--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's always a but . It's a magical…" description: "\"“There's always a but . It's a magical word. You can say anything you want, go on for as long as you want, and then all you have to do is add the magic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/charles-benoit-31929_nice-guy_there-s-always-a-but-it-s-a-magical-word_1485236.jpg" --- # There's always a but . It's a magical word. You can say… ![“There's always a but . It's a magical word. You can say anything you want, go on for as long as you want, and then all you have to do is add the magic word and instantly everything you said is erased, turned meaningless, just like that. You're a really nice guy... Your mother thinks you need a new…” quote by Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/charles-benoit-31929_nice-guy_there-s-always-a-but-it-s-a-magical-word_1485236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/charles-benoit-31929_nice-guy_there-s-always-a-but-it-s-a-magical-word_1485236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/charles-benoit-31929_nice-guy_there-s-always-a-but-it-s-a-magical-word_1485236.jpg) > ““There's always a but . It's a magical word. You can say anything you want, go on for as long as you want, and then all you have to do is add the magic word and instantly everything you said is erased, turned meaningless, just like that. You're a really nice guy... Your mother thinks you need a new computer... You've been working harder in class... But. You keep looking at Mr. Nagle as he explains how a few zero homework grades really knock down your average. You nod, and you're thinking that everything he is saying is true. You are smarter than this. You could be getting all As. You could be on the High Honor Roll. And that if you don't straighten up soon, you won't get into college. You won't be able to find a decent job. You won't amount to anything. And you know it's all true. But.”” [Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote illustrates how the word “but” can be used to undermine confidence, turning positive statements into excuses or self‑doubt. **In simple terms:** “But” can cancel out compliments and create doubt. Key Takeaway Recognize and reject the “but” that negates your strengths. Themes self‑esteem language mindset motivation Mood reflective concerned Type advice motivational When to use this quote - academic pressure - personal growth - confidence building - self‑criticism Key Concepts cognitive distortion self‑talk defensive reasoning Questions to Reflect On - How often do you let “but” diminish your achievements? - What alternative phrasing could preserve confidence? A Different Perspective The “but” may reflect genuine concerns, not just a rhetorical device. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honor roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor-roll/) [Nice guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-guy/) ## Related quotes > [“There's always a but. It's a magical word. You can say anything you want, go on for as long as you want, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benoit/there-s-always-a-but-it-s-a-magical-word-you-can-say-anything-you/) [Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) > [“No, I won't help you. 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He seems to be saying what he wants to say, and that is a great relief.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-blount-jr/obama-s-the-most-thoughtful-sounding-president-i-can-remember-he/) [Roy Blount, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-blount-jr/) > [What you're thinking, what you're saying, what you're doing, is having an impact on you and the people around you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/what-you-re-thinking-what-you-re-saying-what-you-re-doing-is-having/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [At every moment, step by step, one must confront what one is thinking and saying with what one is doing, what one is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/at-every-moment-step-by-step-one-must-confront-what-one-is-thinking/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [I think my English is pretty good, but speaking without thinking about what you are saying, you know, it's just different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/i-think-my-english-is-pretty-good-but-speaking-without-thinking-about/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) ## More by Charles Benoit > [“If there was something that all the time had in common, what your English teacher would call a "theme," it would be this: Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benoit/if-there-was-something-that-all-the-time-had-in-common-what-your/) [Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) > [“Think When did it go wrong? 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'My dear, I never mean it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benoit/victoria-glares-at-him-it-doesn-t-mean-anything-if-you-don-t-mean-it/) [Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) > [“Ms. Casey is standing in front of the class explaining how she worked all weekend to get the tests graded so she could hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benoit/ms-casey-is-standing-in-front-of-the-class-explaining-how-she-worked/) [Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) > [“The rule is any decent-looking girl asks to share your drink or have a lick of your ice cream or take a bite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benoit/the-rule-is-any-decent-looking-girl-asks-to-share-your-drink-or-have/) [Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) > [“When did swearing become so easy? 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Last year your teacher tried to convince you that you had a real “aptitude” for math,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benoit/math-it-s-your-favorite-subject-which-surprises-you-last-year-your/) [Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) > [“If you thought about it you'd realize that you don't have control over everything, but you control how you react”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benoit/if-you-thought-about-it-you-d-realize-that-you-don-t-have-control/) [Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) > [“Here are the Top Ten things that your parents say to you: -Is that all you're going to do all day, sit in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benoit/here-are-the-top-ten-things-that-your-parents-say-to-you-is-that-all/) [Charles Benoit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) [Explore all 16 Charles Benoit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benoit/) ## More Honor roll quotes > [It should be obvious that I wasn't no honor roll student in high school. My favorite class was boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/it-should-be-obvious-that-i-wasn-t-no-honor-roll-student-in-high/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [“Honor Roll Like a Black Girl.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-lahart/honor-roll-like-a-black-girl/) [Stephanie Lahart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-lahart/) > [“When you are being tested, strive to make God's honor roll”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-cleaver/when-you-are-being-tested-strive-to-make-god-s-honor-roll/) [Tony Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-cleaver/) > [We have always been a nation that has celebrated success of various kinds. The kid that gets the honor roll, the individual worker that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/we-have-always-been-a-nation-that-has-celebrated-success-of-various/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [“Gogol flips through the book. 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I just wanted to get all the words straight and collect my A.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-didn-t-give-it-much-thought-back-then-i-just-wanted-to-get-all-the/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [Don't tell me you're going to be on the honor roll. Shut up! Go to work! And show me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/don-t-tell-me-you-re-going-to-be-on-the-honor-roll-shut-up-go-to-work/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [“A Life like Mine: Round and round, round and round, this is how life is feeling at the very moment. Why on earth, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-clifton/a-life-like-mine-round-and-round-round-and-round-this-is-how-life-is/) Ann Clifton > [“We were girls in plaid skirts, loud and obnoxious, driving with the windows down. 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Stood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-2-chainz-would-say-in-school-can-t-read-that-s-a-shame-clothes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [By the time they get to 6th grade honor roll students won't risk making a mistake, and sometimes to be successful, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-the-time-they-get-to-6th-grade-honor-roll-students-won-t-risk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some hold the position that education is serious, but games are not; therefore games have no place in education. But an examination of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-schell/some-hold-the-position-that-education-is-serious-but-games-are-not/) [Jesse Schell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-schell/) [Browse all 23 Honor roll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor-roll/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There's always a but . 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