--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To strive for perfection is to kill love…" description: "\"To strive for perfection is to kill love because perfection does not recognize humanity.\" — Marion Woodman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/marion-woodman-11249_doe_to-strive-for-perfection-is-to-kill-love_2510777.png" --- # To strive for perfection is to kill love because… ![“To strive for perfection is to kill love because perfection does not recognize humanity.” quote by Marion Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/marion-woodman-11249_doe_to-strive-for-perfection-is-to-kill-love_2510777.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/marion-woodman-11249_doe_to-strive-for-perfection-is-to-kill-love_2510777.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/marion-woodman-11249_doe_to-strive-for-perfection-is-to-kill-love_2510777.png) > “To strive for perfection is to kill love because perfection does not recognize humanity.” [Marion Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-woodman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pursuing flawless standards destroys genuine affection because love is imperfect. **In simple terms:** Perfection kills love. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection in relationships. Themes love perfection humanity Mood introspective melancholic Type psychological philosophical When to use this quote - marriage - friendship - parenting Key Concepts self‑acceptance emotional honesty Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance standards and compassion? - What does love look like when imperfect? A Different Perspective May excuse harmful behavior as “human.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Strive For Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive-for-perfection/) ## Related quotes > [I don't strive for perfection, because it doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mya/i-don-t-strive-for-perfection-because-it-doesn-t-exist/) [Mya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mya/) > [Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best that exists and make it better. If it doesn't exist, create it. Accept nothing nearly right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-royce/strive-for-perfection-in-everything-take-the-best-that-exists-and/) [Henry Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-royce/) > [“Rule 4 Accept yourself You don't have to improve or change or strive for perfection. Quite the opposite. Just accept.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-templar/rule-4-accept-yourself-you-don-t-have-to-improve-or-change-or-strive/) [Richard Templar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-templar/) > [What I've learned is you don't have to strive for perfection, but you do have to strive to be a very hard worker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-pearce/what-i-ve-learned-is-you-don-t-have-to-strive-for-perfection-but-you/) [Lindsay Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-pearce/) > [“She could strive for perfection only in certain, few things; beyond that, it was important only to be tidy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-coplin/she-could-strive-for-perfection-only-in-certain-few-things-beyond/) [Amanda Coplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-coplin/) > [“Even if we try to conform to ideals and strive for perfection, we will always be pulled back to our core identity because it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/even-if-we-try-to-conform-to-ideals-and-strive-for-perfection-we-will/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) > [“You can make amends of your flaws and faults if you strive for perfection and succeed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandile-sean-mntla/you-can-make-amends-of-your-flaws-and-faults-if-you-strive-for/) Sandile Sean Mntla > [I strive for perfection, but of course it can never be perfect. I'm never satisfied at the end of a performance. But the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-warlow/i-strive-for-perfection-but-of-course-it-can-never-be-perfect-i-m/) [Anthony Warlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-warlow/) > [So we strive for perfection in the areas in which we can control, and that isn't necessarily what provides contentment and joy for ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/so-we-strive-for-perfection-in-the-areas-in-which-we-can-control-and/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [“Religion requires perfection, but the kingdom values excellence. If we strive for perfection and don’t allow ourselves room to be wrong, we will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hazlett/religion-requires-perfection-but-the-kingdom-values-excellence-if-we/) Bob Hazlett > [As the leaders and decision-makers of this great state, it is our responsibility to strive for perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/as-the-leaders-and-decision-makers-of-this-great-state-it-is-our/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [“it is much easier to strive for perfection when you are never bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/it-is-much-easier-to-strive-for-perfection-when-you-are-never-bored/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Entrepreneurs are never satisfied. They want to do things better. They strive for perfection and use all the ingenuity to their command to achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-marriott/entrepreneurs-are-never-satisfied-they-want-to-do-things-better-they/) [J. Willard Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-willard-marriott/) > [And with a few moments like that, with doubt from here and there, and within ourselves we were just striving for excellence. We had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rn-utzon/and-with-a-few-moments-like-that-with-doubt-from-here-and-there-and/) Jørn Utzon > [When you strive for perfection, you compare different versions of what could be instead of being present with what is. Perfectionism is an attempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/when-you-strive-for-perfection-you-compare-different-versions-of-what/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) ## More by Marion Woodman > [“I yearned for lightness; I still yearn for lightness. 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Because they attend to their pet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-woodman/many-people-can-listen-to-their-cat-more-intelligently-than-they-can/) [Marion Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-woodman/) > [Transition begins in forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-woodman/transition-begins-in-forgiveness/) [Marion Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-woodman/) > [My soul is the bridge between spirit and body and, as such, is a uniter of opposites. Without soul at center, I would either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-woodman/my-soul-is-the-bridge-between-spirit-and-body-and-as-such-is-a-uniter/) [Marion Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-woodman/) > [Storytelling is at the heart of life. 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Think of that in terms of television, and a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-woodman/the-images-we-eat-are-as-important-as-the-food-we-eat-think-of-that/) [Marion Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-woodman/) > [Soul, to me, means “embodied essence,” when we experience ourselves and others in our full humanity - part animal, part divine. Healing comes through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-woodman/soul-to-me-means-embodied-essence-when-we-experience-ourselves-and/) [Marion Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-woodman/) > [There is no sense talking about "being true to yourself" until you are sure what voice you are being true to. It takes hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-woodman/there-is-no-sense-talking-about-being-true-to-yourself-until-you-are/) [Marion Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-woodman/) [Explore all 61 Marion Woodman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-woodman/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. 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The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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