Our parents told us all sorts of things to explain the world around us when we were growing up, and while they meant well, some of those little nuggets of wisdom weren’t exactly accurate. These myths have stuck with us into adulthood & it’s about time we set the record straight on a few of these tall tales. Here are seventeen lies your parents told you that you might still believe. They weren’t liars—they just had some funny ways of seeing the world.
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Good Guys Always Finish First
Despite your parents assuring you that being kind and playing by the rules would lead to success, it’s just not true. Others sometimes get ahead by cutting corners or being less than honest, although you may continue to hold onto the idea that goodness prevails in the end. Sticking to your principles could pay off eventually, yet there’s no certainty of this.
Winning Isn’t Everything
Growing up, your parents constantly reminded you that it’s not about winning but how you play the game, as they wanted you to focus on giving your best effort. You learned to value participation and the lessons that come with it, which made you downplay the importance of coming in first. Today, you probably focus more on what you gain from the process because you hold onto that belief they instilled in you.
As Long as You’re Happy, Nothing Else Matters
Your own happiness is all that really counts, right? Our parents said we should focus on what made us happy—so sometimes we overlooked responsibilities & how our choices affected others. Even today, you might chase personal joy above everything else because you believe that as long as you’re happy, everything will work itself out.
Hard Work Always Leads to Success
Your parents might’ve told you over & over that if you work hard enough, you’ll definitely succeed—so, you threw yourself into everything, like school and hobbies. You believed that effort was all it took, even though success isn’t solely about hard work. Things like opportunity, connections & sometimes plain luck play a big role too, although you may still push yourself to the limit today.
You Can Be Anything You Want to Be
Likewise, your parents filled your head with the idea that you could become anything if you just set your mind to it, with the belief that the sky was the limit. But growing older makes us realize that not all paths are open to everyone, no matter how hard you try, and not everyone receives the same opportunities. But you might still hold onto the idea that you’re able to achieve anything if you believe in it strongly enough.
Honesty Is Always the Best Policy
They might’ve insisted that telling the truth is always the right thing to do and you grew up believing that honesty would never lead you astray. Of course, being truthful is important, yet you’ve probably dealt with situations where a little tact or holding back some details was actually better. You might struggle even now when complete honesty feels awkward and could hurt someone’s feelings—yet you stick to it because that’s what you were taught.
Sticks and Stones May Break Your Bones, But Words Will Never Hurt You
Every parent told their kid that words can’t really hurt them as a way to encourage them to brush off any mean comments—so you tried to let hurtful words slide, believing they had no real power. Sadly, words sting deeply, regardless of how you still pretend they don’t affect you. You probably cling to that old saying and keep your emotions tucked away, even though the saying isn’t true at all.
Adults Know What’s Best for You
Your parents might’ve said that grown-ups always have your best interests at heart and trusting this, you listened to teachers, relatives & other adults without much question. Today, you tend to accept advice from authority figures without challenging it because you assume they know better, simply due to their age. This belief might make you hesitate to trust your own judgment at times.
Respect Your Elders No Matter What
Likewise, you believe you should always respect people older than you just because they’re older, so you put up with unkind or unfair treatment. You thought it was wrong to challenge someone older and this belief continues to affect you today, as you hesitate to stand up for yourself in such situations. If you have a point, then it’s not disrespectful to question or disagree with elders—you have something worth saying.
You Should Always Put Others Before Yourself
We were all taught that it’s important to prioritize other people’s needs over our own and this attitude got us used to sacrificing our time & wants to make others happy. Such a belief makes it hard for us to set boundaries or say no, as we worry that it’s selfish to put ourselves first. That’s not true—you should never allow yourself to be overlooked.
Blood Is Thicker Than Water
They might’ve always said that family comes first, no matter what, to teach you that family bonds are the strongest & shouldn’t be broken. You might still feel obligated to keep those relationships going, even if you’ve had disagreements or tough times with relatives. That’s not right—it’s okay to break family ties when they’re causing you issues.
If You Ignore Bullies, They’ll Stop
Most parents teach their kids to ignore those who are mean to them, saying they’d leave them alone if they didn’t react, which made many children do their best to brush off hurtful comments. Such a belief has made many adults avoid confronting issues head-on because they think that not giving them attention will make them disappear. Unfortunately, that’s not always how it works—but you might still hold onto that piece of advice they gave you back then.
Your School Days Are the Best Days of Your Life
Hearing that your time in school would be the happiest period you’ll ever have was enough to make you feel pressured to make the most of those years. This involved joining clubs, making friends & creating memories—but now, as an adult, you might look back and wonder if those days were really the best. You might feel a bit let down if your current life doesn’t seem as exciting, yet you might still believe they were supposed to be the highlight.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
What you do sure is important, but the jury’s out on whether it’s more valuable than what you say. This lie encouraged you to focus on showing your feelings through your actions—helping out, being there for friends, doing thoughtful things—rather than expressing them verbally. It could even create misunderstandings when others need you to communicate more directly.
Practice Makes Perfect
Your parents might’ve encouraged you to keep practicing and they assured you that you’d achieve perfection someday—you spent countless hours trying to get better at all your hobbies. You believed that if you just kept at it, you’d eventually become flawless, despite perfection actually being relatively rare. Still, you continue to push yourself relentlessly and you strive for excellence, thinking that more practice will get you there.
Time Heals All Wounds
Even though your parents might’ve comforted you by saying that any hurt or pain would lessen over time, waiting doesn’t always make things better. Old hurts often live longer than you’d expect and this could make you feel bad. Today, you might rely on time alone to heal emotional wounds without actively working through your feelings.
The Early Bird Catches the Worm
Getting up early is supposed to lead to success & more opportunities, which is why you set your alarm for the crack of dawn, even if you weren’t exactly a morning person. This attitude makes you feel a bit guilty sleeping in because you’re worried you’re missing out on something important—you’re not. There’s nothing wrong with being a night owl.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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