--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An anxiety with no object or purpose in…" description: "\"“An anxiety with no object or purpose in the present, and in the future nothing but endless sacrifice, by means of which he would attain nothing - that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_anxiety_an-anxiety-with-no-object-or-purpose-in_3030114.png" --- # An anxiety with no object or purpose in the present, and… ![“An anxiety with no object or purpose in the present, and in the future nothing but endless sacrifice, by means of which he would attain nothing - that was what his days on earth held in store for him... What good was life to him? What prospects did he have? What did he have to strive for? Was he…” quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_anxiety_an-anxiety-with-no-object-or-purpose-in_3030114.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_anxiety_an-anxiety-with-no-object-or-purpose-in_3030114.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_anxiety_an-anxiety-with-no-object-or-purpose-in_3030114.png) > ““An anxiety with no object or purpose in the present, and in the future nothing but endless sacrifice, by means of which he would attain nothing - that was what his days on earth held in store for him... What good was life to him? What prospects did he have? What did he have to strive for? Was he to live merely in order to exist? But a thousand times before he had been ready to give up his existence for an idea, for a hope, even for an imagining. Existence on its own had never been enough for him; he had always wanted more than that. Perhaps it was merely the strength of his own desires that made him believe he was a person to whom more was allowed than others.”” [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He feels life is empty without purpose, constantly yearning for meaning beyond mere existence. **In simple terms:** Life feels pointless without purpose. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond mere existence. Themes existentialism desire meaning purpose Mood melancholic reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - war trauma - personal crisis - philosophical reflection Key Concepts nihilism human condition psychology Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - Can desire be fulfilled without purpose? A Different Perspective Purpose alone may not satisfy deeper existential dread. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Existence alone had never been enough for him; he had always wanted more. Perhaps it was only from the force of his desires that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/existence-alone-had-never-been-enough-for-him-he-had-always-wanted/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Nothing can be done but by inches. I write out my life hour by hour, word by word . . . imagining the existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/nothing-can-be-done-but-by-inches-i-write-out-my-life-hour-by-hour/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Your mind is designed in such a way that you cannot have an idea on the one hand without also having the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/your-mind-is-designed-in-such-a-way-that-you-cannot-have-an-idea-on/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [This perceiving, active being is what I call mind, spirit, soul, or myself. By which words I do not denote any one of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-berkeley/this-perceiving-active-being-is-what-i-call-mind-spirit-soul-or/) [George Berkeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-berkeley/) > [“And there is the fallacy of existence: the idea that one would be happy forever and aye with a given situation or series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-there-is-the-fallacy-of-existence-the-idea-that-one-would-be/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [And there's the fallacy of existence: the idea that one could be happy forever and age with a given situation or series of accomplishments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the-idea-that-one-could-be-happy/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-wanted-movement-and-not-a-calm-course-of-existence-i-wanted-4/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/i-wanted-movement-and-not-a-calm-course-of-existence-i-wanted-2/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-wanted-movement-and-not-a-calm-course-of-existence-i-wanted/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I would like to be able to gently drift in and out of existence when I wanted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-would-like-to-be-able-to-gently-drift-in-and-out-of-existence-when-2/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“I would like to be able to gently drift in and out of existence when I wanted to. I don’t want to kill myself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-would-like-to-be-able-to-gently-drift-in-and-out-of-existence-when/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“And it has always been a mystery, and I've marveled a thousand times at this ability of man (and, it seems, of the Russian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/and-it-has-always-been-a-mystery-and-i-ve-marveled-a-thousand-times/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Let us not subside into a single mandatory way of thinking or feeling, immersed by a spirit of self-gratification. But let’s dig into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/let-us-not-subside-into-a-single-mandatory-way-of-thinking-or-feeling/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [But if I've heard this saying once, I've heard it a thousand times- everything happens for a reason. And possibly it does. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lawler/but-if-i-ve-heard-this-saying-once-i-ve-heard-it-a-thousand-times/) [Jerry Lawler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lawler/) > [ “The tremendous world I have inside my head. 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/) ## More by Fyodor Dostoevsky > [Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/believe-to-the-end-even-if-all-men-went-astray-and-you-were-left-the/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [... you are a man still young, so to say, in your first youth and so put intellect above everything ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/you-are-a-man-still-young-so-to-say-in-your-first-youth-and-so-put/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“There is only one salvation for you: take yourself up, and make yourself responsible for all the sins of men. For indeed it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/there-is-only-one-salvation-for-you-take-yourself-up-and-make/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“It is true I am a complete stranger to these people, but they are not strangers to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/it-is-true-i-am-a-complete-stranger-to-these-people-but-they-are-not/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Everything seems stupid when it fails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/everything-seems-stupid-when-it-fails/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Love to throw yourself on the earth and kiss it. Kiss the earth and love it with an unceasing, consuming love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/love-to-throw-yourself-on-the-earth-and-kiss-it-kiss-the-earth-and/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [They have this social justification for every nasty thing they do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/they-have-this-social-justification-for-every-nasty-thing-they-do/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Be the sun and all will see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/be-the-sun-and-all-will-see-you/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [If you are penitent, you love. And if you love you are of God. All things are atoned for, all things are saved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/if-you-are-penitent-you-love-and-if-you-love-you-are-of-god-all/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“To kill for murder is a punishment incomparably worse than the crime itself. Murder by legal sentence is immeasurably more terrible than murder by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/to-kill-for-murder-is-a-punishment-incomparably-worse-than-the-crime/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“You magnify your failure to a crime, Vasya.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/you-magnify-your-failure-to-a-crime-vasya/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [The death of a child is the greatest reason to doubt the existence of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/the-death-of-a-child-is-the-greatest-reason-to-doubt-the-existence-of/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [In a way there's only a fine shade of difference between the healthy and the deranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/in-a-way-there-s-only-a-fine-shade-of-difference-between-the-healthy/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Now answer me, sincerely, honestly, who lives past forty? I'll tell you who does: fools and scoundrels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/now-answer-me-sincerely-honestly-who-lives-past-forty-i-ll-tell-you/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“There are crimes that are truly uncomely. With crimes, whatever they may be, the more blood, the more horror there is, the more imposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/there-are-crimes-that-are-truly-uncomely-with-crimes-whatever-they/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) [Explore all 642 Fyodor Dostoevsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) ## 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 > [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": "“An anxiety with no object or purpose in the present, and in the future nothing but endless sacrifice, by means of which he would attain nothing - that was what his days on earth held in store for him... 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