---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes, he thought wryly, a reputation…"
description: "\"“Sometimes, he thought wryly, a reputation for being right all the time could be a heavy burden.”\" — John Flanagan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/john-flanagan-904_burden_sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation_1200662.jpg"
---

#  Sometimes, he thought wryly, a reputation for being right…

![“Sometimes, he thought wryly, a reputation for being right all the time could be a heavy burden.” quote by John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/john-flanagan-904_burden_sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation_1200662.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/john-flanagan-904_burden_sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation_1200662.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/john-flanagan-904_burden_sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation_1200662.jpg)

> ““Sometimes, he thought wryly, a reputation for being right all the time could be a heavy burden.””

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Being always right can become a heavy burden, isolating you and creating pressure.

**In simple terms:** Always being right is burdensome.

Key Takeaway

Balance confidence with humility.

Themes

confidence burden reputation humility pressure

Mood

reflective cautionary insightful

Type

analysis advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- leadership
- team projects
- personal growth

Key Concepts

psychology social dynamics self-awareness

Questions to Reflect On

- When has your need to be right hurt relationships?
- How can you embrace mistakes?

A Different Perspective

Perfectionism may cause stress and alienation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Heavy burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy-burden/) [Thought Wryly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-wryly-3599860/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wryly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wryly-1384423/) [Wryly Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wryly-reputation-3599859/)

## Related quotes

> [But why, she thought wryly, did a man seem more attractive as he became less available? How humbling to think one had so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-putney/but-why-she-thought-wryly-did-a-man-seem-more-attractive-as-he-became/)

[Mary Jo Putney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-putney/)

> [“Heredity or environment? I wondered wryly. We were all of us, to some degree, mad after his fashion. To be honest, it had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/heredity-or-environment-i-wondered-wryly-we-were-all-of-us-to-some/)

[Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/)

> [“Do you know how lucky you are?” She smiled rather wryly. “Not most of the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/do-you-know-how-lucky-you-are-she-smiled-rather-wryly-not-most-of-the/)

[Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/)

> [Humor makes our heavy burdens light and smoothes the rough spots in our pathways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/humor-makes-our-heavy-burdens-light-and-smoothes-the-rough-spots-in/)

[Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/)

> [The human mind is utterly stupid when it carries, quite willingly, the heavy burden of resentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/the-human-mind-is-utterly-stupid-when-it-carries-quite-willingly-the/)

[Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/)

> [Love carries through many difficulties easily and makes heavy burdens light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cotton/love-carries-through-many-difficulties-easily-and-makes-heavy-burdens/)

[John Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cotton/)

> [“Heavy burden is laid on our hearts, so we do not trust in ourselves. But in God , who gives grace for endurance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/heavy-burden-is-laid-on-our-hearts-so-we-do-not-trust-in-ourselves/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [A heart's a heavy burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-wynne-jones/a-heart-s-a-heavy-burden/)

[Diana Wynne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-wynne-jones/)

> [If politicians were serious about day care for children, instead of just sloganizing about it, nothing they could do would improve the quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/if-politicians-were-serious-about-day-care-for-children-instead-of/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [“Unhappiness is such a heavy burden, those who carry it, when ever possible, unload it onto those around them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-price/unhappiness-is-such-a-heavy-burden-those-who-carry-it-when-ever/)

[Christopher Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-price/)

> [I will light candles this Christmas, Candles of joy, despite all sadness, Candles of hope where despair keeps watch. Candles of courage where fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-thurman/i-will-light-candles-this-christmas-candles-of-joy-despite-all/)

[Howard Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-thurman/)

> [“But the expectation of the self, to be informed in its nothingness--if only I can get out of this old place and into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/but-the-expectation-of-the-self-to-be-informed-in-its-nothingness-if/)

[Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/)

> [You will find out that Charity is a heavy burden to carry, heavier than the kettle of soup and the full basket. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-find-out-that-charity-is-a-heavy-burden-to-carry-heavier/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Good ideas come with a heavy burden. Which is why so few people have them. So few people can handle it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-macleod/good-ideas-come-with-a-heavy-burden-which-is-why-so-few-people-have/)

[Hugh MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-macleod/)

> [A heavy burden lifted from my soul, I heard that love was out of my control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-heavy-burden-lifted-from-my-soul-i-heard-that-love-was-out-of-my/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

## More by John Flanagan

> [What about you three, where are you going?" Even before Halt answered, Will knew what he was going to say. But that didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/what-about-you-three-where-are-you-going-even-before-halt-answered/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [“There's a tavern by the docks. He's there most evenings." "Then I'll talk to him tonight," Halt said. "You can try. But he's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/there-s-a-tavern-by-the-docks-he-s-there-most-evenings-then-i-ll-talk/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [The sun was trembling on the brink of the world, the shadows at their longest, and they still had several kilometers to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/the-sun-was-trembling-on-the-brink-of-the-world-the-shadows-at-their/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [We're going to see Ragnak," Halt told him. "He's going to have to promise to free every slave who fights for Hallasholm." Will shook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/we-re-going-to-see-ragnak-halt-told-him-he-s-going-to-have-to-promise/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [“We must wait," she said. "They are involved in important buisness." Her tone was serious, almost reverntial. The two of them stopped, some five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/we-must-wait-she-said-they-are-involved-in-important-buisness-her/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [So I'm an ace?' Will grinned. 'I'm flattered Halt, flattered. I had no idea you regarded me so highly.' Halt gave him a long-suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/so-i-m-an-ace-will-grinned-i-m-flattered-halt-flattered-i-had-no-idea/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [“Damn! I hate farewells!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/damn-i-hate-farewells/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [“They sailed into Raguza and Hal said, as bold as brass, “We’ve come to challenge Zavac and we plan to kick his—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/they-sailed-into-raguza-and-hal-said-as-bold-as-brass-we-ve-come-to/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [Are there bears in these mountains?" he asked. His companion nodded. "Of course. But it's a bit early in the year for them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/are-there-bears-in-these-mountains-he-asked-his-companion-nodded-of/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [Well I'm not dancing," Will said through gritted teeth. "I don't know how." Oh yes you are," Alyss told him. "Let's hope you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/well-i-m-not-dancing-will-said-through-gritted-teeth-i-don-t-know-how/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [The battle, if you could call it that, lasted no more than a few seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/the-battle-if-you-could-call-it-that-lasted-no-more-than-a-few-seconds/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [Well, we can ride together for a while longer. The highway south is farther along this way. I'll be glad of some cheerful company."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/well-we-can-ride-together-for-a-while-longer-the-highway-south-is/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [“Does it matter?" Halt asked. Horace shrugged. "Not really, I suppose. I just wondered why you'd gone to the kitchen and why you took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/does-it-matter-halt-asked-horace-shrugged-not-really-i-suppose-i-just/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [Maybe we should have gone with him," he said, a few minutes after his friend was lost to sight. "Three of us would make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/maybe-we-should-have-gone-with-him-he-said-a-few-minutes-after-his/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

> [Best way then is to be waiting for them to bring Halt and the others out of that prison,” he said, almost to himself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/best-way-then-is-to-be-waiting-for-them-to-bring-halt-and-the-others/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

[Explore all 327 John Flanagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

## More Burden quotes

> [Everything I do is more memorable and I understand music more than ever now. It's not a burden to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/everything-i-do-is-more-memorable-and-i-understand-music-more-than/)

[Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/)

> [I am at a point in my life where everything I have worked for starts to look like a burden, a weight on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-abou-samra/i-am-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-everything-i-have-worked-for-starts/)

[Simone Abou Samra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-abou-samra/)

> [Trump's enduring appeal is a resource to be harnessed by the Republican Party, not a burden to be jettisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/trump-s-enduring-appeal-is-a-resource-to-be-harnessed-by-the/)

[Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/)

> [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/)

[Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/)

> [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/)

[Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/)

> [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [“What a burden it must be to know all the terrible things you've done and support it with arms unfit to carry it all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-weikel/what-a-burden-it-must-be-to-know-all-the-terrible-things-you-ve-done/)

[K. Weikel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-weikel/)

> [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/)

[Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/)

> [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/)

[Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/)

> [It's a burden trying to keep a secret. It's hard. It probably takes more out of you trying to hold it and keep it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/it-s-a-burden-trying-to-keep-a-secret-it-s-hard-it-probably-takes/)

[Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/)

> [I've always liked artists like Chris Burden, who would take performances, put them in galleries, and then do things that were on the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blaine/i-ve-always-liked-artists-like-chris-burden-who-would-take/)

[David Blaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blaine/)

> [Our office...subjects us to great burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/)

[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

> [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

[Browse all 2,567 Burden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Sometimes, he thought wryly, a reputation for being right all the time could be a heavy burden.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Flanagan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation-for-being-right-all-the-time/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Burden"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation-for-being-right-all-the-time/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/john-flanagan-904_burden_sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation_1200662.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/john-flanagan-904_burden_sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation_1200662.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/john-flanagan-904_burden_sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation_1200662.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes, he thought wryly, a reputation for being right all the time could be a heavy burden.” — John Flanagan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Flanagan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Sometimes, he thought wryly, a reputation...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation-for-being-right-all-the-time/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/sometimes-he-thought-wryly-a-reputation-for-being-right-all-the-time/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
