--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When it’s too good, you do it over again…" description: "\"When it’s too good, you do it over again. Too good is too easy. If it’s too easy you have to worry. If you’re not lying awake at night worrying about i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/james-m-cain-14109_awake_when-it-s-too-good-you-do-it-over-again_1147553.jpg" --- # When it’s too good, you do it over again. Too good is too… ![“When it’s too good, you do it over again. Too good is too easy. If it’s too easy you have to worry. If you’re not lying awake at night worrying about it, the reader isn’t going to, either. I always know that when I get a good night’s sleep, the next day I’m not going to get any work done. Writing…” quote by James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/james-m-cain-14109_awake_when-it-s-too-good-you-do-it-over-again_1147553.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/james-m-cain-14109_awake_when-it-s-too-good-you-do-it-over-again_1147553.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd2/james-m-cain-14109_awake_when-it-s-too-good-you-do-it-over-again_1147553.jpg) > “When it’s too good, you do it over again. Too good is too easy. If it’s too easy you have to worry. If you’re not lying awake at night worrying about it, the reader isn’t going to, either. I always know that when I get a good night’s sleep, the next day I’m not going to get any work done. Writing a novel is like working on foreign policy. There are problems to be solved. It’s not all inspirational.” [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) ## 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 warns that when something feels too easy or comfortable, it may lack depth, and true creative work often involves struggle and worry. **In simple terms:** Easy tasks lack depth; struggle fuels creativity. Key Takeaway Embrace difficulty to produce meaningful work. Themes creativity effort risk discipline authenticity Mood reflective serious Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - writing - novel drafting - problem solving - creative projects - personal productivity Key Concepts Flow state intrinsic motivation creative tension Questions to Reflect On - What challenges can you seek to deepen your work? - How does discomfort signal growth? A Different Perspective If you avoid discomfort, you may produce shallow work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake/) [Awake at night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake-at-night/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Easy Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-worry-2884236/) [Foreign policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-policy/) [Good night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-night/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-day/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Night Worrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night-worrying-1216190/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Too easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-easy/) [Work done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-done/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-novel/) ## Related quotes > [Sustainability is one of my biggest passions. I have two little girls, twins, and I lie awake at night worrying about what the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-crenn/sustainability-is-one-of-my-biggest-passions-i-have-two-little-girls/) [Dominique Crenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-crenn/) > [From the outside, it looks like I've got my life sorted, but all too often I find myself awake at night, worrying about keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-reid/from-the-outside-it-looks-like-i-ve-got-my-life-sorted-but-all-too/) [Susanna Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-reid/) > [I know when there's lots of stuff racing around in my head it can be hard to sleep and stay asleep. And one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-act/i-know-when-there-s-lots-of-stuff-racing-around-in-my-head-it-can-be/) [Courtney Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-act/) > [“Any person who lies awake at night worrying about the private pleasures of other consenting adults has more than just too much time on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/any-person-who-lies-awake-at-night-worrying-about-the-private/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [If anything kept me awake at night it would be worrying that there wouldn't be enough time to have a nap the next day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/if-anything-kept-me-awake-at-night-it-would-be-worrying-that-there/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [“I did not lie awake at night worrying about the problems of Negroes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy/i-did-not-lie-awake-at-night-worrying-about-the-problems-of-negroes/) [Robert F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy/) > [I have learned as I've grown up that it's too easy to worry that others are looking at you, or judging you, but most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-morgan/i-have-learned-as-i-ve-grown-up-that-it-s-too-easy-to-worry-that/) [Nicky Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-morgan/) > [When it gets easy, I worry about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-dillon/when-it-gets-easy-i-worry-about-things/) [Corey Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-dillon/) > [My kids are really easy. I often worry that they're too easy to deal with. They're really nice people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/my-kids-are-really-easy-i-often-worry-that-they-re-too-easy-to-deal/) [Louis C. 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Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [ I don't think \[Russell T Davies\] sits up at night worrying about canonicity, except for the times when I'm pretty sure he does. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/i-don-t-think-russell-t-davies-sits-up-at-night-worrying-about/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“I couldn’t sleep all night, worrying that I’d gotten you in trouble. I care about you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/i-couldn-t-sleep-all-night-worrying-that-i-d-gotten-you-in-trouble-i/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [What keeps me up at night is worrying about the moms who depend on ACA for all of the preventive care and not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/what-keeps-me-up-at-night-is-worrying-about-the-moms-who-depend-on/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) ## More by James M. Cain > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [“By nine, Mildred was powdered, puffed, perfumed, and patted to that state of semi-transparency that a woman seems to achieve when she is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/by-nine-mildred-was-powdered-puffed-perfumed-and-patted-to-that-state/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [“I ripped all her clothes off. She twisted and turned, slow, so they would slip out from under her. Then she closed her eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/i-ripped-all-her-clothes-off-she-twisted-and-turned-slow-so-they/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [“Then she got up, went to Monty's mirror, and began combing her hair, while little cadenzas absentmindedly cascaded out of her throat, and cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/then-she-got-up-went-to-monty-s-mirror-and-began-combing-her-hair/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [If your writing doesn't keep you up at night, it won't keep anyone else up either".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/if-your-writing-doesn-t-keep-you-up-at-night-it-won-t-keep-anyone/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [“Up close, she could see the sharp, cold, look that she constantly shot at Mr. Treviso, particularly when there was a break, and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/up-close-she-could-see-the-sharp-cold-look-that-she-constantly-shot/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [I make no conscious effort to be tough, or hard-boiled, or grim, or any of the things I am usually called. I merely try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/i-make-no-conscious-effort-to-be-tough-or-hard-boiled-or-grim-or-any/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [“let's get stinko.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/let-s-get-stinko/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [I loved her like a rabbit loves a rattlesnake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/i-loved-her-like-a-rabbit-loves-a-rattlesnake/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [She was a little given to rehearsing things in her mind, and having imaginary triumphs over people who had upset her in one way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/she-was-a-little-given-to-rehearsing-things-in-her-mind-and-having/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [“She looked like the great grandmother of every whore in the world. The devil got his money's worth that night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/she-looked-like-the-great-grandmother-of-every-whore-in-the-world-the/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [They threw me off the haytruck about noon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/they-threw-me-off-the-haytruck-about-noon/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [I make no conscious effort to be tough, or hard-boiled, or grim, or any of the things I am usually called.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/i-make-no-conscious-effort-to-be-tough-or-hard-boiled-or-grim-or-any-2/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [A guitar has moonlight in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-guitar-has-moonlight-in-it/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [A gun is like breath to a drowning man--it has to be drawn in haste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-gun-is-like-breath-to-a-drowning-man-it-has-to-be-drawn-in-haste/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) [Explore all 47 James M. Cain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) ## More Awake quotes > [“I am awake. I know what you took. I am coming for you. Vengeance is mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-burks/i-am-awake-i-know-what-you-took-i-am-coming-for-you-vengeance-is-mine/) [Robin Burks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-burks/) > [Reagan was sitting up at Cath's desk when Cath woke up. "Are you awake?" "Have you been watching me sleep?" "Yes, Bella. 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