--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perfection never exists in reality, but…" description: "\"Perfection never exists in reality, but only in our dreams.\" — Rudolf Dreikurs" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_dream_perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-o_2102471.png" --- # Perfection never exists in reality, but only in our dreams. ![“Perfection never exists in reality, but only in our dreams.” quote by Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_dream_perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-o_2102471.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_dream_perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-o_2102471.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_dream_perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-o_2102471.png) > “Perfection never exists in reality, but only in our dreams.” [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perfection is unattainable in real life; it lives only in idealized dreams. **In simple terms:** Perfect outcomes don’t exist outside imagination. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection and keep trying. Themes perfection reality dreams expectations growth Mood reflective encouraging Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - creative work - learning new skills - team projects Key Concepts Cognitive distortion ideal vs. reality self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance high standards with realism? - What small step can you take toward improvement? A Different Perspective Chasing perfection can cause paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Our dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-dreams/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Psychiatrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychiatrist/) [Pursuit of perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit-of-perfection/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [When we follow our hearts, we follow the path of lessons we were meant to take and gain knowledge from. 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I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More by Rudolf Dreikurs > [We can change our whole life and attitude of the people around us simply by changing ourselves..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/we-can-change-our-whole-life-and-attitude-of-the-people-around-us/) [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) > [When a child makes a mistake or fails to accomplish a certain goal, we must avoid any word or action which indicates that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/when-a-child-makes-a-mistake-or-fails-to-accomplish-a-certain-goal-we/) [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) > [A misbehaving child, is a discouraged child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/a-misbehaving-child-is-a-discouraged-child/) [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) > [“The wish to gain complete possession of somebody is expressed most plainly by jealousy. 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Therefore, it is essential that we prepare them for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/we-cannot-protect-our-children-from-life-therefore-it-is-essential/) [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) > [Man does not see reality as it is, but only as he perceives it, and his perception may be mistaken or biased.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/man-does-not-see-reality-as-it-is-but-only-as-he-perceives-it-and-his/) [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) > [When children are allowed to help make family decisions, they tend to be much more supportive and happier with family life. Also when allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/when-children-are-allowed-to-help-make-family-decisions-they-tend-to/) [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) > [We can change our whole life and the attitude of people around us simply by changing ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/we-can-change-our-whole-life-and-the-attitude-of-people-around-us/) [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) > [Whoever alters a person's expectations changes his behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/whoever-alters-a-person-s-expectations-changes-his-behavior/) [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) [Explore all 15 Rudolf Dreikurs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. 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I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Perfection never exists in reality, but only in our dreams.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rudolf Dreikurs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-only-in-our-dreams/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-only-in-our-dreams/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_dream_perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-o_2102471.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_dream_perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-o_2102471.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/rudolf-dreikurs-33084_dream_perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-o_2102471.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Perfection never exists in reality, but only in our dreams.” — Rudolf Dreikurs", "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": "Rudolf Dreikurs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Perfection never exists in reality, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-only-in-our-dreams/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/perfection-never-exists-in-reality-but-only-in-our-dreams/#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 } } ] } ```