Sadness Quote by Franz Kafka
““An evening. At six o’clock lay down on the sofa. Slept until about eight. Couldn’t get up, waited for the clock to strike, and in my sleepiness missed hearing it. Got up at nine o’clock. Didn’t go home for supper, nor to Max’s either, where there was a gathering tonight. Reasons: lack of appetite, fear of getting back late in the evening; but above all the thought that I wrote nothing yesterday, that I keep getting farther and farther from it, and am in danger of losing everything I have laboriously achieved these past six months. Provided proof of this by writing one and a half wretched pages of a new story that I have already decided to discard . . . Occasionally I feel an unhappiness that almost dismembers me, and at the same time am convinced of its necessity and of the existence of a goal to which one makes one’s way by undergoing every kind of unhappiness.””
About This Quote
Source Diary entry, 1917
The writer struggles with procrastination and self‑doubt, feeling that unhappiness is both a hindrance and a necessary catalyst for creative progress.
In simple terms: Unhappiness can drive creativity, but also blocks work.
Key Takeaway
Embrace discomfort as a creative fuel.
Themes
procrastination
creativity
self‑doubt
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing
- artistic practice
- mental health
- goal setting
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you turn discomfort into productive energy?
- What routines help you overcome creative blocks?
A Different Perspective
Unhappiness may lead to burnout if not balanced with self‑care.
![“The tremendous world I have inside my head. But how [to] free myself and free it without being torn to pieces. And a thousand times [I'd] rather be torn to pieces than rather it in me or bury it. That, indeed, is why I am here, that is quite clear to me.” quote by Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f19/franz-kafka-214_freedom_the-tremendous-world-i-have-inside-my-he_5848.jpg)
