--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The key is to pump up your righteous…" description: "\"“The key is to pump up your righteous anger and mute your petty resentment. I'll be happy if I can get that balance to fifty-fifty.”\" — A. J. Jacobs" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/a-j-jacobs-2-13695_anger_the-key-is-to-pump-up-your-righteous-ang_244570.jpg" --- # The key is to pump up your righteous anger and mute your… ![“The key is to pump up your righteous anger and mute your petty resentment. I'll be happy if I can get that balance to fifty-fifty.” quote by A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/a-j-jacobs-2-13695_anger_the-key-is-to-pump-up-your-righteous-ang_244570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/a-j-jacobs-2-13695_anger_the-key-is-to-pump-up-your-righteous-ang_244570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/a-j-jacobs-2-13695_anger_the-key-is-to-pump-up-your-righteous-ang_244570.jpg) > ““The key is to pump up your righteous anger and mute your petty resentment. I'll be happy if I can get that balance to fifty-fifty.”” [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suggests balancing righteous anger with petty resentment to achieve emotional equilibrium and personal happiness. **In simple terms:** Balance strong anger with minor resentment for happiness. Key Takeaway Seek emotional balance for well‑being. Themes psychology emotions balance Mood calm hopeful Type self‑help motivational When to use this quote - stress management - personal development - conflict resolution Key Concepts self‑regulation inner peace Questions to Reflect On - What practices help you moderate strong emotions? - How can you transform resentment into constructive energy? A Different Perspective Achieving perfect balance is challenging and may feel forced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Resentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment/) [Righteous anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteous-anger/) ## Related quotes > [So there is such a thing as perfect hatred, just as there is such a thing as righteous anger. But it is a hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatred-just-as-there-is-such-a/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [“He hadn’t finished: ‘Let us bring down our righteous anger against the festering scum who by their cowardice and sloth have reduced the British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sweeney/he-hadn-t-finished-let-us-bring-down-our-righteous-anger-against-the/) [John Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sweeney/) > [Pain can be endured and defeated only if it is embraced. Denied or feared, it grows in perception if not in reality. The best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/pain-can-be-endured-and-defeated-only-if-it-is-embraced-denied-or-2/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Donovan Caine naked, water droplets sliding down his lean body, his muscles clenching and relaxing as he washes himself. Mmm. Nice image. Despite our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/donovan-caine-naked-water-droplets-sliding-down-his-lean-body-his/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [“Anger is seldom a useful emotion, and the more self-righteous the anger, the less useful it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-blaylock/anger-is-seldom-a-useful-emotion-and-the-more-self-righteous-the/) James P. Blaylock > [It's hard not to empathize with the mayor's anger, given the injustices he'd suffered, but righteous anger rarely leads to wise policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-hard-not-to-empathize-with-the-mayor-s-anger-given-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Righteous anger invites change. It can envision what the other might look like if the arrogance controlling the heart was pierced. Anger is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-allender/righteous-anger-invites-change-it-can-envision-what-the-other-might/) [Dan Allender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-allender/) > [America roused to a righteous anger has always been a force for good. States that have been supporting if not Osama bin Laden, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/america-roused-to-a-righteous-anger-has-always-been-a-force-for-good/) [Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/) > [You can’t make yourself closer to God by hating someone else, whether you believe it’s righteous anger or not. The relationship between Soul—which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-klemp/you-can-t-make-yourself-closer-to-god-by-hating-someone-else-whether/) [Harold Klemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-klemp/) > [“Why do men want to kill the bodies of other men? Women don't want to kill the bodies of other women, by and large.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/why-do-men-want-to-kill-the-bodies-of-other-men-women-don-t-want-to-2/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides By the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/the-path-of-the-righteous-man-is-beset-on-all-sides-by-the-inequities/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [“On the day when you again allow abominable men to confiscate your freedom, your money, your lives, your private property, your manhood and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-caldwell/on-the-day-when-you-again-allow-abominable-men-to-confiscate-your/) [Taylor Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-caldwell/) > [I'd like to see feminism really be more loving. Feminists have a lot of righteous anger, and have done a lot to fight for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-sprinkle/i-d-like-to-see-feminism-really-be-more-loving-feminists-have-a-lot/) [Annie Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-sprinkle/) > [Pain can be endured and defeated only if it is embraced. Denied or feared, it grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/pain-can-be-endured-and-defeated-only-if-it-is-embraced-denied-or/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Somehow the Tories have deflected the righteous anger at the bankers who we bailed out. The Tories manage to take that outrage and direct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/somehow-the-tories-have-deflected-the-righteous-anger-at-the-bankers/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) ## More by A. J. Jacobs > [It's sort of my job to feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/it-s-sort-of-my-job-to-feel-good/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [After a while, if you're committed, you start to believe in the things in which you're praying. It's just cognitive dissonance. You can't live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/after-a-while-if-you-re-committed-you-start-to-believe-in-the-things/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [Giulia Melucci has written a wonderfully funny and moving book. It's like Eat, Pray, Love, with recipes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/giulia-melucci-has-written-a-wonderfully-funny-and-moving-book-it-s/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [More people die on a per mile basis from drunk walking than from drunk driving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/more-people-die-on-a-per-mile-basis-from-drunk-walking-than-from/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [I grew up in a very secular home with no religion at all, so I was starting from zero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/i-grew-up-in-a-very-secular-home-with-no-religion-at-all-so-i-was/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [I don't believe that prayers actually change God's mind - if there is a God - but I liked praying for people in need.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/i-don-t-believe-that-prayers-actually-change-god-s-mind-if-there-is-a/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [ How do you gag the voice in your head that says, 'You don't have to \[do it\] today. There's always tomorrow.'? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/how-do-you-gag-the-voice-in-your-head-that-says-you-don-t-have-to-do/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [There's a very passionate pro-chewing movement on the Internet called Chewdiasm. They say that we should be chewing 50 to 100 times per mouthful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/there-s-a-very-passionate-pro-chewing-movement-on-the-internet-called/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [I know that history is simultaneously a bloody mess and a collection of feats so inspiring and amazing they make you proud to share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/i-know-that-history-is-simultaneously-a-bloody-mess-and-a-collection/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [I have little shame, no dignity – all in the name of a better cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/i-have-little-shame-no-dignity-all-in-the-name-of-a-better-cause/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [There's a lot of food restriction in the Bible, but it does say you're allowed to eat crickets, grasshoppers, and locusts. I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/there-s-a-lot-of-food-restriction-in-the-bible-but-it-does-say-you-re/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [I found there were things about religion that I really loved; things like the sense of gratefulness that it brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/i-found-there-were-things-about-religion-that-i-really-loved-things/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [I love to live things, so I wanted to immerse myself and get into the mindset - and sandals - of my forefathers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/i-love-to-live-things-so-i-wanted-to-immerse-myself-and-get-into-the/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [A 2002 Oxford study showed counting sheep actually delays the onset of sleep. It's just too dull to stop us from worrying about jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/a-2002-oxford-study-showed-counting-sheep-actually-delays-the-onset/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [I know that you should always say yes to adventures or you'll lead a very dull life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/i-know-that-you-should-always-say-yes-to-adventures-or-you-ll-lead-a/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) [Explore all 49 A. J. Jacobs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The key is to pump up your righteous anger and mute your petty resentment. I'll be happy if I can get that balance to fifty-fifty.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "A. J. 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