--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because the truth is, we never know for…" description: "\"“Because the truth is, we never know for sure about ourselves. Who we'll sleep with if given the opportunity, who we'll betray in the right circumstanc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/richard-russo-1691_betray_because-the-truth-is-we-never-know-for-s_2272682.jpg" --- # Because the truth is, we never know for sure about… ![“Because the truth is, we never know for sure about ourselves. Who we'll sleep with if given the opportunity, who we'll betray in the right circumstance, whose faith and love we will reward with our own...Only after we've done a thing do we know what we'll do...” quote by Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/richard-russo-1691_betray_because-the-truth-is-we-never-know-for-s_2272682.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/richard-russo-1691_betray_because-the-truth-is-we-never-know-for-s_2272682.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/richard-russo-1691_betray_because-the-truth-is-we-never-know-for-s_2272682.jpg) > ““Because the truth is, we never know for sure about ourselves. Who we'll sleep with if given the opportunity, who we'll betray in the right circumstance, whose faith and love we will reward with our own...Only after we've done a thing do we know what we'll do...”” [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We only understand our true character after acting, revealing hidden desires and betrayals. **In simple terms:** Actions reveal true self. Key Takeaway Observe actions, not words. Themes identity morality self‑discovery Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - career decisions - ethical dilemmas - personal growth Key Concepts psychology human nature Questions to Reflect On - What does your recent choice say about you? - How might you test your assumptions about yourself? A Different Perspective People can change, making past actions unreliable predictors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betray/) [Betray Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betray-right-5272859/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Faith and love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-and-love/) [Ll Betray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ll-betray-362181/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-know/) ## Related quotes > [“Because the truth is, we never know for sure about ourselves. Who we'll sleep with if given the opportunity, who we'll betray in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/because-the-truth-is-we-never-know-for-sure-about-ourselves-who-we-ll/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“...the truth is, we never know for sure about ourselves. 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Do you want that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/is-there-anything-you-do-that-isn-t-designed-to-take-you-a-step/) [joey w. hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/) > [So you think you know who I am, but truth is you only know what I let you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/so-you-think-you-know-who-i-am-but-truth-is-you-only-know-what-i-let/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The truth is, until you know any different, the island is enough. Actually, I know different. And it's still enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/the-truth-is-until-you-know-any-different-the-island-is-enough/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Sometimes it’s more painful to know the truth than not to know it.” -Han Solo”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-luceno/sometimes-it-s-more-painful-to-know-the-truth-than-not-to-know-it-han/) [James Luceno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-luceno/) > [If you will stop all searching right now and tell the truth to yourself, you will know what is known in the core of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gangaji/if-you-will-stop-all-searching-right-now-and-tell-the-truth-to/) [Gangaji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gangaji/) > [The truth that I know for sure is that I may have an opinion, but I do not know the truth, and the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-bowler/the-truth-that-i-know-for-sure-is-that-i-may-have-an-opinion-but-i-do/) [Grant Bowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-bowler/) > [On the road to truth, only those who do not know what tiredness and fear means reach the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/on-the-road-to-truth-only-those-who-do-not-know-what-tiredness-and/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Those who care about truth know that empowering and encouraging those who support rioters is the wrong course of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-wolf/those-who-care-about-truth-know-that-empowering-and-encouraging-those/) [Chad Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-wolf/) > [Some changes happen deep down inside of you. And the truth is, only you know about them. Maybe thats the way its supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-changes-happen-deep-down-inside-of-you-and-the-truth-is-only-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's not the truth that you know, but the truth that you obey that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/it-s-not-the-truth-that-you-know-but-the-truth-that-you-obey-that/) [Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/) > [I think everybody's talking about like facts and truth and you know like that 'We're here to fact check' and all of that, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-polgreen/i-think-everybody-s-talking-about-like-facts-and-truth-and-you-know/) [Lydia Polgreen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-polgreen/) ## More by Richard Russo > [“The problem with the contemplative life was that there was no end to contemplation, no fixed time limit after which thought had to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/the-problem-with-the-contemplative-life-was-that-there-was-no-end-to/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“That, very simply, was what adulthood must be all about—acquiring the skill to bury things more deeply. 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Here's another who's never going to write well again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/when-authors-who-write-literary-fiction-begin-to-write-screenplays/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“There was something about spending money they didn't really have that made him optimistic about more coming in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/there-was-something-about-spending-money-they-didn-t-really-have-that/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [Some authors have a very hard time understanding that in order to be faithful to the spirit of the book, it's almost always impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/some-authors-have-a-very-hard-time-understanding-that-in-order-to-be/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [HBO is really famous for hiring good people and staying out of their way until they ask for help, or need it. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/hbo-is-really-famous-for-hiring-good-people-and-staying-out-of-their/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [I don't think there's a shortage of material in the world. Or in my head. I just pray for continued good health, because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-material-in-the-world-or-in-my/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [Where was the middle ground between a sense of adventure and just plain sense?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/where-was-the-middle-ground-between-a-sense-of-adventure-and-just/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“Non basta una vita "One life isn't enough”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/non-basta-una-vita-one-life-isn-t-enough/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“... Mr. Purty has cheered me up. The task he has chosen for himself, of wooing my mother with a bright red pickup truck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/mr-purty-has-cheered-me-up-the-task-he-has-chosen-for-himself-of/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“So what? Few men, Miles reflected, lived so comfortably within the confines of a two.word personal philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/so-what-few-men-miles-reflected-lived-so-comfortably-within-the/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) [Explore all 214 Richard Russo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) ## More Betray quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [“Ash,” Mab crooned as he drew near. “My poor boy. 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We do not betray Marxism - Leninism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enver-hoxha/even-if-we-have-to-go-without-bread-we-albanians-do-not-violate/) [Enver Hoxha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enver-hoxha/) > [Stop holding onto people that treat you like crap. They might be nice sometimes, but the rest of the time they disrespect you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/stop-holding-onto-people-that-treat-you-like-crap-they-might-be-nice/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/now-the-brother-shall-betray-the-brother-to-death-and-the-father-the/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [One day you and I will have to have a little talk about this business called love. I still don't understand what it's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/one-day-you-and-i-will-have-to-have-a-little-talk-about-this-business/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [“Sarai, you never know who might betray you until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/sarai-you-never-know-who-might-betray-you-until-it-s-too-late/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Indifference must be a crime in us, to be ranked but one degree below treachery; for deserting the commonwealth is next to betraying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/indifference-must-be-a-crime-in-us-to-be-ranked-but-one-degree-below/) [Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/) > [The zombie is in a lot of ways the perfect horror movie bad guy. It plays on so many fears all at once. 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