind wander. That gives you a better chance of stumbling onto the unusual and spotting unexpected patterns.
Adam GrantRead
We have many identities, and we can't be authentic to them all. The best we can do is be sincere in our efforts to earn the values we claim.
Adam GrantRead
We all have thoughts and feelings that we believe are fundamental to our lives but that are better left unspoken.
Adam GrantRead
You want people who choose to follow because they genuinely believe in ideas, not because they're afraid to be punished if they don't. For startups, there's so much pivoting that's required that if you have a bunch of sheep, you're in bad shape.
Adam GrantRead

Similar quotes

All things in moderation, including moderation.
SocratesRead
An 'unemployed' existence is a worse negation of life than death itself.
Jose Ortega Y GassetRead
If possessing a higher degree of intelligence does not entitle one human to use another for his or her own ends, how can it entitle humans to exploit non-humans?
Peter SingerRead
Nothing in life is ever as simple as we imagine.
Arthur GoldenRead
The continual cracking of your feet on the road makes a certain quantity of road come up into you. When a man dies they say he returns to clay but too much walking fills you up with clay far sooner (or buries bits of you along the road) and brings your death half-way to meet you. It is not easy to know what is the best way to move yourself from one place to another.
Flann O'BrienRead
The jealous man lives in hell. Drop comparing and jealousy disappears, meanness disappears, phoniness disappears. But you can drop it only if you start growing your inner treasures; there is no other way.
RajneeshRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.