--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If things are too perfect, people are…" description: "\"If things are too perfect, people are always so afraid that it's going to change, so they ruin it themselves.\" — Marilyn Manson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/marilyn-manson-565_ifs_if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-alw_1327208.jpg" --- # If things are too perfect, people are always so afraid… ![“If things are too perfect, people are always so afraid that it's going to change, so they ruin it themselves.” quote by Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/marilyn-manson-565_ifs_if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-alw_1327208.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/marilyn-manson-565_ifs_if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-alw_1327208.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/marilyn-manson-565_ifs_if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-alw_1327208.jpg) > “If things are too perfect, people are always so afraid that it's going to change, so they ruin it themselves.” [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People fear stability and may sabotage it to avoid future disappointment. **In simple terms:** Fear of change leads to self‑sabotage. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection and trust continuity. Themes fear stability self‑sabotage change psychology Mood anxious reflective Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - relationships - career projects - creative endeavors - personal growth Key Concepts Existential anxiety control paradox human behavior Questions to Reflect On - What does “perfect” mean to you? - How can you protect valuable things without fear? A Different Perspective Not all sabotage is conscious; some stems from deeper insecurity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Afraid Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-going-332398/) [Change Ruin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-ruin-4355770/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-afraid-248913/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Ruin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruin/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) ## Related quotes > [Part of me is afraid to get close to people because I'm afraid that they're going to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/part-of-me-is-afraid-to-get-close-to-people-because-i-m-afraid-that/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [“The door moved aside like a curtain, revealing a scene that would be embedded on my memory for always. It would change everything. Ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/the-door-moved-aside-like-a-curtain-revealing-a-scene-that-would-be/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [Try to change it and you will ruin it. Try to hold it and you will lose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/try-to-change-it-and-you-will-ruin-it-try-to-hold-it-and-you-will/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If you try to change it, you will ruin it. Try to hold it, and you will lose it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-try-to-change-it-you-will-ruin-it-try-to-hold-it-and-you-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I bet the reason people are afraid of going bald is because it makes them think of the end of life. I mean, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-bet-the-reason-people-are-afraid-of-going-bald-is-because-it-makes/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [People are afraid that they're going to upset somebody on top, and so there's a real sense of, I've got to be quiet, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/people-are-afraid-that-they-re-going-to-upset-somebody-on-top-and-so/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [I'm always afraid someone's going to tap me on the shoulder one day and say, 'Back to North London'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-parker/i-m-always-afraid-someone-s-going-to-tap-me-on-the-shoulder-one-day/) [Alan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-parker/) > [There were so many times I was afraid I was going to lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendra-scott/there-were-so-many-times-i-was-afraid-i-was-going-to-lose-everything/) [Kendra Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendra-scott/) > [I've lived the torment of the names. I've lived the torment of boyfriends breaking up with me because they were afraid I was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/i-ve-lived-the-torment-of-the-names-i-ve-lived-the-torment-of/) [Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/) > [I wanted to make it a really strong point to not watch 'Battlestar Galactica' before starting 'Caprica' because I was afraid it was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magda-apanowicz/i-wanted-to-make-it-a-really-strong-point-to-not-watch-battlestar/) [Magda Apanowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magda-apanowicz/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [This fear is what is the ruin of us all. And some dominate us; they take advantage of our fear and frighten us still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-gorky/this-fear-is-what-is-the-ruin-of-us-all-and-some-dominate-us-they/) [Maxim Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxim-gorky/) > [Fear is one thing that can ruin everything. It's the greatest problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boman-irani/fear-is-one-thing-that-can-ruin-everything-it-s-the-greatest-problem/) [Boman Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boman-irani/) > [Ruin, eldest daughter of Zeus, she blinds us all, that fatal madness—she with those delicate feet of hers, never touching the earth, gliding over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ruin-eldest-daughter-of-zeus-she-blinds-us-all-that-fatal-madness-she/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) ## More by Marilyn Manson > [I don't want to have a gravestone. I want to have all my friends burn me and then snort the ashes. I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/i-don-t-want-to-have-a-gravestone-i-want-to-have-all-my-friends-burn/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [As a kid I had buck teeth and braces and acne. I hated what I saw. I'm still not comfortable, but that's why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/as-a-kid-i-had-buck-teeth-and-braces-and-acne-i-hated-what-i-saw-i-m/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [A pill to make you numb, a pill to you make you dumb, a pill to make you anybody else, but all the drugs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/a-pill-to-make-you-numb-a-pill-to-you-make-you-dumb-a-pill-to-make/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [Rock n roll is about drugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/rock-n-roll-is-about-drugs/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [I refuse to say things behind people's backs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/i-refuse-to-say-things-behind-people-s-backs/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [Having an avatar doesn't give you an identity, and having a persona online doesn't make you a personality either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/having-an-avatar-doesn-t-give-you-an-identity-and-having-a-persona/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [When you get to heaven, you will wish you were in hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/when-you-get-to-heaven-you-will-wish-you-were-in-hell/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [In any story, the villain is the catalyst. The hero's not a person who will bend the rules or show the cracks in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/in-any-story-the-villain-is-the-catalyst-the-hero-s-not-a-person-who/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [When I was stalking my special lady friend on MySpace, people would always say, 'Is this really Marilyn Manson or some kind of psycho?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/when-i-was-stalking-my-special-lady-friend-on-myspace-people-would/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [Growing up going to Christian school and the concept that you're born a sinner and you don't really have a choice to change who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/growing-up-going-to-christian-school-and-the-concept-that-you-re-born/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [Man is still at the learning stage, and mankind is so arrogant to think that he's the highest form of evolution on earth. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/man-is-still-at-the-learning-stage-and-mankind-is-so-arrogant-to/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [He's just simply John5 because he's the fifth person that we've hired. In the future, everyone will have numbers instead of names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/he-s-just-simply-john5-because-he-s-the-fifth-person-that-we-ve-hired/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [Part of me is afraid to get close to people because I'm afraid that they're going to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/part-of-me-is-afraid-to-get-close-to-people-because-i-m-afraid-that/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [My mom was always a big fan of Elvis. She made me listen to Elvis when I was a kid. I hated it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/my-mom-was-always-a-big-fan-of-elvis-she-made-me-listen-to-elvis-when/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [I'm completely unlike a lot of other performers in the past who have been forgiven or come to terms with the real world because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/i-m-completely-unlike-a-lot-of-other-performers-in-the-past-who-have/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) [Explore all 469 Marilyn Manson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If things are too perfect, people are always so afraid that it's going to change, so they ruin it themselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marilyn Manson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-always-so-afraid-that-it-s-going/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-always-so-afraid-that-it-s-going/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/marilyn-manson-565_ifs_if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-alw_1327208.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/marilyn-manson-565_ifs_if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-alw_1327208.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/555/marilyn-manson-565_ifs_if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-alw_1327208.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If things are too perfect, people are always so afraid that it's going to change, so they ruin it themselves.” — Marilyn Manson", "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": "Marilyn Manson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If things are too perfect, people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-always-so-afraid-that-it-s-going/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/if-things-are-too-perfect-people-are-always-so-afraid-that-it-s-going/#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 } } ] } ```