---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But then I had long mistaken being…"
description: "\"But then I had long mistaken being spoiled for being strong, being defiant for being independent, being reckless for being brave.\" — Tami Hoag"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41b/tami-hoag-14254_being-spoiled_but-then-i-had-long-mistaken-being-spoil_2105305.jpg"
---

#  But then I had long mistaken being spoiled for being…

![“But then I had long mistaken being spoiled for being strong, being defiant for being independent, being reckless for being brave.” quote by Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41b/tami-hoag-14254_being-spoiled_but-then-i-had-long-mistaken-being-spoil_2105305.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41b/tami-hoag-14254_being-spoiled_but-then-i-had-long-mistaken-being-spoil_2105305.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41b/tami-hoag-14254_being-spoiled_but-then-i-had-long-mistaken-being-spoil_2105305.jpg)

> “But then I had long mistaken being spoiled for being strong, being defiant for being independent, being reckless for being brave.”

[Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator confuses negative traits with positive ones, believing that being spoiled, defiant, and reckless are signs of strength, independence, and bravery.

**In simple terms:** Mistaking flaws for virtues.

Key Takeaway

Question your self‑perceptions.

Themes

self‑awareness identity growth

Mood

reflective introspective

Type

advice personal development

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- career decisions
- leadership challenges
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

psychology self‑deception

Questions to Reflect On

- What traits do you value in yourself?
- How do you differentiate healthy confidence from reckless bravado?

A Different Perspective

These traits can be context‑dependent and sometimes necessary.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Being spoiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-spoiled/) [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Reckless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reckless/)

## Related quotes

> [I realize I am very privileged. But there's a difference between being spoiled and privileged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-stunt/i-realize-i-am-very-privileged-but-there-s-a-difference-between-being/)

[Petra Stunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-stunt/)

> [I'm afraid that whatever I touch is spoilt by the contact." "I'm not scared of being spoiled," Val said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/i-m-afraid-that-whatever-i-touch-is-spoilt-by-the-contact-i-m-not/)

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> [And I have yet to find one single individual who has attained conspicuous success in bringing down enemy aeroplanes who can be said to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/and-i-have-yet-to-find-one-single-individual-who-has-attained/)

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> [It turns out that the 'Cry It Out' method of baby sleep training, where you ignore that your kid is screaming, crying and turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denene-millner/it-turns-out-that-the-cry-it-out-method-of-baby-sleep-training-where/)

[Denene Millner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denene-millner/)

> [I don't like spoilers. I don't like things being spoiled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-mcbride/i-don-t-like-spoilers-i-don-t-like-things-being-spoiled/)

[Melissa McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-mcbride/)

> [The idea of my kids being spoiled, I go to sleep thinking about it. I wake up thinking about. I'm trying to do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/the-idea-of-my-kids-being-spoiled-i-go-to-sleep-thinking-about-it-i/)

[Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/)

> [I go to sleep thinking about my kids being spoiled and I wake up thinking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-go-to-sleep-thinking-about-my-kids-being-spoiled-and-i-wake-up/)

[Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/)

> [Be wise enough not to be reckless, but brave enough to take great risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-warren/be-wise-enough-not-to-be-reckless-but-brave-enough-to-take-great-risks/)

[Frank Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-warren/)

> [“He is a romantic, a dreamer, and never afraid to play the fool. He is fearless and reckless and brave and I love him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-jay/he-is-a-romantic-a-dreamer-and-never-afraid-to-play-the-fool-he-is/)

[Stacey Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-jay/)

> [The public is being spoiled by good technical quality photographs in magazines, on television, in the movies, and they have become bored. The disease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexey-brodovitch/the-public-is-being-spoiled-by-good-technical-quality-photographs-in/)

[Alexey Brodovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexey-brodovitch/)

> [The smallest amount of vanity is fatal in aeroplane fighting. Selfdistrust rather is the quality to which many a pilot owes his protracted existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/the-smallest-amount-of-vanity-is-fatal-in-aeroplane-fighting/)

[Eddie Rickenbacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rickenbacker/)

> [Never fear spoiling children by making them too happy. Happiness is the atmosphere in which all good affections grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bray/never-fear-spoiling-children-by-making-them-too-happy-happiness-is/)

Thomas Bray

> [Men will never rest till they've spoiled the earth and destroyed the animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/men-will-never-rest-till-they-ve-spoiled-the-earth-and-destroyed-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [I was spoiled and I was arrogant. I was very demanding, had an overblown image of who I was and got a reputation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judge-reinhold/i-was-spoiled-and-i-was-arrogant-i-was-very-demanding-had-an/)

[Judge Reinhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judge-reinhold/)

> [I am an only child, and I guess was spoiled by my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-brown/i-am-an-only-child-and-i-guess-was-spoiled-by-my-parents/)

Mordecai Brown

## More by Tami Hoag

> [We do the best we can," she said softly, looking inward. "And punish ourselves for it. I've tried to make my choices with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/we-do-the-best-we-can-she-said-softly-looking-inward-and-punish/)

[Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/)

> [In a lifestyle where there are no boundaries, it becomes a challenge to find one's true self. If everything comes easily, there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/in-a-lifestyle-where-there-are-no-boundaries-it-becomes-a-challenge/)

[Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/)

> [“Throw up" Victor said. Bacteria, he believed, would run up his arms and gain access to his brain through his ear canals. "Vomit. Puke.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/throw-up-victor-said-bacteria-he-believed-would-run-up-his-arms-and/)

[Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/)

> [“Never show your fear or your weaknesses, doll. Someone will spin you around and knock you flat with it when you least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/never-show-your-fear-or-your-weaknesses-doll-someone-will-spin-you/)

[Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/)

> [“Perps didn't always get their just deserts in this life. That was one of the reasons she kept believing in God, the hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/perps-didn-t-always-get-their-just-deserts-in-this-life-that-was-one/)

[Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/)

> [“Man, y'all make the Addams family look like Ozzie and Harriet."(Annie)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/man-y-all-make-the-addams-family-look-like-ozzie-and-harriet-annie/)

[Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/)

> [“i have no desire to spend my life dancing backward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/i-have-no-desire-to-spend-my-life-dancing-backward/)

[Tami Hoag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/)

> [“But that’s what bravery is: to be afraid and do what you have to do anyway. You can’t have courage without fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/but-that-s-what-bravery-is-to-be-afraid-and-do-what-you-have-to-do/)

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> [Minnesotans hate zeal. Zeal is right up there on the list of suspicious emotional behaviors like joy and despair. Always err on the side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/minnesotans-hate-zeal-zeal-is-right-up-there-on-the-list-of/)

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> [She had the kind of looks that had probably been quite pretty in high school, but were now worn down by years of smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/she-had-the-kind-of-looks-that-had-probably-been-quite-pretty-in-high/)

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> [“Instincts were to be trusted above the teachings of an allegedly polite society. If she felt something was wrong, then something was probably wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/instincts-were-to-be-trusted-above-the-teachings-of-an-allegedly/)

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> [“It wouldn't do him any good to cry, no matter how much he wanted to. He had to think. He had to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/it-wouldn-t-do-him-any-good-to-cry-no-matter-how-much-he-wanted-to-he/)

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> [Being rich has never stopped anyone from being greedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tami-hoag/being-rich-has-never-stopped-anyone-from-being-greedy/)

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[Explore all 43 Tami Hoag quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tami-hoag/)

## More Being spoiled quotes

> [I don't like spoilers. I don't like things being spoiled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-mcbride/i-don-t-like-spoilers-i-don-t-like-things-being-spoiled/)

[Melissa McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-mcbride/)

> [I realize I am very privileged. But there's a difference between being spoiled and privileged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-stunt/i-realize-i-am-very-privileged-but-there-s-a-difference-between-being/)

[Petra Stunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-stunt/)

> [Never fear spoiling children by making them too happy. Happiness is the atmosphere in which all good affections grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bray/never-fear-spoiling-children-by-making-them-too-happy-happiness-is/)

Thomas Bray

> [The smallest amount of vanity is fatal in aeroplane fighting. Selfdistrust rather is the quality to which many a pilot owes his protracted existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/the-smallest-amount-of-vanity-is-fatal-in-aeroplane-fighting/)

[Eddie Rickenbacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rickenbacker/)

> [It turns out that the 'Cry It Out' method of baby sleep training, where you ignore that your kid is screaming, crying and turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denene-millner/it-turns-out-that-the-cry-it-out-method-of-baby-sleep-training-where/)

[Denene Millner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denene-millner/)

> [The idea of my kids being spoiled, I go to sleep thinking about it. I wake up thinking about. I'm trying to do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/the-idea-of-my-kids-being-spoiled-i-go-to-sleep-thinking-about-it-i/)

[Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/)

> [I go to sleep thinking about my kids being spoiled and I wake up thinking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-go-to-sleep-thinking-about-my-kids-being-spoiled-and-i-wake-up/)

[Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/)

> [And I have yet to find one single individual who has attained conspicuous success in bringing down enemy aeroplanes who can be said to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/and-i-have-yet-to-find-one-single-individual-who-has-attained/)

[Eddie Rickenbacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rickenbacker/)

> [I'm afraid that whatever I touch is spoilt by the contact." "I'm not scared of being spoiled," Val said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/i-m-afraid-that-whatever-i-touch-is-spoilt-by-the-contact-i-m-not/)

[Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/)

> [The public is being spoiled by good technical quality photographs in magazines, on television, in the movies, and they have become bored. The disease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexey-brodovitch/the-public-is-being-spoiled-by-good-technical-quality-photographs-in/)

[Alexey Brodovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexey-brodovitch/)

[Browse all 11 Being spoiled quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-spoiled/)

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