--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What preys on my mind is simply this one…" description: "\"What preys on my mind is simply this one question: what am I good for, could I not be of service or use in some way?\" — Vincent Van Gogh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/vincent-van-gogh-486_mind_what-preys-on-my-mind-is-simply-this-one_695012.jpg" --- # What preys on my mind is simply this one question: what am… ![“What preys on my mind is simply this one question: what am I good for, could I not be of service or use in some way?” quote by Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/vincent-van-gogh-486_mind_what-preys-on-my-mind-is-simply-this-one_695012.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/vincent-van-gogh-486_mind_what-preys-on-my-mind-is-simply-this-one_695012.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/vincent-van-gogh-486_mind_what-preys-on-my-mind-is-simply-this-one_695012.jpg) > “What preys on my mind is simply this one question: what am I good for, could I not be of service or use in some way?” [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer questions his purpose and desire to be useful, reflecting existential doubt and yearning for contribution. **In simple terms:** He wonders about his usefulness. Key Takeaway Seek ways to serve meaningfully. Themes purpose self‑worth existence Mood thoughtful hopeful Type existential motivational When to use this quote - career planning - volunteering - creative projects Key Concepts philosophy psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What unique value can you offer? - How can you define success beyond external validation? A Different Perspective Purpose can be fluid, not fixed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes when we don't know the answer, it's time to simply be with the question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sometimes-when-we-don-t-know-the-answer-it-s-time-to-simply-be-with/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Resignation is just simply out of the question...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podesta/resignation-is-just-simply-out-of-the-question/) [John Podesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podesta/) > [It is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-chance/when-good-americans-die-they-go-to-paris-the-ghost-said-after-taking-2/) [Karen Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-chance/) > [“Hi," he says simply. I laugh. "Hi." He looks around the room nervously before his eyes fall back to mine. "Is that good enough?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/hi-he-says-simply-i-laugh-hi-he-looks-around-the-room-nervously/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [People will question all the good things they hear about you, but believe all the bad things without a second thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/people-will-question-all-the-good-things-they-hear-about-you-but/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Vincent Van Gogh > [What am I in most people's eyes? A nonentity or an eccentric and disagreeable man... I should want my work to show what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-am-i-in-most-people-s-eyes-a-nonentity-or-an-eccentric-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-heart-of-man-is-very-much-like-the-sea-it-has-its-storms-it-has/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“I take great care of myself by carefully shutting myself away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-take-great-care-of-myself-by-carefully-shutting-myself-away/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [There certainly is an affinity between a person and his work, but it is not easy to define what this affinity is, and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/there-certainly-is-an-affinity-between-a-person-and-his-work-but-it/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I confess I do not know why, but looking at the stars always makes me dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-confess-i-do-not-know-why-but-looking-at-the-stars-always-makes-me/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah, Manet has come very, very close to it and Courbet - the marrying of form and colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-manet-has-come-very-very-close-to-it-and-courbet-the-marrying-of/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [We must not judge God from this world. It's just a study that didn't come off. 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My dear friend painting is to us what the music of Berlioz and Wagner was before us - a consolatory art for sore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-my-dear-friend-painting-is-to-us-what-the-music-of-berlioz-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Painting demands an intelligent model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/painting-demands-an-intelligent-model/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [That this awareness of my own fallibility will prevent me from making many mistakes doesn't alter the fact that I'm bound to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/that-this-awareness-of-my-own-fallibility-will-prevent-me-from-making/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [What is drawing? It is working oneself through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-is-drawing-it-is-working-oneself-through-an-invisible-iron-wall/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [You will say that everyone has seen landscapes and figures from childhood on. The question is: Has everybody also been reflexive as a child?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/you-will-say-that-everyone-has-seen-landscapes-and-figures-from/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) [Explore all 508 Vincent Van Gogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## More Mind quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/william-didn-t-look-like-he-d-be-difficult-about-anything-he-was-thin/) [Patricia C. 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A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [“Picking locks was not a skill he had ever cultivated, but he persisted day after day, turning the tip of his talon into different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/picking-locks-was-not-a-skill-he-had-ever-cultivated-but-he-persisted/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not here trying to convince anybody to vote for Donald Trump. 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