--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I seem to get the best work when I'm…" description: "\"I seem to get the best work when I'm angry and depressed and alienated.\" — John Darnielle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/john-darnielle-2176_angry_i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-ang_420176.png" --- # I seem to get the best work when I'm angry and depressed… ![“I seem to get the best work when I'm angry and depressed and alienated.” quote by John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/john-darnielle-2176_angry_i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-ang_420176.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/john-darnielle-2176_angry_i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-ang_420176.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/john-darnielle-2176_angry_i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-ang_420176.png) > “I seem to get the best work when I'm angry and depressed and alienated.” [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work can be most potent when fueled by strong negative emotions, turning pain into artistic expression. **In simple terms:** Anger and depression can boost creativity. Key Takeaway Channel intense emotions into productive output. Themes creativity emotion productivity Mood introspective melancholic Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - writing - music composition - personal journaling - stress management Key Concepts psychology artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - Can you create without distress? - How to balance emotional health and art? A Different Perspective Relying on negative states may harm mental health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) [Depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressed/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [It's so easy to dwell on what has happened, the missed cuts, but I would end up being upset, angry and depressed about things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-casey/it-s-so-easy-to-dwell-on-what-has-happened-the-missed-cuts-but-i/) [Paul Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-casey/) > [When I’m working 16-hour days and I can’t work out, I get angry very easily. It’s because I’m missing all those good endorphins. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-morris/when-i-m-working-16-hour-days-and-i-can-t-work-out-i-get-angry-very/) [Heather Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-morris/) > [If you are perpetually angry, depressed, confused, and unloving, or your attention is elsewhere, it won't matter how successful you become or who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/if-you-are-perpetually-angry-depressed-confused-and-unloving-or-your/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Be not the slave of your moods, but their master. But if you are so angry, so depressed and so sore that your spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdu-l-bah/be-not-the-slave-of-your-moods-but-their-master-but-if-you-are-so/) [Abdu'l-Bahá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdu-l-bah/) > [Theres no possible way to show love and hate but it is easy to tell how they feel just by looking at there eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomoko/theres-no-possible-way-to-show-love-and-hate-but-it-is-easy-to-tell/) Tomoko > [Lonesome Rhodes had wild mood swings. He'd be very happy, he'd be very said, he'd be very angry, very depressed, and I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-griffith/lonesome-rhodes-had-wild-mood-swings-he-d-be-very-happy-he-d-be-very/) [Andy Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-griffith/) > [“I think we mistake sadness for depression, because life is basically sad, and its the failure to recognize that that leads to this sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-hardy/i-think-we-mistake-sadness-for-depression-because-life-is-basically/) [Jeremy Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-hardy/) > [My family has never understood why I play crazy, angry, depressed people because that is not the way they think of me. They see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-coon/my-family-has-never-understood-why-i-play-crazy-angry-depressed/) [Carrie Coon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-coon/) > [One of the things psychologists used to say was that if you are depressed, anxious or angry, you couldn't be happy. Those were at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/one-of-the-things-psychologists-used-to-say-was-that-if-you-are/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I know some people say it's not the best to work with your family, but I have never understood that because it's always worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/i-know-some-people-say-it-s-not-the-best-to-work-with-your-family-but/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“One's best work comes when we are fully alive, happy, and inspired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schiffer/one-s-best-work-comes-when-we-are-fully-alive-happy-and-inspired/) Eric Schiffer > [The books we enjoy as children stay with us forever -- they have a special impact. Paragraph after paragraph and page after page, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-fleischman/the-books-we-enjoy-as-children-stay-with-us-forever-they-have-a/) [Sid Fleischman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-fleischman/) > [The only features I've done have been on the lower-budget end, for what they were. It's really all about getting the best people aboard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-garris/the-only-features-i-ve-done-have-been-on-the-lower-budget-end-for/) [Mick Garris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-garris/) > [I do my best work when I am in pain and turmoil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-do-my-best-work-when-i-am-in-pain-and-turmoil/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) ## More by John Darnielle > [I don't write my own publicity materials, I just read 'em and give 'em the OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-don-t-write-my-own-publicity-materials-i-just-read-em-and-give-em/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“But secret agents, like God, only give signs to their confidants. They are also very cruel and even unhappy at times. At any rate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/but-secret-agents-like-god-only-give-signs-to-their-confidants-they/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“I am heavy in his arms, and I feel safe there, but I am lost, and I need constantly to be shoring up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-am-heavy-in-his-arms-and-i-feel-safe-there-but-i-am-lost-and-i-need/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [The more I learn about stuff the more conscious I become of grave gaps in my knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/the-more-i-learn-about-stuff-the-more-conscious-i-become-of-grave/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [If you get into a fight and somebody punches you, you get two feelings. One: That really hurts. Two: That relief in the realness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/if-you-get-into-a-fight-and-somebody-punches-you-you-get-two-feelings/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [When I was a kid, I was a big science fiction fan, but current horror books were harder to get your hands on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-a-big-science-fiction-fan-but-current-horror/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [It's impossible to be content all the time - you have to learn to be content in places where you're unhappy and owning your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/it-s-impossible-to-be-content-all-the-time-you-have-to-learn-to-be/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“It's in the nature of the landscape to change, and it's in the nature of people to help the process along...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/it-s-in-the-nature-of-the-landscape-to-change-and-it-s-in-the-nature/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [Everybody is in various states of needing to transcend something. I believe in mental health care, but when we call people "crazy," we exclude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/everybody-is-in-various-states-of-needing-to-transcend-something-i/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“But resiliency only means that a thing retains its shape. That it doesn’t break, or lose its ability to function. It doesn’t mean a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/but-resiliency-only-means-that-a-thing-retains-its-shape-that-it/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“One thing I’ve learned is it’s better sometimes, in the weeds, to resist the temptation to stand up and follow the compass. \*”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/one-thing-i-ve-learned-is-it-s-better-sometimes-in-the-weeds-to/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [People always talk about good time rock and roll, Chuck Berry or whatever, like this liberating force for feeling good. But what I need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/people-always-talk-about-good-time-rock-and-roll-chuck-berry-or/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [It's hard always to say what it is one likes about a place, for me. I feel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/it-s-hard-always-to-say-what-it-is-one-likes-about-a-place-for-me-i/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“Another nagging little question lodged like a bit of grapeshot in his chest. It was nothing major, but the place where he stored them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/another-nagging-little-question-lodged-like-a-bit-of-grapeshot-in-his/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [I'm not really a goal-oriented guy. I started doing the Mountain Goats just for the sheer hell of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-m-not-really-a-goal-oriented-guy-i-started-doing-the-mountain-goats/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) [Explore all 181 John Darnielle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) ## More Angry quotes > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) Kirsten Gilchrist > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [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/) > [When you're frustrated with people, when they've made you angry, it just may be because you haven't given them enough time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/when-you-re-frustrated-with-people-when-they-ve-made-you-angry-it/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) > [I'm an angry guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gandolfini/i-m-an-angry-guy/) [James Gandolfini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gandolfini/) > [Apparently, I'm the angriest man. I don't know. It's just an interpretation. If it was someone else, they might be called focused or competitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/apparently-i-m-the-angriest-man-i-don-t-know-it-s-just-an/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Of course I get angry, but I want to use my brain a little bit and not just smash things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/of-course-i-get-angry-but-i-want-to-use-my-brain-a-little-bit-and-not/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [“Rather than being incensed by the nature of the bruise, maybe we should be inspired by the possibilities in the bruise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/rather-than-being-incensed-by-the-nature-of-the-bruise-maybe-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) [Browse all 3,857 Angry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I seem to get the best work when I'm angry and depressed and alienated.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Darnielle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-angry-and-depressed-and-alienated/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-angry-and-depressed-and-alienated/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/john-darnielle-2176_angry_i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-ang_420176.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/john-darnielle-2176_angry_i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-ang_420176.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/john-darnielle-2176_angry_i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-ang_420176.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I seem to get the best work when I'm angry and depressed and alienated.” — John Darnielle", "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": "John Darnielle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I seem to get the best...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-angry-and-depressed-and-alienated/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-seem-to-get-the-best-work-when-i-m-angry-and-depressed-and-alienated/#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 } } ] } ```