--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, a teacher had forbidden…" description: "\"When I was young, a teacher had forbidden me to say \"more perfect\" because she said if a thing is perfect it can't be more so. But by now I had seen en..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/norman-maclean-10625_confidence_when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden_2940370.jpg" --- # When I was young, a teacher had forbidden me to say "more… ![“When I was young, a teacher had forbidden me to say "more perfect" because she said if a thing is perfect it can't be more so. But by now I had seen enough of life to have regained my confidence in it.” quote by Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/norman-maclean-10625_confidence_when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden_2940370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/norman-maclean-10625_confidence_when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden_2940370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/norman-maclean-10625_confidence_when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden_2940370.jpg) > “When I was young, a teacher had forbidden me to say "more perfect" because she said if a thing is perfect it can't be more so. But by now I had seen enough of life to have regained my confidence in it.” [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A teacher’s correction about “more perfect” sparked a lifelong confidence in embracing imperfection. **In simple terms:** Learning that perfection can’t be exceeded builds confidence. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection as growth. Themes education perfection confidence Mood reflective optimistic Type literary personal When to use this quote - teaching moments - self‑reflection - creative writing Key Concepts language philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape confidence? - When have you embraced imperfection? A Different Perspective May be seen as pedantic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) ## Related quotes > [I struggled quite a long time with my backhand, which was one of my best weapons before my surgery. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-chiudinelli/i-struggled-quite-a-long-time-with-my-backhand-which-was-one-of-my-2/) Marco Chiudinelli > [“—If we only fell in love with people who were perfect for us, he said, then there wouldn’t be so much fuss about love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amor-towles/if-we-only-fell-in-love-with-people-who-were-perfect-for-us-he-said/) [Amor Towles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amor-towles/) > [“It seems silly now, but I was so worried you weren’t the perfect man of my dreams.” “No one is perfect,” he said quietly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/it-seems-silly-now-but-i-was-so-worried-you-weren-t-the-perfect-man/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [Look I never said you were not perfect. I never said I didn't want you. but now I will say this: if you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romario-hew-akie/look-i-never-said-you-were-not-perfect-i-never-said-i-didn-t-want-you/) Romario Hew Akie > [“The name sounds almost too perfect. And as I said, you look perfect, too. The only thing left... is to be perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/the-name-sounds-almost-too-perfect-and-as-i-said-you-look-perfect-too/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [“Perfect,' she said, then promptly sat down in the dirt. 'I'm just going to sit here until the world starts making sense, if that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastien-de-castell/perfect-she-said-then-promptly-sat-down-in-the-dirt-i-m-just-going-to/) [Sebastien de Castell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastien-de-castell/) > [“She’s amazing. No… she’s perfect. Everything about her is f\*cking perfect,” I said aloud then shifted my gaze back to Meg. “I don’t just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/she-s-amazing-no-she-s-perfect-everything-about-her-is-f-cking/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [“I never said that I was perfect, I only said that I try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-e-scott/i-never-said-that-i-was-perfect-i-only-said-that-i-try/) Lloyd E. Scott > [“She's amazing. No... she's perfect. Everything about her is fucking perfect," I said aloud. "I don't just love her, she owns me. Completely. I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/she-s-amazing-no-she-s-perfect-everything-about-her-is-fucking/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [No matter what you call me, think of me, want me to be.. I will never change for you to see what you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megannn/no-matter-what-you-call-me-think-of-me-want-me-to-be-i-will-never/) Megannn > [“Perfect,” he said to himself. “Every time I figure you bastards out, you change again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-m-hough-2/perfect-he-said-to-himself-every-time-i-figure-you-bastards-out-you/) Jason M Hough > [“Still perfect,” he said. “Read to me.” “This isn’t really a poem to read aloud when you are sitting next to your sleeping mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/still-perfect-he-said-read-to-me-this-isn-t-really-a-poem-to-read-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I think he painted the way he did," I answered, "because he had something perfect with Diana." I braced myself for her next scathing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/i-think-he-painted-the-way-he-did-i-answered-because-he-had-something/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [“It doesn’t need to be perfect,’ she said at last. ‘It’s already wonderful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-filer/it-doesn-t-need-to-be-perfect-she-said-at-last-it-s-already-wonderful/) [Nathan Filer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-filer/) > [“What do I win?” she whispered in his ear. He grinned. “What would you like?” “You.” So simple. So perfect. “I am yours,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-maclean/what-do-i-win-she-whispered-in-his-ear-he-grinned-what-would-you-like/) [Sarah MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-maclean/) ## More by Norman Maclean > [At the time I did not know that stories of life are often more like rivers than books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/at-the-time-i-did-not-know-that-stories-of-life-are-often-more-like/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“In this story of the outside world and the inside world with a fire between, the outside world of little screwups recedes now for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/in-this-story-of-the-outside-world-and-the-inside-world-with-a-fire/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“I hope there are others also who don't mind trees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-hope-there-are-others-also-who-don-t-mind-trees/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Probably most catastrophes end this way without an ending, the dead not even knowing how they died...,those who loved them forever questioning "this unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/probably-most-catastrophes-end-this-way-without-an-ending-the-dead/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [If our father had had his way, nobody who did not know how to fish would be allowed to disgrace a fish by catching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/if-our-father-had-had-his-way-nobody-who-did-not-know-how-to-fish/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [I knew that, when needed, mountains would move for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-knew-that-when-needed-mountains-would-move-for-me/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“I sat there and forgot and forgot, until what remained was the river that went by and I who watched... Eventually the watcher joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-sat-there-and-forgot-and-forgot-until-what-remained-was-the-river/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/it-is-those-we-live-with-and-love-and-should-know-who-elude-us/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Unless we are willing to escape into sentimentality or fantasy, often the best we can do with catastrophes, even our own, is to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/unless-we-are-willing-to-escape-into-sentimentality-or-fantasy-often/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was a mathematician but he certainly believed God could count and that only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/as-for-my-father-i-never-knew-whether-he-believed-god-was-a/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/at-sunrise-everything-is-luminous-but-not-clear/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“On the Big Blackfoot River above the mouth of Belmont Creek the banks are fringed by large Ponderosa pines. In the slanting sun of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/on-the-big-blackfoot-river-above-the-mouth-of-belmont-creek-the-banks/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Of course, now I am too old to be much of a fisherman, and now of course I usually fish the big waters alone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/of-course-now-i-am-too-old-to-be-much-of-a-fisherman-and-now-of/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“...it is not fly fishing if you are not looking for answers to questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/it-is-not-fly-fishing-if-you-are-not-looking-for-answers-to-questions/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/eventually-all-things-merge-into-one-and-a-river-runs-through-it-the/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) [Explore all 64 Norman Maclean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was young, a teacher had forbidden me to say \"more perfect\" because she said if a thing is perfect it can't be more so. But by now I had seen enough of life to have regained my confidence in it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman Maclean" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden-me-to-say-more-perfect/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden-me-to-say-more-perfect/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/norman-maclean-10625_confidence_when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden_2940370.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/norman-maclean-10625_confidence_when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden_2940370.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/norman-maclean-10625_confidence_when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden_2940370.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was young, a teacher had forbidden me to say \"more perfect\" because she said if a thing is perfect it…” — Norman Maclean", "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": "Norman Maclean", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was young, a teacher...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden-me-to-say-more-perfect/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/when-i-was-young-a-teacher-had-forbidden-me-to-say-more-perfect/#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 } } ] } ```