--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perfect life is a contradiction in terms…" description: "\"Perfect life is a contradiction in terms. Therefore we must always expect to find things not up to our highest ideal. Knowing this, we are bound to mak..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/swami-vivekananda-53_bounds_perfect-life-is-a-contradiction-in-terms_1093654.jpg" --- # Perfect life is a contradiction in terms. Therefore we… ![“Perfect life is a contradiction in terms. Therefore we must always expect to find things not up to our highest ideal. Knowing this, we are bound to make the best of everything.” quote by Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/swami-vivekananda-53_bounds_perfect-life-is-a-contradiction-in-terms_1093654.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/swami-vivekananda-53_bounds_perfect-life-is-a-contradiction-in-terms_1093654.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/swami-vivekananda-53_bounds_perfect-life-is-a-contradiction-in-terms_1093654.jpg) > “Perfect life is a contradiction in terms. Therefore we must always expect to find things not up to our highest ideal. Knowing this, we are bound to make the best of everything.” [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## 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; accept imperfection and make the most of what you have. **In simple terms:** Accept imperfection and do your best. Key Takeaway Embrace imperfection, strive for improvement. Themes philosophy realism personal development Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - daily life - goal setting - creative work - relationships Key Concepts acceptance imperfection optimism Questions to Reflect On - What does “perfect life” mean to you? - How can you balance ideals with reality? A Different Perspective Idealism may clash with practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Perfect life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-life/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) ## Related quotes > [“A perfect life is a contradiction in terms. Life itself is a state of continuous struggle between ourselves and everything outside. Every moment we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/a-perfect-life-is-a-contradiction-in-terms-life-itself-is-a-state-of-2/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [A perfect life is a contradiction in terms. Life itself is a state of continuous struggle between ourselves and everything outside. Every moment we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/a-perfect-life-is-a-contradiction-in-terms-life-itself-is-a-state-of/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [If you find out what it is you love to do and give your whole life to it, then there is no contradiction, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/if-you-find-out-what-it-is-you-love-to-do-and-give-your-whole-life-to/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Ahimsa is the highest ideal. It is meant for the brave, never for the cowardly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/ahimsa-is-the-highest-ideal-it-is-meant-for-the-brave-never-for-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“The highest ideal of life is to be true to oneself, and the worst is to lose one's true self for the sake of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-negi/the-highest-ideal-of-life-is-to-be-true-to-oneself-and-the-worst-is/) [Shiva Negi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-negi/) > [Death is never sweet, not even if it is suffered for the highest ideal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/death-is-never-sweet-not-even-if-it-is-suffered-for-the-highest-ideal/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [... resistance to tyranny is man's highest ideal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/resistance-to-tyranny-is-man-s-highest-ideal/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The highest ideal of cure is the speedy, gentle, and enduring restoration of health by the most trustworthy and least harmful way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-hahnemann/the-highest-ideal-of-cure-is-the-speedy-gentle-and-enduring/) [Samuel Hahnemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-hahnemann/) > [“Your highest ideal, the vision of your life work which you long to make real, is your best friend. Keep as close to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/your-highest-ideal-the-vision-of-your-life-work-which-you-long-to/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“The highest ideal for the Christian is not to make peace with the world, with science, with culture at any price, but to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-highest-ideal-for-the-christian-is-not-to-make-peace-with-the/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [It is the focus on the highest ideal day after day that saves life from being wrapped up in small whirlwinds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/it-is-the-focus-on-the-highest-ideal-day-after-day-that-saves-life/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [“We are not the problem, we are the questions, our children will be the answers, life the contradiction, love is the reason, and GOD…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jevon-scott/we-are-not-the-problem-we-are-the-questions-our-children-will-be-the/) [Jevon Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jevon-scott/) > [Life only makes sense when our highest ideal is to serve Christ!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neymar/life-only-makes-sense-when-our-highest-ideal-is-to-serve-christ/) [Neymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neymar/) > [The highest ideal man can form of his own powers, is that which he is destined to attain. Whatever the soul knows how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/the-highest-ideal-man-can-form-of-his-own-powers-is-that-which-he-is/) [Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/) > [The highest ideal of cure is the rapid, gentle and permanent restoration of health; that is, the lifting and annihilation of the disease in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-hahnemann/the-highest-ideal-of-cure-is-the-rapid-gentle-and-permanent/) [Samuel Hahnemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-hahnemann/) ## More by Swami Vivekananda > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Renunciation is in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/renunciation-is-in-our-blood/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. 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