--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a man says that he is perfect…" description: "\"When a man says that he is perfect already, there is only one of two places for him, and that is heaven or the lunatic asylum.\" — Henry Ward Beecher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/henry-ward-beecher-175_asylums_when-a-man-says-that-he-is-perfect-alrea_2507019.png" --- # When a man says that he is perfect already, there is only… ![“When a man says that he is perfect already, there is only one of two places for him, and that is heaven or the lunatic asylum.” quote by Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/henry-ward-beecher-175_asylums_when-a-man-says-that-he-is-perfect-alrea_2507019.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/henry-ward-beecher-175_asylums_when-a-man-says-that-he-is-perfect-alrea_2507019.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c17/henry-ward-beecher-175_asylums_when-a-man-says-that-he-is-perfect-alrea_2507019.png) > “When a man says that he is perfect already, there is only one of two places for him, and that is heaven or the lunatic asylum.” [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claiming personal perfection is delusional; only the divine or the insane could truly believe it. **In simple terms:** Thinking you’re perfect is unrealistic. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and self‑awareness. Themes humility self‑awareness delusion perfection Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - mental health counseling - relationships - self‑improvement Key Concepts ego psychology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever assume you are flawless? - How does humility affect your relationships? A Different Perspective Even the wise recognize flaws; absolute certainty can blind judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asylums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asylums/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Heaven Lunatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-lunatic-1119943/) [Lunatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunatic/) [Lunatic Asylum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunatic-asylum-509726/) [Lunatic asylums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunatic-asylums/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Perfect Places](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-places-1119944/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Places Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/places-heaven-1119942/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [I shouldn't make movies anymore. I should go to a lunatic asylum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-shouldn-t-make-movies-anymore-i-should-go-to-a-lunatic-asylum/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [The universities are a sort of lunatic asylum for keeping young men out of mischief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandell-creighton/the-universities-are-a-sort-of-lunatic-asylum-for-keeping-young-men/) [Mandell Creighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandell-creighton/) > [A man is called a good fellow for doing things which, if done by a woman, would land her in a lunatic asylum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-man-is-called-a-good-fellow-for-doing-things-which-if-done-by-a/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [America is a lunatic asylum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/america-is-a-lunatic-asylum/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [When I cease to preach salvation by faith in Jesus put me into a lunatic asylum, for you may be sure that my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/when-i-cease-to-preach-salvation-by-faith-in-jesus-put-me-into-a/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [The longer I live, the more convinced am I that this planet is used by other planets as a lunatic asylum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-longer-i-live-the-more-convinced-am-i-that-this-planet-is-used-by/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Had there been a Lunatic Asylum in the suburbs of Jerusalem, Jesus Christ would infallibly have been shut up in it at the outset…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/had-there-been-a-lunatic-asylum-in-the-suburbs-of-jerusalem-jesus/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [I cannot here avoid giving my most decided sufferage in favour of the moral qualities of maniacs. I have no where met, excepting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-pinel/i-cannot-here-avoid-giving-my-most-decided-sufferage-in-favour-of-the/) [Philippe Pinel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-pinel/) > [The world is becoming like a lunatic asylum run by lunatics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lloyd-george/the-world-is-becoming-like-a-lunatic-asylum-run-by-lunatics/) [David Lloyd George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lloyd-george/) > [It seems as though I were in a lunatic asylum, but I am never sure who is the attendant and who the inmate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryant-conant/it-seems-as-though-i-were-in-a-lunatic-asylum-but-i-am-never-sure-who/) [James Bryant Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryant-conant/) > [Doubtless the lunatic asylums of the world are filled with unfortunate women who have failed to see my charms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/doubtless-the-lunatic-asylums-of-the-world-are-filled-with/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Those comfortably padded lunatic asylums which are known, euphemistically, as the stately homes of England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/those-comfortably-padded-lunatic-asylums-which-are-known/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [...By a 'silly' theory I mean one which may be held at the time when one is talking or writing professionally, but which only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-d-broad/by-a-silly-theory-i-mean-one-which-may-be-held-at-the-time-when-one/) [C. D. Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-d-broad/) > [Most terrorists are false flag terrorists, or are created by our own security services. In the United States, every single terrorist incident we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-david-steele/most-terrorists-are-false-flag-terrorists-or-are-created-by-our-own/) [Robert David Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-david-steele/) > [I become more convinced that beings from other planets are using the Earth as a lunatic asylum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-become-more-convinced-that-beings-from-other-planets-are-using-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More by Henry Ward Beecher > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. 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It is not for want of schoolmasters that we are still ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-best-lessons-a-man-ever-learns-are-from-his-mistakes-it-is-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [THERE are joys which long to be ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-are-joys-which-long-to-be-ours/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [People may talk about the equality of the sexes! They are not equal. 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Everybody ought to bathe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirth-is-god-s-medicine-everybody-ought-to-bathe-in-it/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Some of God's noblest sons, I think, will be selected from those that know how to take wealth, with all its temptations, and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/some-of-god-s-noblest-sons-i-think-will-be-selected-from-those-that/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You have seen a ship out on the bay, swinging with the tide, and seeming as if it would follow it; and yet it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/you-have-seen-a-ship-out-on-the-bay-swinging-with-the-tide-and/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) [Explore all 990 Henry Ward Beecher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More Asylums quotes > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. 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