--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter what time your guests arrive…" description: "\"No matter what time your guests arrive, pretend they're early, so naturally you're not ready.\" — Phyllis Diller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/phyllis-diller-1622_guests_no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-p_1139018.png" --- # No matter what time your guests arrive, pretend they're… ![“No matter what time your guests arrive, pretend they're early, so naturally you're not ready.” quote by Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/phyllis-diller-1622_guests_no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-p_1139018.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/phyllis-diller-1622_guests_no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-p_1139018.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/phyllis-diller-1622_guests_no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-p_1139018.png) > “No matter what time your guests arrive, pretend they're early, so naturally you're not ready.” [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pretending guests are early eases personal anxiety about being unprepared. **In simple terms:** Pretend guests are early to reduce anxiety. Key Takeaway Adjust expectations to stay calm. Themes social anxiety hospitality preparation Mood lighthearted self‑aware Type humorous advice When to use this quote - hosting events - meeting deadlines - public speaking Key Concepts psychology social etiquette Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance readiness and flexibility? - What does this reveal about your self‑expectations? A Different Perspective May cause unnecessary pressure to be perfect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrive Pretend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrive-pretend-3166149/) [Early Naturally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-naturally-3166151/) [Guests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guests/) [Guests Arrive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guests-arrive-2813859/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [No matter what](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-matter-what/) [Not ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-ready/) [Pretend Early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretend-early-3166148/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Guests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-guests-3166150/) ## Related quotes > [Afternoon tea should be provided, fresh supplies, with thin bread-and-butter, fancy pastries, cakes, etc., being brought in as other guests arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-beeton/afternoon-tea-should-be-provided-fresh-supplies-with-thin-bread-and/) [Isabella Beeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-beeton/) > [“It looks fine, Beverly.” “I grow faint at such praise.” “Don’t let it go to your head. We still have, what? Another six rooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/it-looks-fine-beverly-i-grow-faint-at-such-praise-don-t-let-it-go-to/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [This is my 51st year, but I'm not ready to quit. I definitely didn't think when I first started back in 1963 that I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verne-lundquist/this-is-my-51st-year-but-i-m-not-ready-to-quit-i-definitely-didn-t/) [Verne Lundquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verne-lundquist/) > [I'm a perfectionist; there's always something we need to improve upon, and I think that's a really healthy model for artistic growth and progressing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-angelakos/i-m-a-perfectionist-there-s-always-something-we-need-to-improve-upon/) [Michael Angelakos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-angelakos/) > [So, I'm not impressed by BP's promises and I'm not ready to take the word of a company with a track record of pursuing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-murray/so-i-m-not-impressed-by-bp-s-promises-and-i-m-not-ready-to-take-the/) [Patty Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-murray/) > [Look, I'm not ready for you," Min said. "I'm not prepared. I don't have any defenses when you're around. I make these plans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-crusie/look-i-m-not-ready-for-you-min-said-i-m-not-prepared-i-don-t-have-any/) [Jennifer Crusie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-crusie/) > [Sometimes when we're in love, we take the facts and spin them into pretty stories. But it's a dangerous thing to do--because one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-miller/sometimes-when-we-re-in-love-we-take-the-facts-and-spin-them-into/) [Kirsten Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-miller/) > [I'm like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. If I'm not ready, the sled isn't going to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-garnett/i-m-like-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-if-i-m-not-ready-the-sled-isn/) [Kevin Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-garnett/) > [Sometimes I'll go out to say hi to people, and I'm just not ready for it. It feels too weird, too intense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/how-to-dress-well/sometimes-i-ll-go-out-to-say-hi-to-people-and-i-m-just-not-ready-for/) [How to Dress Well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/how-to-dress-well/) > [As a rule of thumb, I would submit that if you need to call your floss provider, for any reason, you are probably not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/as-a-rule-of-thumb-i-would-submit-that-if-you-need-to-call-your-floss/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [If you're not ready to fall, you're not ready to hurdle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonie-campbell/if-you-re-not-ready-to-fall-you-re-not-ready-to-hurdle/) [Tonie Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonie-campbell/) > [You need to know everything. You both need to be comfortable with sharing everything. If you can't you are NOT ready to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/you-need-to-know-everything-you-both-need-to-be-comfortable-with/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [If you cannot grok the overall structure of a program while taking a shower, you are not ready to code it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-pattis/if-you-cannot-grok-the-overall-structure-of-a-program-while-taking-a/) [Richard E. Pattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-e-pattis/) > [I'm not ready to own a place yet. I have the money, but I don't have the maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/i-m-not-ready-to-own-a-place-yet-i-have-the-money-but-i-don-t-have/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [Yelena.” I halted in the doorway, looking back over my shoulder. “You once said I wasn’t ready to believe your reason for killing Reyad.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/yelena-i-halted-in-the-doorway-looking-back-over-my-shoulder-you-once/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) ## More by Phyllis Diller > [My mother-in-law must be the probation officer I got for the crime I committed of marrying my husband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-mother-in-law-must-be-the-probation-officer-i-got-for-the-crime-i/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I don't know how you feel about old age... but in my case I didn't even see it coming. It hit me from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-don-t-know-how-you-feel-about-old-age-but-in-my-case-i-didn-t-even/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [If it weren't for baseball, many kids wouldn't know what a millionaire looked like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-it-weren-t-for-baseball-many-kids-wouldn-t-know-what-a-millionaire/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I'm the only woman who can walk in Central Park at night... and reduce the crime rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-m-the-only-woman-who-can-walk-in-central-park-at-night-and-reduce/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I was the world's ugliest baby. When I was born, the doctor slapped everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-was-the-world-s-ugliest-baby-when-i-was-born-the-doctor-slapped/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [By far the most common craving of pregnant women is not to be pregnant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/by-far-the-most-common-craving-of-pregnant-women-is-not-to-be-pregnant/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [For Fang, getting out of bed in the morning is a career move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/for-fang-getting-out-of-bed-in-the-morning-is-a-career-move/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Women want men, careers, money, children, friends, luxury, comfort, independence, freedom, respect, love, and a three-dollar pantyhose that won't run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/women-want-men-careers-money-children-friends-luxury-comfort/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I admit, I have a tremendous sex drive. My boyfriend lives forty miles away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-admit-i-have-a-tremendous-sex-drive-my-boyfriend-lives-forty-miles/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [The reason women don't play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/the-reason-women-don-t-play-football-is-because-11-of-them-would/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [If you don't have wrinkles, you haven't laughed enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-you-don-t-have-wrinkles-you-haven-t-laughed-enough/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [“A smile is a curve that sets things right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/a-smile-is-a-curve-that-sets-things-right/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Every time I go near the stove, the dog howls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/every-time-i-go-near-the-stove-the-dog-howls/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Some wives have model husbands, I got one that needed remodeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/some-wives-have-model-husbands-i-got-one-that-needed-remodeling/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [My idea of exercise is a good brisk sit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-idea-of-exercise-is-a-good-brisk-sit/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) [Explore all 222 Phyllis Diller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) ## More Guests quotes > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [Whoever expects to walk peacefully in the world must be money's guest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-o-brown/whoever-expects-to-walk-peacefully-in-the-world-must-be-money-s-guest/) [Norman O. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-o-brown/) > [Regular panelists on shows can be terrifying. They own that space, and many guest comics suspect they are favoured in the edit, while their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/regular-panelists-on-shows-can-be-terrifying-they-own-that-space-and/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [ I've gotten to portray things in \[Christopher Guest's\] movies that I wouldn't have in others. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-posey/i-ve-gotten-to-portray-things-in-christopher-guest-s-movies-that-i/) [Parker Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-posey/) > [Guests are people who come to your home to see you whine at the table, bark loudly, jump on women wearing pantyhose, and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-kehret/guests-are-people-who-come-to-your-home-to-see-you-whine-at-the-table/) [Peg Kehret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-kehret/) > [Comedy scares me a lot. I feel like it's way harder than drama. I think my safety net is definitely drama, and I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/comedy-scares-me-a-lot-i-feel-like-it-s-way-harder-than-drama-i-think/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [The theme of the party was Neverland Ranch, so guests were asked to come as anyone or anything associated with Michael Jackson. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-winchell/the-theme-of-the-party-was-neverland-ranch-so-guests-were-asked-to/) [April Winchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-winchell/) > [It's different as a guest as opposed to being a star of a series. A guest star is a whole different responsibility. It's much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-wahlberg/it-s-different-as-a-guest-as-opposed-to-being-a-star-of-a-series-a/) [Donnie Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-wahlberg/) > [For I, who hold sage Homer's rule the best, Welcome the coming, speed the going guest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/for-i-who-hold-sage-homer-s-rule-the-best-welcome-the-coming-speed/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [When you're running for president, you're a guest in the living room for four years. And if people don't think you're going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/when-you-re-running-for-president-you-re-a-guest-in-the-living-room/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [People are either born hosts or born guests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beerbohm/people-are-either-born-hosts-or-born-guests/) [Max Beerbohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beerbohm/) > [In order to prove a friend to one's guests, frugality must reign in one's meals; and, according to an ancient saying, one must eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/in-order-to-prove-a-friend-to-one-s-guests-frugality-must-reign-in/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [If you don't have any individuality and you're happy just being one of the girls (or boys) be my guest. I'm not the fashion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/if-you-don-t-have-any-individuality-and-you-re-happy-just-being-one/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [The average actor might only be able to book six to eight guest star jobs a year - that would be high. So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-broderick/the-average-actor-might-only-be-able-to-book-six-to-eight-guest-star/) [Beth Broderick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-broderick/) [Browse all 843 Guests quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guests/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No matter what time your guests arrive, pretend they're early, so naturally you're not ready.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Phyllis Diller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-pretend-they-re-early-so/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Guests" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-pretend-they-re-early-so/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/phyllis-diller-1622_guests_no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-p_1139018.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/phyllis-diller-1622_guests_no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-p_1139018.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b4/phyllis-diller-1622_guests_no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-p_1139018.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No matter what time your guests arrive, pretend they're early, so naturally you're not ready.” — Phyllis Diller", "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": "Phyllis Diller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No matter what time your guests...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-pretend-they-re-early-so/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/no-matter-what-time-your-guests-arrive-pretend-they-re-early-so/#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 } } ] } ```