Treat people as what they should be, and you help them become it.

Goethe, Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship 8.4

What it means

The first half says that taking people only as they are makes them worse. Expectations shape behavior. Hold others to their best and they often rise to it.

The source

"Treat people as what they should be, and you help them become it." Goethe said it in Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship 8.4. Translated from the original German by Spartan Surfers.

"wenn wir sie behandeln, als wären sie, was sie sein sollten, so bringen wir sie dahin, wohin sie zu bringen sind."

Original German, Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship 8.4. Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Goethe (1749–1832). German poet, novelist, scientist and statesman, author of Faust. He believed knowing is worthless until it becomes doing.

Questions

What does "Treat people as what they should be, and you help them become it." mean?: The first half says that taking people only as they are makes them worse. Expectations shape behavior. Hold others to their best and they often rise to it.
Who said "Treat people as what they should be, and you help them become it."?: Goethe (1749–1832). Source: Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship 8.4.
What is the original German?: wenn wir sie behandeln, als wären sie, was sie sein sollten, so bringen wir sie dahin, wohin sie zu bringen sind. Translated from the original German by Spartan Surfers.
Is "Treat people as what they should be, and you help them become it." on a shirt?: Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 6 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

Cite this line

"Treat people as what they should be, and you help them become it." (Goethe, Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship 8.4, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/treat-people-as-what-they-should-be-and