--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has taken me a long time to work out…" description: "\"It has taken me a long time to work out the function of ex-boyfriends, at least for me: how they can help you work out what you want from life and from..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/nicola-monaghan-61918_better_it-has-taken-me-a-long-time-to-work-out_1583600.jpg" --- # It has taken me a long time to work out the function of… ![“It has taken me a long time to work out the function of ex-boyfriends, at least for me: how they can help you work out what you want from life and from a partner by showing you what you don't. If a man is your ex, it's better all round if he was not Mr. Right.” quote by Nicola Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/nicola-monaghan-61918_better_it-has-taken-me-a-long-time-to-work-out_1583600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/nicola-monaghan-61918_better_it-has-taken-me-a-long-time-to-work-out_1583600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/nicola-monaghan-61918_better_it-has-taken-me-a-long-time-to-work-out_1583600.jpg) > “It has taken me a long time to work out the function of ex-boyfriends, at least for me: how they can help you work out what you want from life and from a partner by showing you what you don't. If a man is your ex, it's better all round if he was not Mr. Right.” [Nicola Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-monaghan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ex‑relationships reveal personal values by contrasting what we reject with what we seek, guiding future choices. **In simple terms:** Exes show what we don’t want, helping us define what we do want. Key Takeaway Learn from past partners to clarify future goals. Themes self‑awareness relationships growth Mood reflective hopeful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - dating - career planning - personal development - relationship counseling Key Concepts reflection value clarification learning from experience Questions to Reflect On - What patterns have you noticed in past relationships? - How can you turn disappointment into insight? A Different Perspective May over‑generalize from one experience; not all exes are informative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boyfriends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boyfriends/) [Dating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dating/) [Ex boyfriends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ex-boyfriends/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Mr right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mr-right/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) ## Related quotes > [Who has not been amazed to learn that the function y = ex, like a phoenix rising from its own ashes, is its own derivative?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-le-lionnais/who-has-not-been-amazed-to-learn-that-the-function-y-ex-like-a/) Francois Le Lionnais > [Irregardless, ex-boyfriends are just off limits to friends. I mean that's just like the rules of feminism!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen/irregardless-ex-boyfriends-are-just-off-limits-to-friends-i-mean-that/) [Gretchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen/) > [I'd rather sit in bed and watch TV. All of my ex-boyfriends, of course, not Paris, would be like, 'What's the problem? You're so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/i-d-rather-sit-in-bed-and-watch-tv-all-of-my-ex-boyfriends-of-course/) [Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/) > [This are my ex boyfriends..they are all hot and cool dudes.. ex 1.)were not friends after we broke up! ex 2.)were friendsafter he get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enihpesoj/this-are-my-ex-boyfriends-they-are-all-hot-and-cool-dudes-ex-1-were/) [Enihpesoj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enihpesoj/) > [Never waste anyones time if you arent gonna love them forever. Dont even date them because its of no pride you having a huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/never-waste-anyones-time-if-you-arent-gonna-love-them-forever-dont/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [But don't ever call her ex-boyfriends by his name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/but-don-t-ever-call-her-ex-boyfriends-by-his-name/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [I collect ex-boyfriends -- and more than five, at last count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/i-collect-ex-boyfriends-and-more-than-five-at-last-count/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Ex boyfriends, are like an old pair of shoes. 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They don't deserve it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena/i-get-so-mad-about-ex-boyfriends-but-if-a-boy-hurts-me-i-don-t-write/) [Selena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena/) > [Insecure girls go after the taken guys, the guys their friends like, the off limits ex boyfriends of their friends, or any guy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/insecure-girls-go-after-the-taken-guys-the-guys-their-friends-like/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [When one of your ex boyfriends getting mad your talking to another guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-one-of-your-ex-boyfriends-getting-mad-your-talking-to-another-guy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's a message to ALL my ex boyfriends. Lets face it sweetie, you can go through hundreds of girls, but I hate to disappoint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/here-s-a-message-to-all-my-ex-boyfriends-lets-face-it-sweetie-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On tour, its either call ex-boyfriends or tweet a lot. Youre just looking for any proof that youre not completely alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-peretti/on-tour-its-either-call-ex-boyfriends-or-tweet-a-lot-youre-just/) [Chelsea Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-peretti/) > [EX boyfriends are just EX-amples .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-rose-joseph/ex-boyfriends-are-just-ex-amples/) Ashley Rose Joseph > [I'm better than your EX and better than your NEXT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-better-than-your-ex-and-better-than-your-next/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Nicola Monaghan > [Having travelled and lived and worked in many different places, I was keen to come back and settle in Nottingham, partly because my family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-monaghan/having-travelled-and-lived-and-worked-in-many-different-places-i-was/) [Nicola Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-monaghan/) > [“True love, the type that strikes you down and makes you change forever, you feel that kind of love in every f\*\*\*\*\*g organ inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-monaghan/true-love-the-type-that-strikes-you-down-and-makes-you-change-forever/) [Nicola Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-monaghan/) > [As a writer, it is my job to tell a story. 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