--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you know they're bad, let them go. If…" description: "\"If you know they're bad, let them go. If it keeps you alive, hold it close. If they separate you from others, stay away. If it keeps you from living, d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41b/chris-22180_destroy_if-you-know-they-re-bad-let-them-go-if-i_664342.jpg" --- # If you know they're bad, let them go. If it keeps you… ![“If you know they're bad, let them go. If it keeps you alive, hold it close. If they separate you from others, stay away. If it keeps you from living, destroy it. If it harms you, push it away. If it loves you, make sure it's for the right reason.” quote by Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41b/chris-22180_destroy_if-you-know-they-re-bad-let-them-go-if-i_664342.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41b/chris-22180_destroy_if-you-know-they-re-bad-let-them-go-if-i_664342.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41b/chris-22180_destroy_if-you-know-they-re-bad-let-them-go-if-i_664342.jpg) > “If you know they're bad, let them go. If it keeps you alive, hold it close. If they separate you from others, stay away. If it keeps you from living, destroy it. If it harms you, push it away. If it loves you, make sure it's for the right reason.” [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The advice outlines conditional relationships: discard harmful things, keep life‑supporting ones, and ensure love is justified. **In simple terms:** Know when to keep or discard relationships. Key Takeaway Choose wisely, protect yourself. Themes relationships boundaries self‑care Mood pragmatic cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - friendships - romantic partners - toxic environments - personal growth Key Concepts ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - What criteria guide your choices? - How do you balance love and self‑preservation? A Different Perspective Complex decisions may be context‑dependent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Close Separate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-separate-5287898/) [Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy/) [Destroy Harms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy-harms-5287897/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Push Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/push-away/) [Separate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separate/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) ## Related quotes > [“When we separate ourselves from the rest of the world, the world becomes a lonely and difficult place to live in. When we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/when-we-separate-ourselves-from-the-rest-of-the-world-the-world/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [Your work is a separate thing from you. You are this person who has your friends and your life, and you have to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-work-is-a-separate-thing-from-you-you-are-this-person-who-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You've got to separate the singer and the songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-the-songs/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [“Staying separate from those we love hurts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-aman/staying-separate-from-those-we-love-hurts/) [Jodi Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-aman/) > [It's really hard for actors to cross over and get any respect as a singer, and if I could just keep it separate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taryn-manning/it-s-really-hard-for-actors-to-cross-over-and-get-any-respect-as-a/) [Taryn Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taryn-manning/) > [There is a time to separate from our mother. But unless we are ready to separate-unless we are ready to leave her and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/there-is-a-time-to-separate-from-our-mother-but-unless-we-are-ready/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [Try to understand what I am saying: everything is dependent on everything else, everything is connected, nothing is separate. Therefore everything is going in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/try-to-understand-what-i-am-saying-everything-is-dependent-on/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [Church and state should be separate, not only in form, but fact - religion and politics should not be mingled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millard-fillmore/church-and-state-should-be-separate-not-only-in-form-but-fact/) [Millard Fillmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millard-fillmore/) > [“I’d rather spend the rest of my life without ever seeing you again,” he says, “than watch them destroy you because of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangu-mandanna/i-d-rather-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-without-ever-seeing-you-again-he/) [Sangu Mandanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangu-mandanna/) > [~i keep asking myself why everybody is pushing me away… is it something that I did or said to make them push me away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-gone/i-keep-asking-myself-why-everybody-is-pushing-me-away-is-it-something/) [She's\_gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/she-s-gone/) > [You don't push someone away because you're hiding the truth. You push them away because they don't accept the truth you've revealed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-push-someone-away-because-you-re-hiding-the-truth-you-push/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I fall in love then push her away, I want her back its to late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-pugh/i-fall-in-love-then-push-her-away-i-want-her-back-its-to-late/) [Dennis Pugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-pugh/) > [Sometimes its better to push someone away not because you stop loving that someone but because you have to love yourself and protect yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krizzy-arsenal/sometimes-its-better-to-push-someone-away-not-because-you-stop-loving/) [Krizzy Arsenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krizzy-arsenal/) > [So when it comes don't push it away. One day you will find it is the greatest gift and I hope you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-green/so-when-it-comes-don-t-push-it-away-one-day-you-will-find-it-is-the/) [Vivian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-green/) > [Sometimes when they push you away, it's because they need you to pull them closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-when-they-push-you-away-it-s-because-they-need-you-to-pull/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Chris > [C'mon, I want to feel loved too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/c-mon-i-want-to-feel-loved-too/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [Its not that I'm heartless, I just learned how to use my heart less!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/its-not-that-i-m-heartless-i-just-learned-how-to-use-my-heart-less/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [Want to go crazy fast? Try fitting in with everyone else! B.S ...BE YOURSELF!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/want-to-go-crazy-fast-try-fitting-in-with-everyone-else-b-s-be/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [When we feel in need of a boyfriend, that means we are not ready for one. When we don't feel in need of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/when-we-feel-in-need-of-a-boyfriend-that-means-we-are-not-ready-for/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [Your Body Is A Temple And You Are The God!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/your-body-is-a-temple-and-you-are-the-god/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [A Jealouse Guy is a faithful Guy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/a-jealouse-guy-is-a-faithful-guy/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [In life appreciate who you are because there will never be another you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/in-life-appreciate-who-you-are-because-there-will-never-be-another-you/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [Let Me Get An Aphrodisiac Kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/let-me-get-an-aphrodisiac-kiss/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [Strong defence is a powerfull offence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/strong-defence-is-a-powerfull-offence/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [Dont expect the unexpected unless the unexpected expects you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/dont-expect-the-unexpected-unless-the-unexpected-expects-you/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [When there's true love there's no SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, OR SO ON SO FAR Chances! Love never breaks apart!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/when-there-s-true-love-there-s-no-second-third-fourth-or-so-on-so-far/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [Woh baby, Your Body Is A Temple And You Are The God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/woh-baby-your-body-is-a-temple-and-you-are-the-god/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [Being jealous is nothing but all the fun u think they had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/being-jealous-is-nothing-but-all-the-fun-u-think-they-had/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [And then Satan said mix in the alphabet with math... >.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/and-then-satan-said-mix-in-the-alphabet-with-math/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [How do you know if he's the right one? Let me give you a clue. When you hold hands and you two can feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/how-do-you-know-if-he-s-the-right-one-let-me-give-you-a-clue-when-you/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) [Explore all 27 Chris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) ## More Destroy quotes > [“That would be just like me-ruin everything, destroy the world, in a moment of klutziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/that-would-be-just-like-me-ruin-everything-destroy-the-world-in-a/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [We shall fight against them, throw them in prisons and destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-shall-fight-against-them-throw-them-in-prisons-and-destroy-them/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Destroy gossip by ignoring it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/destroy-gossip-by-ignoring-it/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [When I became successful, I put up a caution. I didn't think it was fair to have the shadow of that kind of success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/when-i-became-successful-i-put-up-a-caution-i-didn-t-think-it-was/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“Put that thing down, girl. Don't you know it steals part of your soul, that little mechanical masterpiece you hold so frivolously? Don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-noelle-long/put-that-thing-down-girl-don-t-you-know-it-steals-part-of-your-soul/) [Shannon Noelle Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-noelle-long/) > [In a democracy, the one thing that cannot be done is to destroy its trust, its hope, its idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot-be-done-is-to-destroy-its/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [Just a reminder, if you tell anyone about what happened with Jonah last night, I'll destroy all of my writing and never play music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/just-a-reminder-if-you-tell-anyone-about-what-happened-with-jonah/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [We will not waste 30 years of our lives dealing with extremist ideas; we will destroy them today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-bin-salman/we-will-not-waste-30-years-of-our-lives-dealing-with-extremist-ideas/) [Mohammad bin Salman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-bin-salman/) > [We will defend ourselves, and we have full rights to do so. If the authorities try to destroy us, we have the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-udaltsov/we-will-defend-ourselves-and-we-have-full-rights-to-do-so-if-the/) [Sergei Udaltsov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-udaltsov/) > [You destroy my life then feed me inspirational philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-destroy-my-life-then-feed-me-inspirational-philosophy/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [There are seven things that will destroy us, Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Religion without sacrifice, Politics without principle, Science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coldheart/there-are-seven-things-that-will-destroy-us-wealth-without-work/) [Coldheart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coldheart/) [Browse all 1,229 Destroy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you know they're bad, let them go. 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