what does "pay it forward" means?

Answer 1

I heard about this concept from the movie with Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment (very good movie). The little boy created the idea for a project, doing things to help three people in his life with the expectation that each of those people would help other people. In other words, paying him back by paying it forward.
Pretty cool idea, huh? He just wanted to change the world!

Answer 2

When someone does a favour, or does something nice for you, you often try to pay them back by doing something nice in return. Paying it forward means doing something nice for someone before they do something for you, and even more, it means not expecting anything in return from that person.
For example, if you gave a computer to a struggling student, one who was not related to you, or who even knew you, or perhaps wasn't even in the same country, that would be paying forward. If the student was able to complete his or her schooling because of your gift, and went on to become a doctor, or an engineer, or someone who could contribute to their society, then you would have paid forward. You've done something with no expectation of reward.
It isn't a new idea, and in Scotland, paying forward is quite commonly done, but it is done so no one knows who the donor is. If you keep it secret, it adds to the enjoyment. It spoils the 'good of it' if you make noises about it and everyone congratulates you on what you've done. Just the doing it is the reward.

Answer 3

When somebody does something good for you, you may feel a desire to "pay back" the favor. To "pay it forward" means that, instead of doing something good for the person who helped you, you do something good for somebody else. The idea is to spread the helping spirit and maybe make a better world. The first I ever heard of this concept was in the movie "Pay It Forward," in which a schoolboy comes up with this idea to make the world better.

Answer 4

It is the concept based from a movie of the same title...

Meaning doing something for someone out of appreciation of having had another person do something for you that you could not have done for yourself...

Something that made a difference in your life should be paid forward in appreciation by continuing the good will to others, instead of paying it back to the one that helped you, paying it forward to others like yourself that need the help.

Answer 5

"Pay it forward" not only means doing something nice for someone without expecting a return...it also means encouraging that person to "pay it forward" which means instead of thanking YOU with an action of kindness, passing it on to someone new.

Answer 6

Pay it forward means to do a good deed for someone who in turn should repeat the process. If I leave the quarter in the grocery cart for someone else, they in turn should leave it when they are done ect.
there is a movie called pay it forward with Hayley Joel Osment and Helen Hunt. You should watch it

Answer 7

"Pay it forward" is in contrast to "Pay it back". Instead of paying someone back for something good they did for you (though you can do this too), the idea is do something good for someone else without expecting them to do something good back for you.

The hope is that they will do the same, thereby starting a revolution of goodwill, where everyone is abundantly blessed because people are looking for ways to give without regard to reward, so that eventually everyone also receives.

What would the world be like if we all were trying to give instead of get?

That is the idea of "paying it forward".

Answer 8

When you do something for someone which in turn makes them help someone else creating a chain of People who are helping others.

Answer 9

When you do good for someone else and expect nothing in return.

Answer 10

it means you're an APE!! LIKE MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!