--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you screw up and do something, don't…" description: "\"If you screw up and do something, don't lie about it; come clean.\" — Pete Rose" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/pete-rose-3178_about_if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-l_2385861.png" --- # If you screw up and do something, don't lie about it; come… ![“If you screw up and do something, don't lie about it; come clean.” quote by Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/pete-rose-3178_about_if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-l_2385861.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/pete-rose-3178_about_if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-l_2385861.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/pete-rose-3178_about_if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-l_2385861.png) > “If you screw up and do something, don't lie about it; come clean.” [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Honesty after a mistake is essential; avoid lying. **In simple terms:** Own up to errors. Key Takeaway Practice transparency. Themes integrity accountability truth Mood candid instructive Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - workplace - sports - personal relationships Key Concepts ethics leadership Questions to Reflect On - When have you chosen honesty over cover‑up? - How does honesty affect trust? A Different Perspective Admitting fault can have consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Clean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Come Clean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-clean-815087/) [Don-t-lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-lie/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie/) [Lie Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-come-424612/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Screw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screw/) [Screw Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screw-don-5924755/) [Screw ups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screw-ups/) [Screws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screws/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [Being nice with people will always screw you over so don't ever take that as a option..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trilla/being-nice-with-people-will-always-screw-you-over-so-don-t-ever-take/) [Trilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trilla/) > [“El-lie, Come out, come out, wherever you are! The cat's finally away. Time for the mouse to come out and play.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-oram/el-lie-come-out-come-out-wherever-you-are-the-cat-s-finally-away-time/) [Kelly Oram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-oram/) > [Between thought and spoken word is a gap where intention can enter, the symbol be twisted aside, and the lie come to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/between-thought-and-spoken-word-is-a-gap-where-intention-can-enter/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Don't disrespect me, lie about it, and then come smile in my face and act like nothing's wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/don-t-disrespect-me-lie-about-it-and-then-come-smile-in-my-face-and/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [“...the terrible crumple and blanch of a lie come undone...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/the-terrible-crumple-and-blanch-of-a-lie-come-undone/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [There are so many opportunities to make a bad decision in building a robot company on top of all the normal ways that entrepreneurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/there-are-so-many-opportunities-to-make-a-bad-decision-in-building-a/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [You might say what if I screw up? Then screw up big! Go for it! Do a big screw-up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/you-might-say-what-if-i-screw-up-then-screw-up-big-go-for-it-do-a-big/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [But when we find that one person who completes us, we don't give up. No matter how bad we screw up. We make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/but-when-we-find-that-one-person-who-completes-us-we-don-t-give-up-no/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [I can charm my way out of a situation when I screw up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-arcangel/i-can-charm-my-way-out-of-a-situation-when-i-screw-up/) [Cory Arcangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-arcangel/) > [When people screw up, give them a second chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/when-people-screw-up-give-them-a-second-chance/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Screw-ups are the mark of excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/screw-ups-are-the-mark-of-excellence/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [It's okay to screw up. It's what we do afterward that defines us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-mallery/it-s-okay-to-screw-up-it-s-what-we-do-afterward-that-defines-us/) [Susan Mallery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-mallery/) > [No matter how much you screw up your life, you can fix it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/no-matter-how-much-you-screw-up-your-life-you-can-fix-it/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) > [Whenever you come across a screw-up this big, you know the government is behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/whenever-you-come-across-a-screw-up-this-big-you-know-the-government/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [There is only so much I can understand and not screw up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krumholtz/there-is-only-so-much-i-can-understand-and-not-screw-up/) [David Krumholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krumholtz/) ## More by Pete Rose > [The game of baseball is better when the Dodgers are playing well, just like when the Yankees are playing well, or the Cubs, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/the-game-of-baseball-is-better-when-the-dodgers-are-playing-well-just/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [Never bet on baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/never-bet-on-baseball/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [The only way I can't hit .300 is if there's something physically wrong with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/the-only-way-i-can-t-hit-300-is-if-there-s-something-physically-wrong/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [You know what God told the Cubs? Don't do anything until I come back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/you-know-what-god-told-the-cubs-don-t-do-anything-until-i-come-back/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [I am grateful that I live in a nation where most believe that one's punishment should fit their wrongdoing and that ours is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-am-grateful-that-i-live-in-a-nation-where-most-believe-that-one-s/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [When people think of me, they think about me knocking catchers down and knocking second basemen down and yelling at pitchers. But when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/when-people-think-of-me-they-think-about-me-knocking-catchers-down/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [I made mistakes. I can’t whine about it. I’m the one that messed up and I’m paying the consequences. However, if I am given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-made-mistakes-i-can-t-whine-about-it-i-m-the-one-that-messed-up-and/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [With the money I'm making, I should be playing two positions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/with-the-money-i-m-making-i-should-be-playing-two-positions/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [I've got a 15-year old son and a 10-year old daughter, and if they were going to do one of the following things: be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-ve-got-a-15-year-old-son-and-a-10-year-old-daughter-and-if-they/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [Somebody's gotta win and somebody's gotta lose and I believe in letting the other guy lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/somebody-s-gotta-win-and-somebody-s-gotta-lose-and-i-believe-in/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [Obama's a great speaker. Because of his speaking ability and his appearance, a lot of guys got on board. Being the first African American,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/obama-s-a-great-speaker-because-of-his-speaking-ability-and-his/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [I bet on my team to win every night because I love my team; I believe in my team. I did everything in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-bet-on-my-team-to-win-every-night-because-i-love-my-team-i-believe/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [I played with 11 Hall of Famers and played against 52 Hall of Famers, and I don't know any of them linked to steroids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-played-with-11-hall-of-famers-and-played-against-52-hall-of-famers/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [I would think if someone connected to steroids made the Hall of Fame, that would enhance my chances of making the Hall of Fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-would-think-if-someone-connected-to-steroids-made-the-hall-of-fame/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [My father taught me that the only way you can make good at anything is to practice, and then practice some more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/my-father-taught-me-that-the-only-way-you-can-make-good-at-anything/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) [Explore all 137 Pete Rose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [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/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you screw up and do something, don't lie about it; come clean.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pete Rose" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-lie-about-it-come-clean/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-lie-about-it-come-clean/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/pete-rose-3178_about_if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-l_2385861.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/pete-rose-3178_about_if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-l_2385861.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/pete-rose-3178_about_if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-l_2385861.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you screw up and do something, don't lie about it; come clean.” — Pete Rose", "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": "Pete Rose", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you screw up and do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-lie-about-it-come-clean/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/if-you-screw-up-and-do-something-don-t-lie-about-it-come-clean/#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 } } ] } ```