--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When my mind is operating at its peak, it…" description: "\"When my mind is operating at its peak, it should depress me to think that this is the best I can do, because it's not very good at all. When my mind is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/john-s-hall-22155_can-do_when-my-mind-is-operating-at-its-peak-it_1824877.jpg" --- # When my mind is operating at its peak, it should depress… ![“When my mind is operating at its peak, it should depress me to think that this is the best I can do, because it's not very good at all. When my mind is operating normally, I should be even more depressed.” quote by John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/john-s-hall-22155_can-do_when-my-mind-is-operating-at-its-peak-it_1824877.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/john-s-hall-22155_can-do_when-my-mind-is-operating-at-its-peak-it_1824877.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/john-s-hall-22155_can-do_when-my-mind-is-operating-at-its-peak-it_1824877.jpg) > “When my mind is operating at its peak, it should depress me to think that this is the best I can do, because it's not very good at all. When my mind is operating normally, I should be even more depressed.” [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even at peak mental performance, one can feel inadequate; normal performance may feel worse, highlighting perpetual self‑criticism. **In simple terms:** Even when at your best, you may feel insufficient. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection and keep improving. Themes self‑criticism perfectionism mental health growth mindset Mood introspective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - creative work - academic pursuits - personal goals Key Concepts self‑acceptance resilience mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance healthy critique with self‑compassion? - What habits reduce chronic self‑doubt? A Different Perspective Self‑criticism can hinder progress if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Depress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depress/) [Depress Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depress-think-2225241/) [Depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressed/) [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Normally Depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normally-depressed-2225242/) [Peak Depress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peak-depress-2225243/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Very good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-good/) ## Related quotes > [“It didn't exactly depress me to think about it, but it didn't make me feel gay as hell either. Certain things should stay the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/it-didn-t-exactly-depress-me-to-think-about-it-but-it-didn-t-make-me/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [I try to make my bed every day for mental health. Coming home to an unmade bed or a room with clothes all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alan-grier/i-try-to-make-my-bed-every-day-for-mental-health-coming-home-to-an/) [David Alan Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alan-grier/) > [I could go on and on about how the statements and concepts that used to depress me now bring me joy, but that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/i-could-go-on-and-on-about-how-the-statements-and-concepts-that-used/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [To dwell on the things that depress or anger us does not help in overcoming them. One must knock them down alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/to-dwell-on-the-things-that-depress-or-anger-us-does-not-help-in/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [We either misdirect or depress great amounts of energy in order to keep ourselves from feeling pain, including what we feel in the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brennan/we-either-misdirect-or-depress-great-amounts-of-energy-in-order-to/) [Barbara Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brennan/) > [If I were a first rate writer, I wouldn't mind a bit. What does depress me is this: it is so desperately hard and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/if-i-were-a-first-rate-writer-i-wouldn-t-mind-a-bit-what-does-depress/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [You have an amazing ability to depress me sometimes, you know that?" "I try my best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/you-have-an-amazing-ability-to-depress-me-sometimes-you-know-that-i/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [I don't like novels that end happily. They depress me so much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-like-novels-that-end-happily-they-depress-me-so-much/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“I can’t think of anything more disheartening than living a life without a clear purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/i-can-t-think-of-anything-more-disheartening-than-living-a-life/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [“We are sometimes depressed by our failure to convince people who strongly believe that we are that we are definitely not depressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/we-are-sometimes-depressed-by-our-failure-to-convince-people-who/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [And what if in the future we're at war again, or we still haven't elected a non-white or non-male president, or the Rolling Stones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/and-what-if-in-the-future-we-re-at-war-again-or-we-still-haven-t/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [You say youre depressed - all I see is resilience. You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn't mean youre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/you-say-youre-depressed-all-i-see-is-resilience-you-are-allowed-to/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Man, I hate to get depressing on you, but I don't have a game. I'm so alone, so depressed, so dark, no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/man-i-hate-to-get-depressing-on-you-but-i-don-t-have-a-game-i-m-so/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I'm not always depressed: only when I think and feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/i-m-not-always-depressed-only-when-i-think-and-feel/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) ## More by John S. Hall > [My father was a really great man. I'll never forget the last thing he ever said to me. Nor will I ever repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/my-father-was-a-really-great-man-i-ll-never-forget-the-last-thing-he/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [When I'm feeling proud of myself, I should remember to ask myself why I think I am of any value at all. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-should-remember-to-ask-myself-why/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [Many people talk as if they have all the answers, whereas I know I don't. That's probably why no one listens to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/many-people-talk-as-if-they-have-all-the-answers-whereas-i-know-i-don/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [It seems, in theory, that I should be able to control at least a few of my bad habits. The problem is that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/it-seems-in-theory-that-i-should-be-able-to-control-at-least-a-few-of/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [Whenever the circus would come to town, I would tell Ethan all kinds of kinky clown domination stories involving the leather clown, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/whenever-the-circus-would-come-to-town-i-would-tell-ethan-all-kinds/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [“My father was a very great man. I will never forget the last thing he ever said to me. Nor will I ever repeat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/my-father-was-a-very-great-man-i-will-never-forget-the-last-thing-he/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I want to be different. Just like all the other different people I want to be like. I want to be just like all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/i-want-to-be-different-just-like-all-the-other-different-people-i/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I'm a vegetarian now, but I'm willing to make an exception in the event I'm presented with people. Because I've always been fairly standoffish;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/i-m-a-vegetarian-now-but-i-m-willing-to-make-an-exception-in-the/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I have tried very hard to find meaning in what I do, but I have found instead a vast and limitless nothingness. I tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/i-have-tried-very-hard-to-find-meaning-in-what-i-do-but-i-have-found/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [“Today, I will try to remember to regret the past. I will think of how many mistakes I have made throughout my life. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/today-i-will-try-to-remember-to-regret-the-past-i-will-think-of-how/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [The fact that many people overindulge, and lose themselves in excess, and make fools of themselves and act like idiots, is no reason for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/the-fact-that-many-people-overindulge-and-lose-themselves-in-excess/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [“When I am tired, it is easy to believe that my exhaustion is the reason I am depressed and lonely and uninspired. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/when-i-am-tired-it-is-easy-to-believe-that-my-exhaustion-is-the/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I've done bad things with relish, and good things with pickles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/i-ve-done-bad-things-with-relish-and-good-things-with-pickles/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [There will always be people who have power over me, who can destroy my spirit and drain my soul. My best defense is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/there-will-always-be-people-who-have-power-over-me-who-can-destroy-my/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [“If you think things can't get any worse, you have no imagination and no sense of history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/if-you-think-things-can-t-get-any-worse-you-have-no-imagination-and/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) [Explore all 28 John S. Hall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When my mind is operating at its peak, it should depress me to think that this is the best I can do, because it's not very good at all. When my mind is operating normally, I should be even more depressed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John S. 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