--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the bad stuff was really intense in…" description: "\"When the bad stuff was really intense in my life, it was really what you would call writer's block. Your facility is just not as good because you feel ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/john-fogerty-10725_bad-stuff_when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in_3026452.jpg" --- # When the bad stuff was really intense in my life, it was… ![“When the bad stuff was really intense in my life, it was really what you would call writer's block. Your facility is just not as good because you feel so bad. I've heard of people right on the verge of suicide coming up with some of their best work. I wish I could think of an example, other than…” quote by John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/john-fogerty-10725_bad-stuff_when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in_3026452.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/john-fogerty-10725_bad-stuff_when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in_3026452.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/john-fogerty-10725_bad-stuff_when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in_3026452.jpg) > “When the bad stuff was really intense in my life, it was really what you would call writer's block. Your facility is just not as good because you feel so bad. I've heard of people right on the verge of suicide coming up with some of their best work. I wish I could think of an example, other than Van Gogh, perhaps!” [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense personal suffering can block creative output, yet some artists produce great work under extreme distress. **In simple terms:** Bad times can hinder creativity, though some thrive under pressure. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage emotional health to sustain creativity. Themes creativity mental health artistic block resilience inspiration Mood reflective somber hopeful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - writing - painting - music composition - personal journaling - therapy sessions Key Concepts psychology creative process emotional pain Questions to Reflect On - How does emotional pain affect your creative process? - Can you channel hardship into art without harming yourself? A Different Perspective Creative breakthroughs often need emotional stability, not just suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-stuff/) [Best work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-work/) [Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Facility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facility/) [Feel Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-bad/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Intense Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense-life-1497180/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Really Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-writer-542151/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide/) [Suicide Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide-coming-4923343/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Vans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vans/) [Verge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verge/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Writer 's block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-s-block/) [Writer Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-block/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm proud of the scars in my soul. They remind me that I have an intense life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-m-proud-of-the-scars-in-my-soul-they-remind-me-that-i-have-an/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [A book, while it is being written, has an intense life of its own which you share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-bourke-white/a-book-while-it-is-being-written-has-an-intense-life-of-its-own-which/) [Margaret Bourke-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-bourke-white/) > [“An intense life needs a touch of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/an-intense-life-needs-a-touch-of-madness/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [A work can have in it a pent-up energy, an intense life of its own, independent of the subject it may represent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-moore/a-work-can-have-in-it-a-pent-up-energy-an-intense-life-of-its-own/) [Henry Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-moore/) > [“I cannot say that having an intense life filled with accomplishments is better than having a relaxed life filled with savoring, though I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-cannot-say-that-having-an-intense-life-filled-with-accomplishments/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“I want an intense life. Intense sorrow and intense happiness. Intense loneliness and intense kinship. Intense love and intense hatred. Intense regret and intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhaidev/i-want-an-intense-life-intense-sorrow-and-intense-happiness-intense/) [Abhaidev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhaidev/) > [I have been in lots of very intense life situations. I have been shot at, and I have been hungry, and I have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-have-been-in-lots-of-very-intense-life-situations-i-have-been-shot/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [Well, I have definitely had a very intense life and upbringing to say the least. I did have a beautiful young mom who loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/well-i-have-definitely-had-a-very-intense-life-and-upbringing-to-say/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I think what we call the dullness of things is a disease in ourselves. Else how could anyone find an intense interest in life?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/i-think-what-we-call-the-dullness-of-things-is-a-disease-in-ourselves/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“The life circle, no different than for us. Sometimes it’s brutal and intense, but without it there would be no life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raine-cantrell/the-life-circle-no-different-than-for-us-sometimes-it-s-brutal-and/) [Raine Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raine-cantrell/) > [If you don't have a unique voice, then you're not really a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/if-you-don-t-have-a-unique-voice-then-you-re-not-really-a-writer/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [Really, as a writer, I believe that if you're going to write about your own life, you need to do it as honestly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/really-as-a-writer-i-believe-that-if-you-re-going-to-write-about-your/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [I'm not really a writer, so my main problem always is finding the writing talent to write something of the caliber that you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-atkinson/i-m-not-really-a-writer-so-my-main-problem-always-is-finding-the/) [Rowan Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-atkinson/) > [In some ways, I don’t feel as if I had a choice. Looking back at my childhood, even before I could read and write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/in-some-ways-i-don-t-feel-as-if-i-had-a-choice-looking-back-at-my/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [I also believe that if you're really a writer, you'll write, and that nobody could stop you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-weiner/i-also-believe-that-if-you-re-really-a-writer-you-ll-write-and-that/) [Jennifer Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-weiner/) ## More by John Fogerty > [Even though I have often recorded alone, I still feel the best music is made by musicians playing off each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/even-though-i-have-often-recorded-alone-i-still-feel-the-best-music/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [Usually I just let my songs do the talking. As a matter of fact I have long had an aversion to celebrities endorsing politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/usually-i-just-let-my-songs-do-the-talking-as-a-matter-of-fact-i-have/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [What happens is, especially when I was writing for my band, Creedence, and it's the way I write now, I go into "guitar lick"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/what-happens-is-especially-when-i-was-writing-for-my-band-creedence/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [All the really great records or people who made them somehow came from Memphis or Louisiana or somewhere along the Mississippi River...And singers like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/all-the-really-great-records-or-people-who-made-them-somehow-came/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I've long ago learned that if an idea will stand on its own, it'll stand having the light shone on it. But if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-ve-long-ago-learned-that-if-an-idea-will-stand-on-its-own-it-ll/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [And I now think that Stratocasters and Telecasters are way cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/and-i-now-think-that-stratocasters-and-telecasters-are-way-cool/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [It just seemed like all the records I have made since Creedence Clearwater Revival have all been sort of pushed off center. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/it-just-seemed-like-all-the-records-i-have-made-since-creedence/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I stuck with that size because I could bend the strings so well, and somewhere along the line I must have gotten it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-stuck-with-that-size-because-i-could-bend-the-strings-so-well-and/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I think at times the very strong feelings I have about my country coincide with my musical ability, and I'm able to actually turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-think-at-times-the-very-strong-feelings-i-have-about-my-country/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [Let the people know my wisdom, fill the land with smoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/let-the-people-know-my-wisdom-fill-the-land-with-smoke/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [When I'm standing at the Pearly Gates, I want to say to God, 'Don't look at the records. Look at my family. I'm much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/when-i-m-standing-at-the-pearly-gates-i-want-to-say-to-god-don-t-look/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I ain't got no time for a Caribbean cruise, just give me a song and a beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-ain-t-got-no-time-for-a-caribbean-cruise-just-give-me-a-song-and-a/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I'm now comfortable playing a lot of the old songs, and I've gotten out a lot of the old equipment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-m-now-comfortable-playing-a-lot-of-the-old-songs-and-i-ve-gotten/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [With the Michael Moore movie, certain conservative talk show hosts call him un-American. Him and anybody else who says anything about the war... To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/with-the-michael-moore-movie-certain-conservative-talk-show-hosts/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [The only sliding I did was on the kind of instrument that you put on your lap; no Spanish electrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/the-only-sliding-i-did-was-on-the-kind-of-instrument-that-you-put-on/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) [Explore all 64 John Fogerty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) ## More Bad stuff quotes > [It's very intense to be in front of a live audience. It's just an amazing experience. It's dangerous. Everything out there is heightened. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/it-s-very-intense-to-be-in-front-of-a-live-audience-it-s-just-an/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Just like the breakthroughs, the bad stuff always takes you by surprise. (121)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-giles/just-like-the-breakthroughs-the-bad-stuff-always-takes-you-by/) [Gail Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-giles/) > [A lot of bad stuff in the world wasn’t really that bad until someone tried to change it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/a-lot-of-bad-stuff-in-the-world-wasn-t-really-that-bad-until-someone/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [“Stop focusing on the bad stuff because life is too damn short.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/stop-focusing-on-the-bad-stuff-because-life-is-too-damn-short/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [“It’s like everyone wants the bad stuff to be true because she’s so good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-dew-shostak/it-s-like-everyone-wants-the-bad-stuff-to-be-true-because-she-s-so/) [Kay Dew Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-dew-shostak/) > [If you help them (the crew) create good memories, they'll forget all the bad stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-dyer/if-you-help-them-the-crew-create-good-memories-they-ll-forget-all-the/) [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) > [Theres really not much that people can pick on me for my work, so obviously they find other reasons to write something bad about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/theres-really-not-much-that-people-can-pick-on-me-for-my-work-so/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I did a lot of bad stuff from the age of 18 to 21. Those are days when everyone is usually in college doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delmon-young/i-did-a-lot-of-bad-stuff-from-the-age-of-18-to-21-those-are-days-when/) [Delmon Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delmon-young/) > [The problem with me is I read everything, but it's only the bad stuff that stays with me. It's weird, you only need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/the-problem-with-me-is-i-read-everything-but-it-s-only-the-bad-stuff/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [There's good stuff and bad stuff, but you continue on. I'm not prescriptive - I cannot tell anyone else what to do with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/there-s-good-stuff-and-bad-stuff-but-you-continue-on-i-m-not/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [Eventually the bad stuff I'm writing turns into better stuff. Other times, I've just walked away from what I was working on, and figured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-haddix/eventually-the-bad-stuff-i-m-writing-turns-into-better-stuff-other/) [Margaret Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-haddix/) > [When something's painful, you just avoid it. Why bother dredging up the past if it's nothing but bad stuff?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-koyczan/when-something-s-painful-you-just-avoid-it-why-bother-dredging-up-the/) [Shane Koyczan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-koyczan/) > [Some of the material out there - I don't want to say that it's all bad - but there's a lot of bad stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-hernandez/some-of-the-material-out-there-i-don-t-want-to-say-that-it-s-all-bad/) [Jay Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-hernandez/) > [Lack of respect for the worker. This nourishes disconnection, fear, anger, phoniness, and all the bad stuff that impedes excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hallowell/lack-of-respect-for-the-worker-this-nourishes-disconnection-fear/) [Edward Hallowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hallowell/) > [I don't care about people kissing my ass or telling me how great I am. I don't really give a damn. I read the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sherman/i-don-t-care-about-people-kissing-my-ass-or-telling-me-how-great-i-am/) [Richard Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sherman/) [Browse all 116 Bad stuff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-stuff/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the bad stuff was really intense in my life, it was really what you would call writer's block. Your facility is just not as good because you feel so bad. I've heard of people right on the verge of suicide coming up with some of their best work. I wish I could think of an example, other than Van Gogh, perhaps!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Fogerty" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in-my-life-it-was-really-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad stuff" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in-my-life-it-was-really-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/john-fogerty-10725_bad-stuff_when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in_3026452.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/john-fogerty-10725_bad-stuff_when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in_3026452.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/john-fogerty-10725_bad-stuff_when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in_3026452.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When the bad stuff was really intense in my life, it was really what you would call writer's block. Your…” — John Fogerty", "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 Fogerty", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When the bad stuff was really...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in-my-life-it-was-really-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/when-the-bad-stuff-was-really-intense-in-my-life-it-was-really-what/#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 } } ] } ```