Helping Hands and Handouts are differentiated by who's doing what percentage of the work, as well as the desired outcome of the interaction. Most high achievers I know are looking for a helping hand. They have the mentality that you can point them in the right direction and they'll make the most of their resources. They enjoy the drive to learn and earn all they receive. Most people looking for handouts are looking for the easy way. They usually want to know what corners can I cut to get to the same outcome. It can be disguised as looking more efficient, "why reinvent the wheel, you've already done the work", or disguised as noble, "I would like this handout on behalf of other people". In short, handouts are quick answers, while helping hands are long term solutions.