--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Often we’re not even trying to…" description: "\"“Often we’re not even trying to exaggerate; we just can’t recall all the details of the story. Our memories aren’t perfect records of what happened. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/jonah-berger-25324_people-tell_often-we-re-not-even-trying-to-exaggerat_2850555.jpg" --- # Often we’re not even trying to exaggerate; we just can’t… ![“Often we’re not even trying to exaggerate; we just can’t recall all the details of the story. Our memories aren’t perfect records of what happened. They’re more like dinosaur skeletons patched together by archeologists. We have the main chunks, but some of the pieces are missing, so we fill them…” quote by Jonah Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/jonah-berger-25324_people-tell_often-we-re-not-even-trying-to-exaggerat_2850555.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/jonah-berger-25324_people-tell_often-we-re-not-even-trying-to-exaggerat_2850555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/jonah-berger-25324_people-tell_often-we-re-not-even-trying-to-exaggerat_2850555.jpg) > ““Often we’re not even trying to exaggerate; we just can’t recall all the details of the story. Our memories aren’t perfect records of what happened. They’re more like dinosaur skeletons patched together by archeologists. We have the main chunks, but some of the pieces are missing, so we fill them in as best we can. We make an educated guess. But in the process, stories often become more extreme or entertaining, particularly when people tell them in front of a group. We don’t just guess randomly, we fill in numbers or information to make us look good rather than inept. The fish doubles in size. The baby didn’t wake just twice during the night—that wouldn’t be remarkable enough—she woke seven times and required skillful parenting each time to soothe her back to sleep.”” [Jonah Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-berger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Memory is imperfect; we fill gaps with guesses, often exaggerating to appear competent, especially in group settings. **In simple terms:** People edit stories, adding details to look better. Key Takeaway Be aware of narrative embellishment. Themes memory storytelling bias social perception Mood candid analytical Type psychological educational When to use this quote - presentations - marketing - teaching - media reporting Key Concepts Cognitive psychology narrative construction Questions to Reflect On - Why do we feel pressure to impress? - How can we ensure factual storytelling? A Different Perspective Exaggeration can damage credibility if discovered. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [ We need to look at the repetitions in the stories we tell ourselves \[and\] at the process of the stories rather than merely their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-perry/we-need-to-look-at-the-repetitions-in-the-stories-we-tell-ourselves/) [Philippa Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-perry/) > [“My hope is that what has gone before is only the introductory chapter of our love story. 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You can always make it much better, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/one-s-memories-aren-t-what-actually-happened-they-re-very-subjective/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [Just because someone isn't in my life anymore, doesn't mean the memories about them aren't in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-zahoor/just-because-someone-isn-t-in-my-life-anymore-doesn-t-mean-the/) [Bilal Zahoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-zahoor/) > [“Now keep in mind, memories aren’t historical archives. They’re—improvisations, really. 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Some you just need to let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-memories-aren-t-meant-to-be-cherished-some-you-just-need-to-let/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Memories aren't rags that come clean with enough ringing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/memories-aren-t-rags-that-come-clean-with-enough-ringing/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Just because the situation turned out kind of messed up doesn't mean that my memories aren't valid," he says. "They're still true,still real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-c-walker/just-because-the-situation-turned-out-kind-of-messed-up-doesn-t-mean/) [Melissa C. Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-c-walker/) > [Some memories aren't meant to leave traces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kreyzii/some-memories-aren-t-meant-to-leave-traces/) Kreyzii ## More by Jonah Berger > [Connecting with others is rewarding; it makes us feel like we're not alone in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-berger/connecting-with-others-is-rewarding-it-makes-us-feel-like-we-re-not/) [Jonah Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-berger/) > [People don't need to be paid to be motivated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-berger/people-don-t-need-to-be-paid-to-be-motivated/) [Jonah Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-berger/) > [“Useful things are important. People don’t just value practical information, they share it. Offering practical value helps make things contagious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-berger/useful-things-are-important-people-don-t-just-value-practical/) [Jonah Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-berger/) > [“So to get people talking, companies and organizations need to mint social currency. 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Well here is the truth of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-davis/people-tell-me-i-am-brave-people-tell-me-i-am-strong-people-tell-me/) [Katie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-davis/) > [“I want people to tell their children terrible stories about the things we did for love”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-softer-world/i-want-people-to-tell-their-children-terrible-stories-about-the/) A Softer World > [Some people tell stories and some people tell the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-williams/some-people-tell-stories-and-some-people-tell-the-truth/) [Amber Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-williams/) > [People will say you cannot get a job in a down economy. People will say you cannot get a job that you love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/people-will-say-you-cannot-get-a-job-in-a-down-economy-people-will/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [When you've heard every short people joke possible, but people tell you them anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-ve-heard-every-short-people-joke-possible-but-people-tell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When people tell you there’s something wrong with a story, they’re almost always right. When they tell what it is that’s wrong and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-people-tell-you-there-s-something-wrong-with-a-story-they-re/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I'm quite a good reader of people; I like to meet people, and I can tell if they're lying or not, and I've certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-darby/i-m-quite-a-good-reader-of-people-i-like-to-meet-people-and-i-can/) [Rhys Darby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-darby/) > [“People will tell you what to do. Don't listen them. Do what is right and what you love. Ultimately they would have to agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laksh-kishore/people-will-tell-you-what-to-do-don-t-listen-them-do-what-is-right/) [Laksh Kishore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laksh-kishore/) > [Young people tell what they are doing, old people what they have done and fools what they wish to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-proverb/young-people-tell-what-they-are-doing-old-people-what-they-have-done/) French Proverb > [“When people tell you that you can’t live your way, don’t believe them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-v-ciarrochi/when-people-tell-you-that-you-can-t-live-your-way-don-t-believe-them/) Joseph V. Ciarrochi > [Better be careful of your actions. people see and people tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/better-be-careful-of-your-actions-people-see-and-people-tell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How come she can say it so easy other people but she cant tell me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james/how-come-she-can-say-it-so-easy-other-people-but-she-cant-tell-me/) [James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james/) > [Obviously people don't want other people to tell them how to think or what to believe, or to tell them what's right politically and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/obviously-people-don-t-want-other-people-to-tell-them-how-to-think-or/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) Browse all 419 People Tell quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Often we’re not even trying to exaggerate; we just can’t recall all the details of the story. 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