--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Waste and stupidity get you the worst…" description: "\"“Waste and stupidity get you the worst, that’s what he said. Use this time and it’ll temper you. Now’s the hardest test—not letting rage and frustratio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/thomas-harris-1874_anger_waste-and-stupidity-get-you-the-worst-th_1790014.png" --- # Waste and stupidity get you the worst, that’s what he… ![“Waste and stupidity get you the worst, that’s what he said. Use this time and it’ll temper you. Now’s the hardest test—not letting rage and frustration keep you from thinking. It’s the core of whether you can command or not.” quote by Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/thomas-harris-1874_anger_waste-and-stupidity-get-you-the-worst-th_1790014.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/thomas-harris-1874_anger_waste-and-stupidity-get-you-the-worst-th_1790014.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/thomas-harris-1874_anger_waste-and-stupidity-get-you-the-worst-th_1790014.png) > ““Waste and stupidity get you the worst, that’s what he said. Use this time and it’ll temper you. Now’s the hardest test—not letting rage and frustration keep you from thinking. It’s the core of whether you can command or not.”” [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker warns that wasteful, stupid actions lead to negative outcomes, urging use of time to temper oneself and avoid letting anger hinder rational thought. **In simple terms:** Avoid waste and anger; use time wisely. Key Takeaway Practice patience and self‑control. Themes self‑discipline anger management productivity wisdom growth Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - personal development - coaching - stress relief Key Concepts mindfulness emotional regulation time management Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help temper frustration? - How can you turn idle time into growth? A Different Perspective Challenges arise when emotions dominate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Frustration Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration-thinking-1936625/) [Hardest Test](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest-test-502314/) [Letting Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-rage-1936624/) [Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper/) [Temper Hardest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper-hardest-1936623/) ## Related quotes > [The hardest test in life is the patient to wait for the right moment .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hardest-test-in-life-is-the-patient-to-wait-for-the-right-moment/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The hardest test in life is having the the patience to wait for the right moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hardest-test-in-life-is-having-the-the-patience-to-wait-for-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is nothing more than a test, the hardest test that anyone can ever take. There is no studying or knowing the next question.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/life-is-nothing-more-than-a-test-the-hardest-test-that-anyone-can/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [To be true to oneself is the hardest test of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/to-be-true-to-oneself-is-the-hardest-test-of-life/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [Liberty is the hardest test that one can inflict on a people. To know how to be free is not given equally to all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/liberty-is-the-hardest-test-that-one-can-inflict-on-a-people-to-know/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [“The hardest test I ever faced in my life was praying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-hardest-test-i-ever-faced-in-my-life-was-praying/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Anger is the ultimate troublemaker. I feel you can express a strong disapproval or dislike of an object without losing your temper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/anger-is-the-ultimate-troublemaker-i-feel-you-can-express-a-strong/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I lose my temper, but it's all over in a minute," said the student. "So is the hydrogen bomb," I replied. "But think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sweeting/i-lose-my-temper-but-it-s-all-over-in-a-minute-said-the-student-so-is/) [George Sweeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sweeting/) > [I don't focus well angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-don-t-focus-well-angry/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [I've been thinking about anger quite a lot. It can be a default emotion for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fearne-cotton/i-ve-been-thinking-about-anger-quite-a-lot-it-can-be-a-default/) [Fearne Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fearne-cotton/) > [I am a giant squid of anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-am-a-giant-squid-of-anger/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I like people and get along, and I'm afraid to express my anger and my rage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-stevens/i-like-people-and-get-along-and-i-m-afraid-to-express-my-anger-and-my/) [Fisher Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-stevens/) > [My dad and uncle were so protective so whenever someone would say or do something to harm us they were right there. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moeen-ali/my-dad-and-uncle-were-so-protective-so-whenever-someone-would-say-or/) [Moeen Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moeen-ali/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) ## More by Thomas Harris > [“Don't think you can persuade me with appeals to my intellectual vanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/don-t-think-you-can-persuade-me-with-appeals-to-my-intellectual-vanity/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“He liked the Leedses. He was sorry that he had been to the morgue. He thought the madman who visited them might have liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/he-liked-the-leedses-he-was-sorry-that-he-had-been-to-the-morgue-he/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [On a related subject, Signore Pazzi, I must confess to you: I'm giving serious thought to eating your wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/on-a-related-subject-signore-pazzi-i-must-confess-to-you-i-m-giving/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [ “\[T\]here is no consensus in the psychiatric community that Dr. Lecter should be termed a man. He has long been regarded by his professional… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/t-here-is-no-consensus-in-the-psychiatric-community-that-dr-lecter/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“And then, the last words Raspail ever said: 'I wonder why my parents didn't kill me before I was old enough to fool them.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/and-then-the-last-words-raspail-ever-said-i-wonder-why-my-parents/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [One can only see what one observes, and one observes only things which are already in the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/one-can-only-see-what-one-observes-and-one-observes-only-things-which/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“She found Starling in the warm laundry room, dozing against the slow rump-rump of a washing machine in the smell of bleach and soap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/she-found-starling-in-the-warm-laundry-room-dozing-against-the-slow/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [He moves smoothly and slowly, carrying his concentration like a brimming cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/he-moves-smoothly-and-slowly-carrying-his-concentration-like-a/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [God's creatures who cried themselves to sleep stirred to cry again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/god-s-creatures-who-cried-themselves-to-sleep-stirred-to-cry-again/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“The emperor counsels simplicity. First principles. Of each particular thing, ask: What is it in itself, in its own constitution? What is its causal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/the-emperor-counsels-simplicity-first-principles-of-each-particular/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [What do you look at while you’re making up your mind? Ours is not a reflective culture, we do no raise our eyes up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/what-do-you-look-at-while-you-re-making-up-your-mind-ours-is-not-a/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“I have no plans to call on you, Clarice, the world being more interesting with you in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/i-have-no-plans-to-call-on-you-clarice-the-world-being-more/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“To write a novel, you begin with what you can see and then you add what came before and what came after.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/to-write-a-novel-you-begin-with-what-you-can-see-and-then-you-add/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [“Every person is worth your time, Hannibal. If at first appearance a person seems dull, then look harder, look into him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/every-person-is-worth-your-time-hannibal-if-at-first-appearance-a/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [What he has in addition is pure empathy and projection,” Dr. Bloom said. “He can assume your point of view, or mine – and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/what-he-has-in-addition-is-pure-empathy-and-projection-dr-bloom-said/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) [Explore all 197 Thomas Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [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/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [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/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Waste and stupidity get you the worst, that’s what he said. Use this time and it’ll temper you. Now’s the hardest test—not letting rage and frustration keep you from thinking. 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