--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can’t go on apologizing all our lives…" description: "\"“We can’t go on apologizing all our lives, you know.”\" — Nick Hornby" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/nick-hornby-325_apologizing_we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives_208595.png" --- # We can’t go on apologizing all our lives, you know. ![“We can’t go on apologizing all our lives, you know.” quote by Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/nick-hornby-325_apologizing_we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives_208595.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/nick-hornby-325_apologizing_we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives_208595.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/nick-hornby-325_apologizing_we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives_208595.png) > ““We can’t go on apologizing all our lives, you know.”” [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. Continuous self‑apology hinders progress; one must stop dwelling on past mistakes and act. **In simple terms:** Stop apologizing and move forward. Key Takeaway Stop apologizing, start acting. Themes self‑criticism growth action Mood reflective practical Type personal psychological When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - personal development Key Concepts personal responsibility psychological inertia Questions to Reflect On - When is apology appropriate? - How can you balance accountability with forward motion? A Different Perspective Apologizing can be necessary for repairing relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apologizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologizing/) [Apologizing Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologizing-lives-2158525/) [Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives/) [Lives Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-know-431362/) ## Related quotes > [We've lived with the PAP all our lives, and we know how powerful they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pritam-singh/we-ve-lived-with-the-pap-all-our-lives-and-we-know-how-powerful-they/) [Pritam Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pritam-singh/) > [The lives of everyone you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/my-chemical-romance/the-lives-of-everyone-you-know/) [My Chemical Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/my-chemical-romance/) > [How can we live without our lives? How will we know it's us without our past?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/how-can-we-live-without-our-lives-how-will-we-know-it-s-us-without/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [There are openings in our lives of which we know nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hirshfield/there-are-openings-in-our-lives-of-which-we-know-nothing/) [Jane Hirshfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hirshfield/) > [He who gives while he lives, get to know where it goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-ross/he-who-gives-while-he-lives-get-to-know-where-it-goes/) [Percy Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-ross/) > [You need to remember that. If you’re to have decent lives, you have to know who you are and what lies ahead of you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/you-need-to-remember-that-if-you-re-to-have-decent-lives-you-have-to/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [Our business is to stand strongly for principles, but never to attack persons, about whose lives we can know but little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arundale/our-business-is-to-stand-strongly-for-principles-but-never-to-attack/) [George Arundale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arundale/) > [I know and understand the result of extreme violence in my own life, in my friends' lives, and so I know what violence really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/i-know-and-understand-the-result-of-extreme-violence-in-my-own-life/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [I had been to the South many times and I thought I knew what the South was, but not until you live with people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-gorder/i-had-been-to-the-south-many-times-and-i-thought-i-knew-what-the/) [Genevieve Gorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-gorder/) > [“I have been a swallower of lives; and to know me, just the one of me, you'll have to swallow the lot as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-have-been-a-swallower-of-lives-and-to-know-me-just-the-one-of-me/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Remember that there is a meaning to yours and our lives, but we might never know what it exactly is when we live as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/self-reliance/remember-that-there-is-a-meaning-to-yours-and-our-lives-but-we-might/) [Self-reliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/self-reliance/) > [A poor choice of words conveyed to some the impression that I embrace the discarded policies of the past. Nothing could be further from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-lott/a-poor-choice-of-words-conveyed-to-some-the-impression-that-i-embrace/) [Trent Lott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-lott/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/) [Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/) > [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/) [Allison Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pataki/) ## More by Nick Hornby > [You can wait forever for the muse to sit on your shoulder, but most of the time you know what has to be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/you-can-wait-forever-for-the-muse-to-sit-on-your-shoulder-but-most-of/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > […I've had a bad week." 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. You've got to kick off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/a-good-compilation-tape-like-breaking-up-is-hard-to-do-and-takes-ages/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [I'm still not a very good white wine, but I'm drinkable - you could put me in a punch, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-still-not-a-very-good-white-wine-but-i-m-drinkable-you-could-put/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [I never mind the accusations of domesticity, as long as people recognise that all of us, even the luckiest, will live lives in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-never-mind-the-accusations-of-domesticity-as-long-as-people/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [I wasted the 1980s. I wasted every minute at Cambridge talking to people who knew more about music than I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-wasted-the-1980s-i-wasted-every-minute-at-cambridge-talking-to/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“I took her outside on to a little roof terrace that looked like it never got the sun at nay time of the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-took-her-outside-on-to-a-little-roof-terrace-that-looked-like-it/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“I feel as though I have been having conversations like this all my life. None of us is young anymore, but what has just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-feel-as-though-i-have-been-having-conversations-like-this-all-my/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“I'm OK. Really. I can find people. I'll be all right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-ok-really-i-can-find-people-i-ll-be-all-right/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“Read any women's magazine and you'll see the same complaint over and over again: men - those little boys ten or twenty or thirty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/read-any-women-s-magazine-and-you-ll-see-the-same-complaint-over-and/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“Defansçılar her zaman forvetçilerden daha iyi analizcilerdir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/defans-lar-her-zaman-forvet-ilerden-daha-iyi-analizcilerdir/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [On New Year's Eve he ould make a resolution to recover some his previous scepticism, but until then he would do as the Romans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/on-new-year-s-eve-he-ould-make-a-resolution-to-recover-some-his/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [It's no good looking to writers for definitions of what constitutes proper writing, because you will drive yourself crazy, and you won't find anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/it-s-no-good-looking-to-writers-for-definitions-of-what-constitutes/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) [Explore all 645 Nick Hornby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) ## More Apologizing quotes > [“There were probably many factors that kept the relationship going and kept your love alive. There were all his promises. "I promise this will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-kennedy-dugan/there-were-probably-many-factors-that-kept-the-relationship-going-and/) [Meg Kennedy Dugan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-kennedy-dugan/) > [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/) [Allison Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pataki/) > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/to-apologize-for-what-you-most-wanted-to-do-to-concede-that-it-was/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [I have some friends who are actors. I've watched them work. And I would say that of all the arts, acting is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-have-some-friends-who-are-actors-i-ve-watched-them-work-and-i-would/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [President Bush deliberately did not apologize for things and that’s because advisers around him, including those there, felt that the press corps would jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gregory/president-bush-deliberately-did-not-apologize-for-things-and-that-s/) [David Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gregory/) > [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/) [Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/) > [I would like to publicly apologize to anyone I have NOT offended¦I will get to you shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-like-to-publicly-apologize-to-anyone-i-have-not-offended-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a responsibility, and it's something that I did wrong, and if I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/i-have-a-responsibility-and-it-s-something-that-i-did-wrong-and-if-i/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [To the millions of Americans whove attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health-care coverage, I want to apologize to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-tavenner/to-the-millions-of-americans-whove-attempted-to-use-healthcare-gov-to/) [Marilyn Tavenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-tavenner/) > [My overall point is that 'one and dones' are not healthy for college basketball. I should not have made it personal to Kentucky and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/my-overall-point-is-that-one-and-dones-are-not-healthy-for-college/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Don't apologize for being patriotic. Support the troops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/don-t-apologize-for-being-patriotic-support-the-troops/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [How many chefs when I was a young boy shouted at me during service? All I ever said was "Yes, chef." The customer is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/how-many-chefs-when-i-was-a-young-boy-shouted-at-me-during-service/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [I want to use my connections with coaches, players, celebrities, whomever, and if I can take that friendship and use it to help someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/i-want-to-use-my-connections-with-coaches-players-celebrities/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [I apologize for the cruel things that I did but I don't regret one single word I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/five-finger-death-punch/i-apologize-for-the-cruel-things-that-i-did-but-i-don-t-regret-one/) [Five Finger Death Punch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/five-finger-death-punch/) [Browse all 854 Apologizing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologizing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We can’t go on apologizing all our lives, you know.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nick Hornby" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives-you-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apologizing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives-you-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/nick-hornby-325_apologizing_we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives_208595.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/nick-hornby-325_apologizing_we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives_208595.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/nick-hornby-325_apologizing_we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives_208595.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can’t go on apologizing all our lives, you know.” — Nick Hornby", "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": "Nick Hornby", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We can’t go on apologizing all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives-you-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/we-can-t-go-on-apologizing-all-our-lives-you-know/#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 } } ] } ```