--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-control means wanting to be…" description: "\"Self-control means wanting to be effective at some random point in the infinite radiations of my spiritual existence.\" — Franz Kafka" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/franz-kafka-214_discipline_self-control-means-wanting-to-be-effecti_2228059.jpg" --- # Self-control means wanting to be effective at some random… ![“Self-control means wanting to be effective at some random point in the infinite radiations of my spiritual existence.” quote by Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/franz-kafka-214_discipline_self-control-means-wanting-to-be-effecti_2228059.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/franz-kafka-214_discipline_self-control-means-wanting-to-be-effecti_2228059.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/franz-kafka-214_discipline_self-control-means-wanting-to-be-effecti_2228059.jpg) > “Self-control means wanting to be effective at some random point in the infinite radiations of my spiritual existence.” [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that true self‑control is about aiming for effectiveness amid the endless, often chaotic flow of spiritual life. **In simple terms:** Self‑control is seeking effectiveness in life's endless spiritual flow. Key Takeaway Cultivate focus despite spiritual chaos. Themes self‑control effectiveness spirituality mindfulness Mood contemplative determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - meditation - creative work - decision making - stress management Key Concepts existentialism personal agency Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain focus when life feels infinite? - What spiritual practices support effective self‑control? A Different Perspective Self‑control may be undermined by external pressures or mental fatigue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-control/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) ## Related quotes > [“Self-control is something for which I do not strive. Self-control means wanting to be effective at some random point in the infinite radiations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/self-control-is-something-for-which-i-do-not-strive-self-control/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“Self-control is something for which I do not strive. Self-control means wanting to be effective at some random point in the infinite radiations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/self-control-is-something-for-which-i-do-not-strive-self-control-2/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Power in America today is control of the means of communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/power-in-america-today-is-control-of-the-means-of-communication/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [ \[People\] are looking for some means of control and what that means is is that the politics in all of our countries is gonna… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/people-are-looking-for-some-means-of-control-and-what-that-means-is/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Even if I'm the youngest in the group, I'm the one taking care of everybody. 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If your time is out of control, it means you are out of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-merrill/managing-your-time-really-means-managing-yourself-if-your-time-is-out/) [Douglas Merrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-merrill/) > [Being cheerful does not mean that everything is in control, it means that you have decided not to give up in odd situation.It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/being-cheerful-does-not-mean-that-everything-is-in-control-it-means/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“Economic control is not merely control of a sector of human life which can be separated from the rest; it is the control of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/economic-control-is-not-merely-control-of-a-sector-of-human-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You see, control can never be a means to any practical end...It can never be a means to anything but more control...like junk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/you-see-control-can-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can/) [William S. 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But how \[to\] free myself and free it without being torn to pieces. And a thousand… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/the-tremendous-world-i-have-inside-my-head-but-how-to-free-myself-and/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [What I write is different from what I say, what I say is different from what I think, what I think is different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/what-i-write-is-different-from-what-i-say-what-i-say-is-different/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“Ali svi se slažu u tome da se ne podižu lakomislene optužbe i da se sud, kad jedanput nekog optuži i kad je uvjeren…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/ali-svi-se-sla-u-u-tome-da-se-ne-podi-u-lakomislene-optu-be-i-da-se/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [My job is unbearable to me because it conflicts with my only desire and my only calling, which is literature. 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It appears more decidedly to make one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/the-true-way-goes-over-a-line-that-rather-than-spanning-heights-is/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Every new discovery is assumed at once into the sum total of knowledge, and with that ceases in a sense to be a discovery;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/every-new-discovery-is-assumed-at-once-into-the-sum-total-of/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“Sou de pedra. Sou a minha própria pedra tumular, sem nenhum interstício para a dúvida ou para a fé, para o amor ou para…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/sou-de-pedra-sou-a-minha-pr-pria-pedra-tumular-sem-nenhum-interst-cio/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) [Explore all 741 Franz Kafka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. 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But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. 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