---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you do something that works you have…"
description: "\"When you do something that works you have a happiness, but I don't know if it's a feeling of power. Power is a frightening thing and that's not what I'..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/david-lynch-911_certain_when-you-do-something-that-works-you-hav_581192.jpg"
---

#  When you do something that works you have a happiness, but…

![“When you do something that works you have a happiness, but I don't know if it's a feeling of power. Power is a frightening thing and that's not what I'm interested in. I want to do certain things and make them right in my mind and that's it.” quote by David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/david-lynch-911_certain_when-you-do-something-that-works-you-hav_581192.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/david-lynch-911_certain_when-you-do-something-that-works-you-hav_581192.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/david-lynch-911_certain_when-you-do-something-that-works-you-hav_581192.jpg)

> “When you do something that works you have a happiness, but I don't know if it's a feeling of power. Power is a frightening thing and that's not what I'm interested in. I want to do certain things and make them right in my mind and that's it.”

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He distinguishes happiness from power, fearing power’s corrupting nature.

**In simple terms:** He prefers happiness over power.

Key Takeaway

Seek fulfillment, not control.

Themes

philosophy power happiness

Mood

contemplative serious

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- leadership
- creative decisions
- personal growth

Key Concepts

ethical integrity personal values

Questions to Reflect On

- Is power ever justified for good?
- How to maintain integrity while wielding influence?

A Different Perspective

Power can be necessary for leadership roles.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/)

## Related quotes

> [“I don't know what this feeling is... I only know that I feel safe in your arms. My heart races every time I see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-west/i-don-t-know-what-this-feeling-is-i-only-know-that-i-feel-safe-in/)

[Sarah West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-west/)

> [I tend to lose myself in the moment. I’m not very good at holding back. I don’t know how to do this without feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/i-tend-to-lose-myself-in-the-moment-i-m-not-very-good-at-holding-back/)

[Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/)

> [“Do you know this feeling? When you're in an aero speeding up through a blue spiral, the window open, the wind whistling, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-zamyatin/do-you-know-this-feeling-when-you-re-in-an-aero-speeding-up-through-a/)

[Yevgeny Zamyatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeny-zamyatin/)

> [It's whatever, you know, feeling good living better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/it-s-whatever-you-know-feeling-good-living-better/)

[Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/)

> [“What is it?' 'Nothing,' he said, and put his arm around her. 'You sighed.' 'I'd like to be further along than I am.' She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/what-is-it-nothing-he-said-and-put-his-arm-around-her-you-sighed-i-d/)

[Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/)

> [I love the training, learning the stunts, doing them. I love feeling that power - doing things you could never actually do in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/i-love-the-training-learning-the-stunts-doing-them-i-love-feeling/)

[Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/)

> [There is a wonderful feeling of power when you're a director, but I don't think I need that, and I'm OK without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/there-is-a-wonderful-feeling-of-power-when-you-re-a-director-but-i/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [The power of love is a curious thing, make one man weep, make another man sing. Change a hawk to a little white dove,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/the-power-of-love-is-a-curious-thing-make-one-man-weep-make-another/)

[Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/)

> [“No, this isn’t funny. She’s got to realize what she’s getting herself into. Our society isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s run by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gulla/no-this-isn-t-funny-she-s-got-to-realize-what-she-s-getting-herself/)

[Nicole Gulla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gulla/)

> [It's sort of a feeling of power onstage. It's really the ability to make people smile, or just to turn them one way or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/it-s-sort-of-a-feeling-of-power-onstage-it-s-really-the-ability-to/)

[Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/)

> [There's a feeling of power in reserve, a power that drives right through the bone, like the shiver you sense in the shaft of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/there-s-a-feeling-of-power-in-reserve-a-power-that-drives-right/)

[Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/)

> [There is a world within - a world of thought and feeling and power; of light and beauty, and although invisible, its forces are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-haanel/there-is-a-world-within-a-world-of-thought-and-feeling-and-power-of/)

[Charles F. Haanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-haanel/)

> [Adam lay perfectly still, little groans escaping from his lips. I looked at the bow, looked at my hands, looked at Adam's face and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/adam-lay-perfectly-still-little-groans-escaping-from-his-lips-i/)

[Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/)

> [It gave her a feeling of her own power, to make something practical and beautiful just by using her own skill and creativity. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-jacobs/it-gave-her-a-feeling-of-her-own-power-to-make-something-practical/)

[Kate Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-jacobs/)

> [The career of politics grants a feeling of power. The knowledge of influencing men, of participating in power over them, and above all, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-weber/the-career-of-politics-grants-a-feeling-of-power-the-knowledge-of/)

[Max Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-weber/)

## More by David Lynch

> [I like L.A. because of the light. The light makes me feel so good. It's really beautiful. And there's something about L.A. being so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-like-l-a-because-of-the-light-the-light-makes-me-feel-so-good-it-s/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [One change of attitude would change everything. If everyone realized that it could be a beautiful world and said, 'let's not do these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/one-change-of-attitude-would-change-everything-if-everyone-realized/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [A poet could write volumes about diners, because they're so beautiful. They're brightly lit, with chrome and booths and Naugahyde and great waitresses. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/a-poet-could-write-volumes-about-diners-because-they-re-so-beautiful/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [Surface cures are not going to get rid of the torment that's inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/surface-cures-are-not-going-to-get-rid-of-the-torment-that-s-inside/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [When you get an idea and you fall in love with it there's not a whole lot of choice. You're going down a street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-get-an-idea-and-you-fall-in-love-with-it-there-s-not-a-whole/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [Nowadays, people shoot digitally and it's all in color, but you press a button and it all goes to black and white. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/nowadays-people-shoot-digitally-and-it-s-all-in-color-but-you-press-a/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [I love seeing people come out of darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-love-seeing-people-come-out-of-darkness/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [I supported myself by delivering the 'Wall Street Journal' and doing odd jobs. I love plumbing and carpentry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-supported-myself-by-delivering-the-wall-street-journal-and-doing/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [So much of what happened to me is good fortune. But I would say: Try to get a job that gives you some time;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/so-much-of-what-happened-to-me-is-good-fortune-but-i-would-say-try-to/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [Achievement is its own reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/achievement-is-its-own-reward/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [I like to remember things my own way. How I remembered them, not necessarily the way they happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-like-to-remember-things-my-own-way-how-i-remembered-them-not/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [“The idea tells you everything. Lots of times I get ideas, I fall in love with them. Those ones you fall in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/the-idea-tells-you-everything-lots-of-times-i-get-ideas-i-fall-in/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [When you have something that brings a real emotion, that's the power of cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-have-something-that-brings-a-real-emotion-that-s-the-power/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [If a human being is filled with happiness and positivity, this is what they radiate out into the world. We each affect our environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/if-a-human-being-is-filled-with-happiness-and-positivity-this-is-what/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [I always loved smokestack industry, and I love towns or cities that have grown up around factories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-always-loved-smokestack-industry-and-i-love-towns-or-cities-that/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

[Explore all 331 David Lynch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

## More Certain quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/)

[Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/)

> [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/)

[Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/)

> [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/)

[Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/)

> [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/)

Riffat Hassan

> [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/)

[Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/)

> [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/)

[Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/)

> [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/)

T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

> [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/)

[Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/)

> [We've all seen talented young players who get to a certain level but there comes a point where that talent will only take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-gatland/we-ve-all-seen-talented-young-players-who-get-to-a-certain-level-but/)

[Warren Gatland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-gatland/)

> [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/)

[Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/)

> [I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/)

[Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/)

> [If a person does not listen to the demands of their own spiritual and heart life and insists on a certain program, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/if-a-person-does-not-listen-to-the-demands-of-their-own-spiritual-and/)

[Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/)

Browse all 13,673 Certain quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When you do something that works you have a happiness, but I don't know if it's a feeling of power. Power is a frightening thing and that's not what I'm interested in. I want to do certain things and make them right in my mind and that's it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Lynch"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-do-something-that-works-you-have-a-happiness-but-i-don-t/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Certain"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-do-something-that-works-you-have-a-happiness-but-i-don-t/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/david-lynch-911_certain_when-you-do-something-that-works-you-hav_581192.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/david-lynch-911_certain_when-you-do-something-that-works-you-hav_581192.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/david-lynch-911_certain_when-you-do-something-that-works-you-hav_581192.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When you do something that works you have a happiness, but I don't know if it's a feeling of power. Power is…” — David Lynch",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Lynch",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When you do something that works...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-do-something-that-works-you-have-a-happiness-but-i-don-t/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-do-something-that-works-you-have-a-happiness-but-i-don-t/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
