--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You need bad things to make good things…" description: "\"You need bad things to make good things. It’s like with farming— if you want to grow a good crop, you need a lot of manure.\" — Mike Watt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/mike-watt-32686_bad-thing_you-need-bad-things-to-make-good-things_1087625.jpg" --- # You need bad things to make good things. It’s like with… ![“You need bad things to make good things. It’s like with farming— if you want to grow a good crop, you need a lot of manure.” quote by Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/mike-watt-32686_bad-thing_you-need-bad-things-to-make-good-things_1087625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/mike-watt-32686_bad-thing_you-need-bad-things-to-make-good-things_1087625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/478/mike-watt-32686_bad-thing_you-need-bad-things-to-make-good-things_1087625.jpg) > “You need bad things to make good things. It’s like with farming— if you want to grow a good crop, you need a lot of manure.” [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good outcomes often require confronting or using negative experiences as catalysts for growth. **In simple terms:** Bad things can help create good things. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges as opportunities. Themes growth resilience adversity learning Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - creative projects - team management - problem solving Key Concepts catalyst feedback transformation Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a setback into a benefit? - When is it wise to avoid harmful influences? A Different Perspective Not all negative inputs lead to positive results; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Crops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crops/) [Farming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farming/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) ## Related quotes > [My lord, lawyers are a dangerous species of animals till ha'e any dependence upon--they are always starting punctilios and deeficulties among friends. Why, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-macklin/my-lord-lawyers-are-a-dangerous-species-of-animals-till-ha-e-any/) [Charles Macklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-macklin/) > [The mode of clearing and planting is to fell the trees, and burn once what will burn, then cut them up into suitable lengths,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mode-of-clearing-and-planting-is-to-fell-the-trees-and-burn-once/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Soil with a lot of manure in it produces abundant crops; water that is too clear has no fish. Therefore, enlightened people should maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/soil-with-a-lot-of-manure-in-it-produces-abundant-crops-water-that-is/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Remember that creating a successful marriage is like farming: you have to start over again every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-creating-a-successful-marriage-is-like-farming-you-have/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Urban farming is not only possible, it is crucial. But it can't be like the farming techniques of yore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/urban-farming-is-not-only-possible-it-is-crucial-but-it-can-t-be-like/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [Sculpture is like farming. If you just keep at it, you can get quite a lot done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-asawa/sculpture-is-like-farming-if-you-just-keep-at-it-you-can-get-quite-a/) [Ruth Asawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-asawa/) > [A lot of people always say, 'Oh, people down there in NXT' or 'Down there' as if it's... yeah, it's like a farming system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-kingston/a-lot-of-people-always-say-oh-people-down-there-in-nxt-or-down-there/) [Kofi Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-kingston/) > [“It isn't the great big pleasures that count the most; it's making a great deal out of the little ones--I've discovered the true secret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-webster/it-isn-t-the-great-big-pleasures-that-count-the-most-it-s-making-a-2/) [Jean Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-webster/) > [Meditation is like farming... the right soil is required to grow anything, nothing will grow if the soil is polluted by striving or pushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/meditation-is-like-farming-the-right-soil-is-required-to-grow/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [I think America is a great place to grow up. It's a good lifestyle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-wozniacki/i-think-america-is-a-great-place-to-grow-up-it-s-a-good-lifestyle/) [Caroline Wozniacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-wozniacki/) > [I just want my kids to grow up to become good men and that starts with understanding the world around them. That's something I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-browne/i-just-want-my-kids-to-grow-up-to-become-good-men-and-that-starts/) [Travis Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-browne/) > [A good environment certainly makes it easier to grow. But whether you’re in a good environment or not, you can learn and improve where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/a-good-environment-certainly-makes-it-easier-to-grow-but-whether-you/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Maybe two or three years will be enough for me to grow into a good NBA player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/maybe-two-or-three-years-will-be-enough-for-me-to-grow-into-a-good/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [It's hard to grow up to be a good man and a good husband and a good father and at least at some level,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/it-s-hard-to-grow-up-to-be-a-good-man-and-a-good-husband-and-a-good/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [In order for you to be good you don't need people's approval, just identify your gift and purpose in this world then grow them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-order-for-you-to-be-good-you-don-t-need-people-s-approval-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Mike Watt > [I want to be a student for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-want-to-be-a-student-for-life/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [The only thing new is you finding out about something. Like nothing's really new, but you reinvent it for yourself and find your inner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/the-only-thing-new-is-you-finding-out-about-something-like-nothing-s/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Baby boomers selling your rumors of their history, forcein' youth away from the truth of what's real today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/baby-boomers-selling-your-rumors-of-their-history-forcein-youth-away/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [The engine room really is a metaphor for my head, and all the things bangin' around, and I think I share that with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/the-engine-room-really-is-a-metaphor-for-my-head-and-all-the-things/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [You know there was always a confusion that punk was a style of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/you-know-there-was-always-a-confusion-that-punk-was-a-style-of-music/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Imitation is being rewarded. They're learning that if you fit right in the mold, you get rewarded. Music is no longer a form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/imitation-is-being-rewarded-they-re-learning-that-if-you-fit-right-in/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [These hurts I have are my fault but I'm sure gonna learn from it and hopefully anyone reading this will too. The lesson: stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/these-hurts-i-have-are-my-fault-but-i-m-sure-gonna-learn-from-it-and/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Life is definitely not a rehearsal, this is it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/life-is-definitely-not-a-rehearsal-this-is-it/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [I think punk rock, especially for me, was a big middle finger to this whole talent thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-think-punk-rock-especially-for-me-was-a-big-middle-finger-to-this/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Punk is not really a style of music. It was more like a state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/punk-is-not-really-a-style-of-music-it-was-more-like-a-state-of-mind/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [Some things never die, and they often get way better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/some-things-never-die-and-they-often-get-way-better/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [There was a thing during those times in the '80s where it was like Sex Pistols then Nirvana and nothing in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/there-was-a-thing-during-those-times-in-the-80s-where-it-was-like-sex/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [I have a little name. That's why people can remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-have-a-little-name-that-s-why-people-can-remember-it/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) > [I wanna try and stay a student for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-watt/i-wanna-try-and-stay-a-student-for-life/) [Mike Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) [Explore all 15 Mike Watt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-watt/) ## 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 ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You need bad things to make good things. 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