Doing Good When Recognition Never Arrives
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. — Kent M. Keith
The Core Challenge of Unacknowledged Good
Kent M. Keith’s line confronts a quiet, familiar disappointment: our kind actions are often ignored, misremembered, or even misconstrued. By stating that “the good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow,” he names a hard truth about moral life in an impatient world. Yet the command that follows—“Do good anyway”—turns this truth into an invitation. Instead of treating forgetfulness as a reason to withdraw, Keith reframes it as the very context in which authentic goodness must operate.
Motives: From External Reward to Inner Integrity
This shift hinges on motivation. If we act kindly mainly for praise or gratitude, then being forgotten feels like a betrayal, and cynicism quickly follows. However, Keith’s counsel points toward a different foundation: integrity. Much like Immanuel Kant’s emphasis on duty for its own sake in the *Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals* (1785), the quote suggests that the worth of an action lies in its rightness, not in its reception. Thus, doing good “anyway” becomes a disciplined practice of aligning actions with values rather than applause.
Historical Echoes of Selfless Service
History provides vivid examples of this paradox. Many scientists, reformers, and artists died uncelebrated, their contributions recognized only decades later—Gregor Mendel’s work on genetics (1866) is one classic case. Religious traditions echo the same pattern: the Gospel of Matthew’s teaching on giving in secret (Matthew 6:1–4) portrays hidden generosity as spiritually superior to public display. These stories show that forgetfulness does not cancel impact; instead, it often proves that the work was never about personal glory in the first place.
Psychological Resilience in the Face of Indifference
On a psychological level, Keith’s advice also offers protection against burnout. When helpers measure their worth solely by visible outcomes or expressions of thanks, they become vulnerable to exhaustion and resentment. In contrast, those who adopt an “anyway” mindset anchor their sense of purpose internally. Research on prosocial behavior and well-being, such as studies summarized by Sonja Lyubomirsky in *The How of Happiness* (2007), suggests that consistent, values-driven kindness enhances life satisfaction—even when recognition is minimal. In this way, inner commitment cushions the sting of being overlooked.
The Quiet, Cumulative Power of Hidden Good
Furthermore, the fact that good is forgotten does not mean it is futile. A small kindness—a teacher’s encouragement, a neighbor’s help—may fade from memory while still shaping someone’s choices for years. Like seeds scattered in passing, such actions influence culture in ways that statistics rarely capture. Keith’s imperative urges us to trust this hidden accumulation. By doing good regardless of who notices, we contribute to a moral climate in which generosity feels normal rather than exceptional.
Choosing a Life Defined by Principle, Not Applause
Ultimately, “Do good anyway” is a call to choose principle over popularity as the measure of a life. It implies that character is forged precisely when external incentives fail, and we must decide who we are without the comfort of being seen. In continuing to act justly, kindly, and courageously in the face of indifference, we affirm that goodness is not a transaction but an identity. In this sense, being forgotten is not the failure of goodness; it is the stage on which genuine goodness proves itself.