--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Worry is evidence of an ill-controlled…" description: "\"Worry is evidence of an ill-controlled brain; it is merely a stupid waste of time in unpleasantness. If men and women practiced mental calisthenics as ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/arnold-bennett-3325_anxiety_worry-is-evidence-of-an-ill-controlled-b_3092630.png" --- # Worry is evidence of an ill-controlled brain; it is merely… ![“Worry is evidence of an ill-controlled brain; it is merely a stupid waste of time in unpleasantness. If men and women practiced mental calisthenics as they do physical calisthenics, they would purge their brains of this foolishness.” quote by Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/arnold-bennett-3325_anxiety_worry-is-evidence-of-an-ill-controlled-b_3092630.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/arnold-bennett-3325_anxiety_worry-is-evidence-of-an-ill-controlled-b_3092630.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/arnold-bennett-3325_anxiety_worry-is-evidence-of-an-ill-controlled-b_3092630.png) > “Worry is evidence of an ill-controlled brain; it is merely a stupid waste of time in unpleasantness. If men and women practiced mental calisthenics as they do physical calisthenics, they would purge their brains of this foolishness.” [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An uncontrolled mind wastes time on worries; mental discipline, like physical exercise, can eliminate this. **In simple terms:** Worry wastes time; train your mind. Key Takeaway Practice mental exercises to reduce anxiety. Themes anxiety self‑control mental health Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - work stress - exam preparation - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts cognitive discipline stress management Questions to Reflect On - What mental habits can replace worry? - How does physical fitness relate to mental clarity? A Different Perspective Mind‑training alone may not address underlying emotional issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Calisthenics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calisthenics/) [Controlled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlled/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Foolishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolishness/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental/) [Mental Calisthenics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-calisthenics-5145635/) [Practiced Mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practiced-mental-5324872/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) [Waste of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste-of-time/) [Wasting time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasting-time/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worry Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-evidence-2879301/) ## Related quotes > [Worry is evidence of an ill-controlled brain; it is merely a stupid waste of time in unpleasantness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/worry-is-evidence-of-an-ill-controlled-brain-it-is-merely-a-stupid/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [“Exercise your mind and practice levity; such mental calisthenics help you avoid standing at the doorsteps of atrophy, and perhaps, lunacy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-o-gumban/exercise-your-mind-and-practice-levity-such-mental-calisthenics-help/) [Geoff O. Gumban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-o-gumban/) > [Are stress and worry evidence of a soul too lazy, too undisciplined, to keep gaze fixed on God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/are-stress-and-worry-evidence-of-a-soul-too-lazy-too-undisciplined-to/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [It's a waste of time arguing with a fool because if you do, you will only end up making yourself one too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/it-s-a-waste-of-time-arguing-with-a-fool-because-if-you-do-you-will/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) > [Smoking is, if not my life, then at least my hobby. I love to smoke. Smoking is fun. Smoking is cool. Smoking is, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/smoking-is-if-not-my-life-then-at-least-my-hobby-i-love-to-smoke-2/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I get my exercise being a pallbearer for those of my friends who believed in regular running and calisthenics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-get-my-exercise-being-a-pallbearer-for-those-of-my-friends-who/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's a hell of a distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-a-hell-of-a-distance-between-wisecracking-and-wit-wit-has/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [My biggest problem was to get the coaches to understand that I was a runner, and I wanted to prepare myself based upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/my-biggest-problem-was-to-get-the-coaches-to-understand-that-i-was-a/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [I work out at home. I don't have a gym, but I use light weights. I do calisthenics, which is basically using your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vidya-balan/i-work-out-at-home-i-don-t-have-a-gym-but-i-use-light-weights-i-do/) [Vidya Balan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidya-balan/) > [The world is MADE up of language. We can SAY that the world is composed of little demons doing calisthenics, each one the size…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-world-is-made-up-of-language-we-can-say-that-the-world-is/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I don't want to be classed as a humorist. It makes me feel guilty. I've never read a good tough quotable female humorist, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/i-don-t-want-to-be-classed-as-a-humorist-it-makes-me-feel-guilty-i-ve/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Communism requires of its adherents that they arise early and participate in a strenuous round of calisthenics. To someone who wishes that cigarettes came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/communism-requires-of-its-adherents-that-they-arise-early-and/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I used to lift weights, but not now. I do calisthenics and yoga, which is very good for flexibility and stretching ligaments and tendons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/i-used-to-lift-weights-but-not-now-i-do-calisthenics-and-yoga-which/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [When I can, I do 25 minutes of calisthenics every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-scott/when-i-can-i-do-25-minutes-of-calisthenics-every-day/) [Willard Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-scott/) > [All that the Y.M.C.A.'s horse and rings really accomplished was to fill me with an ineradicable distaste, not only for Christian endeavor in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/all-that-the-y-m-c-a-s-horse-and-rings-really-accomplished-was-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## More by Arnold Bennett > [The chances are that you have already come to believe that happiness is unattainable. But men have attained it. And they have attained it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-chances-are-that-you-have-already-come-to-believe-that-happiness/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Good taste is better than bad taste, but bad taste is better than no taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/good-taste-is-better-than-bad-taste-but-bad-taste-is-better-than-no/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [To write is to make oneself the echo of what cannot cease speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/to-write-is-to-make-oneself-the-echo-of-what-cannot-cease-speaking/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [The parents exist to teach the child, but also they must learn what the child has to teach them; and the child has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-parents-exist-to-teach-the-child-but-also-they-must-learn-what/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [The gain in self-confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labour is immense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-gain-in-self-confidence-of-having-accomplished-a-tiresome-labour/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [A man of sixty has spent twenty years in bed and over three years in eating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/a-man-of-sixty-has-spent-twenty-years-in-bed-and-over-three-years-in/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [“What then? Are we only to buy the books that we read? The question has merely to be thus bluntly put, and it answers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/what-then-are-we-only-to-buy-the-books-that-we-read-the-question-has/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [The most important preliminary to the task of arranging one's life so that one may live fully and comfortably within one's daily budget of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-most-important-preliminary-to-the-task-of-arranging-one-s-life-so/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [You are not in charge of the universe; you are in charge of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/you-are-not-in-charge-of-the-universe-you-are-in-charge-of-yourself/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [“When one has thoroughly got imbued into one's head the leading truth that nothing happens without a cause, one grows not only large-minded, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/when-one-has-thoroughly-got-imbued-into-one-s-head-the-leading-truth/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/any-change-even-a-change-for-the-better-is-always-accompanied-by/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [“The public is a great actuality, like war. If you are a creative and creating artist, you cannot ignore it, though it can ignore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/the-public-is-a-great-actuality-like-war-if-you-are-a-creative-and/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [“Good clothes, when put to the test, survive a change in fortune, as a Roman arch survives the luxury of departed empire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/good-clothes-when-put-to-the-test-survive-a-change-in-fortune-as-a/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Ninety percent of the friction of daily life is caused by tone of voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/ninety-percent-of-the-friction-of-daily-life-is-caused-by-tone-of/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [During a long and varied career as a bachelor, I have noticed that marriage is the death of politeness between a man and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/during-a-long-and-varied-career-as-a-bachelor-i-have-noticed-that/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) [Explore all 133 Arnold Bennett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Worry is evidence of an ill-controlled brain; it is merely a stupid waste of time in unpleasantness. 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