--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you pretend he’s perfect, it’s just…" description: "\"“If you pretend he’s perfect, it’s just going to hurt more when you realize he’s not.”\" — Marian Tee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/marian-tee-34491_hurt_if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-go_2495188.jpg" --- # If you pretend he’s perfect, it’s just going to hurt more… ![“If you pretend he’s perfect, it’s just going to hurt more when you realize he’s not.” quote by Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/marian-tee-34491_hurt_if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-go_2495188.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/marian-tee-34491_hurt_if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-go_2495188.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/marian-tee-34491_hurt_if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-go_2495188.jpg) > ““If you pretend he’s perfect, it’s just going to hurt more when you realize he’s not.”” [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pretending a partner is flawless leads to deeper pain when flaws surface; honesty is essential. **In simple terms:** Faking perfection hurts more when reality shows flaws. Key Takeaway Seek honesty over idealization. Themes relationships honesty expectations disillusionment Mood thoughtful cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - Couples therapy - dating advice - personal reflection - friendship counseling Key Concepts Self‑deception idealization emotional vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance honesty with kindness? - What signs indicate you’re idealizing someone? A Different Perspective May ignore the value of kindness in early stages. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [I don't pretend to be perfect. I want people to see me as I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-don-t-pretend-to-be-perfect-i-want-people-to-see-me-as-i-am/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [Sometimes it's too late to make things right. Sometimes we hurt others more than we realize. Sometimes a smile fades in front of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/sometimes-it-s-too-late-to-make-things-right-sometimes-we-hurt-others/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [How many more times do you need to get hurt before you realize that it's time to let go?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-many-more-times-do-you-need-to-get-hurt-before-you-realize-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No one deserves hate, think before you say something. It could hurt more than you realize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-deserves-hate-think-before-you-say-something-it-could-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It mayy reallyy hurt now. But, when you realize how much of a jerk he was, the process will be much easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linz-peebles/it-mayy-reallyy-hurt-now-but-when-you-realize-how-much-of-a-jerk-he/) Linz Peebles > [Sometimes it's too late to make things right. û Sometimes we hurt others more than we realize. û Sometimes a smile fades in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-it-s-too-late-to-make-things-right-sometimes-we-hurt-others-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How many times do you need to get hurt to realize its time to let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-many-times-do-you-need-to-get-hurt-to-realize-its-time-to-let-go/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [She didn't know how much she'd been hoping that he still loved her, until she felt how much it hurt to realize he didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/she-didn-t-know-how-much-she-d-been-hoping-that-he-still-loved-her/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [I never thought about how much words can hurt, but now I realize that they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-thought-about-how-much-words-can-hurt-but-now-i-realize-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [By getting hurt, you might realize that what you thought you wanted and needed wasn't actually right for you. And that's a lesson only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hussey/by-getting-hurt-you-might-realize-that-what-you-thought-you-wanted/) [Matthew Hussey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hussey/) > [I don't pretend to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-payette/i-don-t-pretend-to-be-perfect/) [Julie Payette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-payette/) > [“If you are not going to pretend you are problem-free, at least show everyone you are deeply ashamed. 5. If you are not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-arterburn/if-you-are-not-going-to-pretend-you-are-problem-free-at-least-show/) [Stephen Arterburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-arterburn/) > [ “Mothers have to pretend to be perfect\[.\] If we didn't, anarchy would rule the world. But most of the time we're just doing the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-ball/mothers-have-to-pretend-to-be-perfect-if-we-didn-t-anarchy-would-rule/) [Donna Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-ball/) > [“When you're a stupid girl in love, it's almost impossible to see the red flags. It's so easy to pretend they're not there, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-demetrios/when-you-re-a-stupid-girl-in-love-it-s-almost-impossible-to-see-the/) [Heather Demetrios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-demetrios/) > [Life is too short to pretend to be someone you are not. The only perfect person you can be is yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shraddha/life-is-too-short-to-pretend-to-be-someone-you-are-not-the-only/) Shraddha ## More by Marian Tee > [“eyes as she spoke. She sort of did it all the time, actually, making you unable to figure out when she was being sincere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/eyes-as-she-spoke-she-sort-of-did-it-all-the-time-actually-making-you/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“The game’s not over till it’s over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/the-game-s-not-over-till-it-s-over/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“when she was finally done, she was close to tears and she hated herself more. Dragging oxygen into her sob-clogged throat, she turned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/when-she-was-finally-done-she-was-close-to-tears-and-she-hated/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“I’m going to be, like, super late.” I threw Alyx a look of horror before returning my gaze to the digital display of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/i-m-going-to-be-like-super-late-i-threw-alyx-a-look-of-horror-before/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“I especially love the way he moves, like a young god who takes his time walking because he wants mere mortals like me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/i-especially-love-the-way-he-moves-like-a-young-god-who-takes-his/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“like to see more of Vivian and Luca and maybe other Italian bachelors follow in Rafe’s footsteps, too. ;) I’d love to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/like-to-see-more-of-vivian-and-luca-and-maybe-other-italian-bachelors/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“regrets, Palazzo,” Luca said wryly. “Now that you’re here, you know Shane won’t let you leave until everyone’s smashed.” Rafe grimaced. “True.” Luca raised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/regrets-palazzo-luca-said-wryly-now-that-you-re-here-you-know-shane/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“Bah! Doesn’t matter. Don’t want him for our Ayah. She should marry within her kind, a good Chinese boy—” Mari had to smile. Mr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/bah-doesn-t-matter-don-t-want-him-for-our-ayah-she-should-marry/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“His eyes darkened, and I realized he saw my resistance as a challenge. “Constantijin, no---” “I won’t”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/his-eyes-darkened-and-i-realized-he-saw-my-resistance-as-a-challenge/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“Yuki broke my heart, so can't I break his knee or something?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/yuki-broke-my-heart-so-can-t-i-break-his-knee-or-something/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“I twirled in front of the mirror slowly, wanting to see the full effect of my new dress front and back. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/i-twirled-in-front-of-the-mirror-slowly-wanting-to-see-the-full/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) > [“I should have learned my lesson from Greek myths, really. It so doesn't pay to fall in love with a god. It’s either you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/i-should-have-learned-my-lesson-from-greek-myths-really-it-so-doesn-t/) [Marian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) [Explore all 13 Marian Tee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/) ## More Hurt quotes > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [It is easier to say you're mad, rather than admitting you're hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-easier-to-say-you-re-mad-rather-than-admitting-you-re-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/) [Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) Kirsten Gilchrist > [A HURTED HEART IS LIKE SMALL BABY WHICH CAN ONLY CRY BT IT WONT B ABLE 2 EXPRESS ITS FEELINGS.SO DONT HURT ANYBODY IN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/a-hurted-heart-is-like-small-baby-which-can-only-cry-bt-it-wont-b/) Butterfly\_Kisses > [The greatest gift you can give to those around you is honesty. Sometimes honest words may sting the heart, but dishonesty pierces deep into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-greatest-gift-you-can-give-to-those-around-you-is-honesty/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey > [Some things hurt, you know, and there's pain. But we magnify the suffering of it often, I think, by our reactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/some-things-hurt-you-know-and-there-s-pain-but-we-magnify-the/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [You can't force any one to love you, and fighting it, you just gonna hurt yourself badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mongotleng/you-can-t-force-any-one-to-love-you-and-fighting-it-you-just-gonna/) Edward Mongotleng > [This goes out to someone that was Once the most important person in my life I didn't realize it at the time I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aviation/this-goes-out-to-someone-that-was-once-the-most-important-person-in/) Aviation > [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) Browse all 13,577 Hurt quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you pretend he’s perfect, it’s just going to hurt more when you realize he’s not.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marian Tee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-going-to-hurt-more-when-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hurt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-going-to-hurt-more-when-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/marian-tee-34491_hurt_if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-go_2495188.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/marian-tee-34491_hurt_if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-go_2495188.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/marian-tee-34491_hurt_if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-go_2495188.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you pretend he’s perfect, it’s just going to hurt more when you realize he’s not.” — Marian Tee", "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": "Marian Tee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-tee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you pretend he’s perfect, it’s...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-going-to-hurt-more-when-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-tee/if-you-pretend-he-s-perfect-it-s-just-going-to-hurt-more-when-you/#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 } } ] } ```