--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all spend so much time not saying what…" description: "\"We all spend so much time not saying what we want, because we know we can't have it. And because it sounds ungracious, or ungrateful, or disloyal, or c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/nick-hornby-325_break_we-all-spend-so-much-time-not-saying-wha_2933427.png" --- # We all spend so much time not saying what we want, because… ![“We all spend so much time not saying what we want, because we know we can't have it. And because it sounds ungracious, or ungrateful, or disloyal, or childish, or banal. Or because we're so desperate to pretend that things are OK, really, that confessing to ourselves they're not looks like a bad…” quote by Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/nick-hornby-325_break_we-all-spend-so-much-time-not-saying-wha_2933427.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/nick-hornby-325_break_we-all-spend-so-much-time-not-saying-wha_2933427.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/nick-hornby-325_break_we-all-spend-so-much-time-not-saying-wha_2933427.png) > “We all spend so much time not saying what we want, because we know we can't have it. And because it sounds ungracious, or ungrateful, or disloyal, or childish, or banal. Or because we're so desperate to pretend that things are OK, really, that confessing to ourselves they're not looks like a bad move. Go on, say what you want. ... Whatever it is, say it to yourself. The truth will set you free. Either that or it'll get you a punch in the nose. Surviving in whatever life you're living means lying, and lying corrodes the soul, so take a break from the lies for just one minute.” [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often hide their true desires out of fear of rejection or appearing ungrateful, but honesty with oneself is essential for freedom and integrity. **In simple terms:** Hide desires due to fear; honesty frees you. Key Takeaway Speak your truth, even briefly. Themes honesty self‑acceptance vulnerability integrity Mood reflective determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - personal reflection - conflict resolution - mental health - relationship building Key Concepts psychology social pressure self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - What truth are you avoiding? - How might honesty change your current situation? A Different Perspective Being honest may cause discomfort or conflict, and not all truths are immediately actionable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) [Disloyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disloyal/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Set You Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-you-free/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Surviving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surviving/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Truth will set you free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-will-set-you-free/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) ## Related quotes > [They say that the truth will set you free But then again, so will a lie... It depends if you're trying to get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/they-say-that-the-truth-will-set-you-free-but-then-again-so-will-a/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [“They say the truth will set you free, but what nobody tells you is that sometimes the truth will also make you miserable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-viera-rigler/they-say-the-truth-will-set-you-free-but-what-nobody-tells-you-is/) [Laurie Viera Rigler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-viera-rigler/) > [The truth will set you free. Either that or it'll get you a punch in the nose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/the-truth-will-set-you-free-either-that-or-it-ll-get-you-a-punch-in/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Whose hearts must I break? What lies must I maintain? - Through whose blood am I to wade ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/whose-hearts-must-i-break-what-lies-must-i-maintain-through-whose/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [Truth will set you free…But first it'll piss you off!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-ngr/truth-will-set-you-free-but-first-it-ll-piss-you-off/) [Simi Ngr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-ngr/) > [The truth will set you free: believability will give you credibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/the-truth-will-set-you-free-believability-will-give-you-credibility/) [Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/) > [No one is perfect. Everyone has skeletons in their closet, and umm... I believe in letting those skeletons out, the truth will set you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayy-von-monroe/no-one-is-perfect-everyone-has-skeletons-in-their-closet-and-umm-i/) [Jayy Von Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayy-von-monroe/) > [The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off. I hate you ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazoozie/the-truth-will-set-you-free-but-first-it-will-piss-you-off-i-hate-you/) Jazoozie > [Truth will set you free. And Truth has a name...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/truth-will-set-you-free-and-truth-has-a-name/) [William P. 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What's happened?" Nothing's happened. I've had a bad week in my head, is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-ve-had-a-bad-week-what-s-happened-nothing-s-happened-i-ve-had-a-bad/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“When they – I cannot bring myself to use the first-person plural in this instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/when-they-i-cannot-bring-myself-to-use-the-first-person-plural-in/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“What you don't ever catch a glimpse of on your wedding day - because how could you? - is that some days you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/what-you-don-t-ever-catch-a-glimpse-of-on-your-wedding-day-because/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. 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