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Monday, August 18, 2025

From Italy to a Nasdaq Reservation

How do you follow record-setting success? Get stronger. Take Pacaso. Their real estate co-ownership tech set records in Paris and London in 2024. No surprise. Coldwell Banker says 40% of wealthy Americans plan to buy abroad within a year. So adding 10+ new international destinations, including three in Italy, is big. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Invest for $2.90/Share

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

The Power of Choosing Truth Over Comfort

At first glance, this quote may feel unsettling. After all, who wants to hear something ugly? Yet, it cuts to the heart of a powerful truth about growth, relationships, and integrity: the people who respect you enough to tell you the hard truth are the ones who genuinely care.

The ugly truth may sting in the moment—it can feel like holding up a mirror to flaws, mistakes, or uncomfortable realities. But that sting clears the path for learning, healing, and forward movement. By contrast, beautiful lies may comfort you in the short term, but they keep you stuck in illusions that delay progress and often cause greater harm in the long run.

Why the Ugly Truth Matters

1. Truth Builds Growth – Growth is rarely comfortable. Facing reality head-on gives you the tools to improve, adapt, and evolve.

2. Lies Create Dependency – Lies may feel good temporarily, but they prevent you from making real, informed choices about your life.

3. Respect Through Honesty – Flattery can feel nice, but honesty is love in its most courageous form. A true friend or mentor won’t sugarcoat what you need to hear.

4. A Test of Character – It takes courage to speak truth, and humility to receive it. Both are signs of strength and maturity.

5. Short-Term Pain, Long-Term Clarity – Though painful at first, truth ultimately liberates. Lies may cushion you now but can cost you dearly later.

Context and Timeless Wisdom

While this quote is officially listed as “Unknown,” its message echoes wisdom found throughout history.

• Socrates encouraged people to live an “examined life,” which often meant facing uncomfortable truths.

• Nietzsche noted, “Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.”

• Even ancient proverbs echo this message: “Better to be slapped with the truth than kissed with a lie.”

The underlying principle is timeless: honesty may hurt in the moment, but deception steals opportunities for real growth and trust.

Living the Quote in Daily Life

So how do we honor this wisdom? Start by surrounding yourself with people who will be honest with you, even when it’s difficult. Respect those who say what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. And equally important, cultivate the courage to accept those truths with an open heart—using them as fuel for growth rather than reasons for resentment.

At the same time, challenge yourself to be that person for others. Telling the truth, especially when it’s not easy, is an act of integrity and care.

Resources to Go Deeper

Books

• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

• Radical Honesty by Brad Blanton

• Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

• Lying by Sam Harris

• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Articles & Essays

• The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off – Gloria Steinem

• Harvard Business Review: The Case for Telling the Truth

• Psychology Today: Why We Lie, and the Cost of Deception

Related Quotes

• “Better to be slapped with the truth than kissed with a lie.” – Russian Proverb

• “The truth may hurt for a little while, but a lie hurts forever.” – Unknown

• “Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

Practical Tools

• Johari Window Framework (understanding blind spots)

• Radical Candor by Kim Scott (honest but kind communication)

• Mindfulness meditation (acceptance of reality as it is)

Final Takeaway

The next time someone has the courage to tell you the ugly truth, pause before reacting. That person has given you a gift. Lies may sound sweet, but they keep you from growth. Truth, no matter how uncomfortable, is the foundation of respect, trust, and real progress.

Respect those who bring you reality—even when it hurts—because they are the ones who truly want to see you rise.