--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The trouble when you're doing something…" description: "\"The trouble when you're doing something illegal is that you know what you're doing. You're lying to your parents, you're lying to your kids. The only p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/tommy-chong-4039_doing_the-trouble-when-you-re-doing-something_2017439.jpg" --- # The trouble when you're doing something illegal is that… ![“The trouble when you're doing something illegal is that you know what you're doing. You're lying to your parents, you're lying to your kids. The only person you can't lie to is yourself.” quote by Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/tommy-chong-4039_doing_the-trouble-when-you-re-doing-something_2017439.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/tommy-chong-4039_doing_the-trouble-when-you-re-doing-something_2017439.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55d/tommy-chong-4039_doing_the-trouble-when-you-re-doing-something_2017439.jpg) > “The trouble when you're doing something illegal is that you know what you're doing. You're lying to your parents, you're lying to your kids. The only person you can't lie to is yourself.” [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that illegal acts create self‑deception, but you cannot lie to yourself about your actions. **In simple terms:** Illicit deeds cause self‑lies, but you can’t fool yourself. Key Takeaway Practice honesty with yourself. Themes ethics self‑deception illegality Mood introspective serious Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - personal accountability - legal counseling - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology morality Questions to Reflect On - What truths are you avoiding? - How does self‑deception affect relationships? A Different Perspective Self‑honesty can be painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Doing Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-illegal-2575247/) [Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal/) [Illegal Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal-know-3324434/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Parents Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-lying-542370/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) [Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yourself/) ## Related quotes > [Kids, Madison Avenue is lying to you. Your parents are lying to you. The president is lying to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-feldstein/kids-madison-avenue-is-lying-to-you-your-parents-are-lying-to-you-the/) [Al Feldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-feldstein/) > [So many things come from people's parents lying to them about the truth about things. I feel like, once those ideas die with people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-staples/so-many-things-come-from-people-s-parents-lying-to-them-about-the/) [Vince Staples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-staples/) > [“Emma, calm down. I had to know-" I point my finger in his face, almost touching his eyeball. "It's one thing for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/emma-calm-down-i-had-to-know-i-point-my-finger-in-his-face-almost/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [Speeding obviously is illegal. I know that's not what you're supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahlil-okafor/speeding-obviously-is-illegal-i-know-that-s-not-what-you-re-supposed/) [Jahlil Okafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jahlil-okafor/) > [I love stories about two people who are doing illegal things, who we really enjoy watching despite the fact that we know they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/i-love-stories-about-two-people-who-are-doing-illegal-things-who-we/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [“Understanding clearly that what they were doing was illegal, Nixon and Kissinger did it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-j-bass/understanding-clearly-that-what-they-were-doing-was-illegal-nixon-and/) [Gary J. Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-j-bass/) > [I think there's nothing wrong with eating all the time. At least i'm not doing anything illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-horan/i-think-there-s-nothing-wrong-with-eating-all-the-time-at-least-i-m/) [Niall Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-horan/) > [I wouldn't suggest that being resourceful has anything to do with doing something illegal or unethical, but I've definitely noticed a pattern of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiss/i-wouldn-t-suggest-that-being-resourceful-has-anything-to-do-with/) [Scott Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiss/) > [I tried partying and going out, doing drugs and even dealing drugs to support my habit. I was hanging out with people from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/i-tried-partying-and-going-out-doing-drugs-and-even-dealing-drugs-to/) [Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/) > [I learned that the political is above the legal, that's why when my advisors tell me, Evo, what you are doing is illegal, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evo-morales/i-learned-that-the-political-is-above-the-legal-that-s-why-when-my/) [Evo Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evo-morales/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [Stupid is not illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/stupid-is-not-illegal/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [ \[Could you show us how Lana Del Rey dances in a club?\] That would be illegal. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/could-you-show-us-how-lana-del-rey-dances-in-a-club-that-would-be/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) > [I don't think marijuana should be illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-think-marijuana-should-be-illegal/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## More by Tommy Chong > [I've always known, all my life, that I was going to be something special. I never knew what it was, but I always had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-ve-always-known-all-my-life-that-i-was-going-to-be-something/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [People try to put ownership on things: 'That's mine, that's my joke.' No such thing. Like if you tripped or stumbled and people go,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/people-try-to-put-ownership-on-things-that-s-mine-that-s-my-joke-no/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [We survived Nixon and Reagan and George Bush, and so we can survive anything that comes along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/we-survived-nixon-and-reagan-and-george-bush-and-so-we-can-survive/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [The Shades never recorded anything, Little Daddy and the Bachelors recorded a couple of records, ya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/the-shades-never-recorded-anything-little-daddy-and-the-bachelors/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I believe that all marijuana is medical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-believe-that-all-marijuana-is-medical/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I look on everything with a very optimistic eye. Because I'm a body builder by trade, you know, that was my intent all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-look-on-everything-with-a-very-optimistic-eye-because-i-m-a-body/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I'm a hybrid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-m-a-hybrid/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I've always been into improvisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-ve-always-been-into-improvisation/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I used to joke for years that I was a black man. I adopted the black culture, the black race. I married a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-used-to-joke-for-years-that-i-was-a-black-man-i-adopted-the-black/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I am off all the cancer meds. Energy is a bit low but other than that, I feel really good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-am-off-all-the-cancer-meds-energy-is-a-bit-low-but-other-than-that/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [When they put me in jail, that's when they turned me into an activist. Up until the time I went to jail, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/when-they-put-me-in-jail-that-s-when-they-turned-me-into-an-activist/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [Marijuana grows everywhere in the world. And it really is currency, if you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/marijuana-grows-everywhere-in-the-world-and-it-really-is-currency-if/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [More than anything, the weed really helped with my mental state, because marijuana works on the brain. And if anything, it soothes the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/more-than-anything-the-weed-really-helped-with-my-mental-state/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I never did smoke that much pot; never was a big pothead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-never-did-smoke-that-much-pot-never-was-a-big-pothead/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I converted a family-owned strip club into an improvisational acting theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-converted-a-family-owned-strip-club-into-an-improvisational-acting/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) [Explore all 117 Tommy Chong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) ## More Doing quotes > [I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm damn well gonna do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geri-halliwell/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-but-i-m-damn-well-gonna-do-it/) [Geri Halliwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geri-halliwell/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [If I'm not thinking about you then I am texting you , if I am not texting you then I am on the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-m-not-thinking-about-you-then-i-am-texting-you-if-i-am-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [.\*. why u hate me..Bitches be doing the most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty/why-u-hate-me-bitches-be-doing-the-most/) [Kitty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [I really can't live without my In-N-Out burgers. Honestly, I can't. Even when I'm doing the whole no-carb thing occasionally, I make an exception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-really-can-t-live-without-my-in-n-out-burgers-honestly-i-can-t-even/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [You can't drain the swamp, as President Trump has touted doing, without getting rid of Mitch McConnell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/you-can-t-drain-the-swamp-as-president-trump-has-touted-doing-without/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) [Browse all 10,133 Doing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The trouble when you're doing something illegal is that you know what you're doing. You're lying to your parents, you're lying to your kids. 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