--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The bad thing is that thinking about…" description: "\"The bad thing is that thinking about thought doesn't help at all; one has to have it from nature so that the good ideas appear before us like free chil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bd/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_bad-thing_the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-tho_3104051.jpg" --- # The bad thing is that thinking about thought doesn't help… ![“The bad thing is that thinking about thought doesn't help at all; one has to have it from nature so that the good ideas appear before us like free children of God calling to us: Here we are.” quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bd/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_bad-thing_the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-tho_3104051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bd/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_bad-thing_the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-tho_3104051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bd/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_bad-thing_the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-tho_3104051.jpg) > “The bad thing is that thinking about thought doesn't help at all; one has to have it from nature so that the good ideas appear before us like free children of God calling to us: Here we are.” [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thinking about thinking is unproductive; inspiration must arise naturally, allowing ideas to emerge spontaneously like divine gifts. **In simple terms:** Ideas come naturally, not by overthinking. Key Takeaway Allow ideas to arise without forcing them. Themes creativity inspiration mindfulness Mood reflective contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing - artistic work - problem solving - meditation Key Concepts philosophy spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How can you create space for natural inspiration? - What habits help you trust spontaneous ideas? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on forced thinking can stifle intuition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-thing/) [Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) [Child of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-of-god/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thing Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-thinking-1464444/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-thought-474713/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-doesn-925667/) [Thoughtful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughtful/) ## Related quotes > [“Thought doesn't wrap around awareness. Awareness wraps around thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/thought-doesn-t-wrap-around-awareness-awareness-wraps-around-thought/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“I can agree in principle that it's the thought that counts when giving or getting gifts, but I would also like to point out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-bee/i-can-agree-in-principle-that-it-s-the-thought-that-counts-when/) [Samantha Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-bee/) > [Just because we have a thought, doesn't mean it is a thought worth having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/just-because-we-have-a-thought-doesn-t-mean-it-is-a-thought-worth/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/maybe-christmas-the-grinch-thought-doesn-t-come-from-a-store/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Saying that I've THOUGHT about it doesn't mean that I'm DOING it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-trebek/saying-that-i-ve-thought-about-it-doesn-t-mean-that-i-m-doing-it/) [Alex Trebek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-trebek/) > [This is another major feature of thought: Thought doesn't know it is doing something and then it struggles against it is doing. It doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/this-is-another-major-feature-of-thought-thought-doesn-t-know-it-is/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [“I've barely ever thought about Him. ... That doesn't mean he hasn't thought about you. You own a piece of God's heart, like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-lessman/i-ve-barely-ever-thought-about-him-that-doesn-t-mean-he-hasn-t/) [Julie Lessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-lessman/) > [If you're for the right thing, you do it without thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-you-re-for-the-right-thing-you-do-it-without-thinking/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [If everybody's thinking the same thing, then nobody's thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/if-everybody-s-thinking-the-same-thing-then-nobody-s-thinking/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [“I had chosen the dead rather than the living, the thing thought rather than the thing thinking!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-had-chosen-the-dead-rather-than-the-living-the-thing-thought-rather/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [It's one thing thinking something and another thing knowing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-ois-lelord/it-s-one-thing-thinking-something-and-another-thing-knowing-it/) [François Lelord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-ois-lelord/) > [If one looks at a thing with the intention of trying to discover what it means, one ends up no longer seeing the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-magritte/if-one-looks-at-a-thing-with-the-intention-of-trying-to-discover-what/) [Rene Magritte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-magritte/) > [“Curiosity is a terrible thing, he was thinking. How is it possible to stop oneself from needing to know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/curiosity-is-a-terrible-thing-he-was-thinking-how-is-it-possible-to/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [The music is the last thing I'm thinking about right now, in order of what's important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-bacharach/the-music-is-the-last-thing-i-m-thinking-about-right-now-in-order-of/) [Burt Bacharach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-bacharach/) > [Your mind must always go, even while you're shaking hands and going through all the maneuvers. I developed the ability long ago to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/your-mind-must-always-go-even-while-you-re-shaking-hands-and-going/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## More by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [All lyrical work must, as a whole, be perfectly intelligible, but in some particulars a little unintelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/all-lyrical-work-must-as-a-whole-be-perfectly-intelligible-but-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no patriotic art and no patriotic science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-no-patriotic-art-and-no-patriotic-science/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Let us not dream that reason can ever be popular. Passions, emotions, may be made popular; but reason remains ever the property of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/let-us-not-dream-that-reason-can-ever-be-popular-passions-emotions/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Our foibles are really what make us lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/our-foibles-are-really-what-make-us-lovable/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Giving is the business of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/giving-is-the-business-of-the-rich/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I look upon all four Gospels as thoroughly genuine, for there shines forth from them the reflected splendor of a sublimity proceeding from Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-look-upon-all-four-gospels-as-thoroughly-genuine-for-there-shines/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) [Explore all 2,052 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More Bad thing quotes > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [I think the people I talk about are generally so stupid that they don't even know I'm saying bad things about them. I've run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/i-think-the-people-i-talk-about-are-generally-so-stupid-that-they-don/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I'm not going to pretend that bad things don't happen. I just hope my daughter has enough understanding that when they do, just give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/i-m-not-going-to-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-happen-i-just-hope-my/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [I've heard some pretty bad things in my life. I'm just one of those people I've gotten to a point where I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/i-ve-heard-some-pretty-bad-things-in-my-life-i-m-just-one-of-those/) [Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/) > [Like everybody, you get nights where you feel completely depressed. You start thinking about all the bad things and think about the glass half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/like-everybody-you-get-nights-where-you-feel-completely-depressed-you/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [Be Thankful for all things in life. Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my business, you should be very strong in mind. You have to be sure about yourself and about your work and your career,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-shayk/in-my-business-you-should-be-very-strong-in-mind-you-have-to-be-sure/) [Irina Shayk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-shayk/) > [“I don’t know why I latched onto the idea of being friends, but it sits right with my gut. I want Hartley in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-watt/i-don-t-know-why-i-latched-onto-the-idea-of-being-friends-but-it-sits/) [Erin Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-watt/) > [I'm just grateful to people who are willing to admit how bad things feel for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-m-just-grateful-to-people-who-are-willing-to-admit-how-bad-things/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I love it when television is shot in a cinematic way and I think to aspire to that is no bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-love-it-when-television-is-shot-in-a-cinematic-way-and-i-think-to/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [“Dear Delphine, When you are older I want you to find Chinua Achebe. I want you to read Things Fall Apart. Don't be hardheaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-williams-garcia/dear-delphine-when-you-are-older-i-want-you-to-find-chinua-achebe-i/) [Rita Williams-Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-williams-garcia/) > [Lobbying is not a bad thing. I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't have lobbyists or we shouldn't have lobbying to petition our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/lobbying-is-not-a-bad-thing-i-m-not-trying-to-say-that-we-shouldn-t/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [In life, we don't know why things happen. I believe God is not responsible for the bad things that happen to you. Sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/in-life-we-don-t-know-why-things-happen-i-believe-god-is-not/) [Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/) [Browse all 2,889 Bad thing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-thing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The bad thing is that thinking about thought doesn't help at all; one has to have it from nature so that the good ideas appear before us like free children of God calling to us: Here we are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-thought-doesn-t-help-at-all-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad thing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-thought-doesn-t-help-at-all-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bd/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_bad-thing_the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-tho_3104051.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bd/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_bad-thing_the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-tho_3104051.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bd/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_bad-thing_the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-tho_3104051.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The bad thing is that thinking about thought doesn't help at all; one has to have it from nature so that the…” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "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": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The bad thing is that thinking...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-thought-doesn-t-help-at-all-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-bad-thing-is-that-thinking-about-thought-doesn-t-help-at-all-one/#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 } } ] } ```