Love isn't something that happens to us but rather something we actively create and maintain. Fromm argues that genuine love requires practice, discipline, and concentration, much like any other art form. This involves developing qualities like patience, understanding, and the ability to give without expecting immediate returns.

Contrary to popular belief, self-love and love for others are not mutually exclusive but complementary. Fromm demonstrates how healthy self-love is essential for developing genuine connections with others, emphasizing that one cannot truly love others without first learning to love oneself authentically.

Fromm positions love as the answer to human isolation and separation anxiety. He explains how mature love can bridge the gap between individuals while maintaining their individuality, offering a solution to what he sees as humanity's fundamental problem: the need for connection without losing oneself.