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There is a great difference between one idler and another idler. There is someone who is an idler out of laziness and lack of character, owing to the baseness of his nature. If you like, you may take me for one of those. Then there is the other kind of idler, the idler despite himself, who is inwardly consumed by a great longing for action who does nothing because his hands are tied, because he is, so to speak, imprisoned somewhere, because he lacks what he needs to be productive, because disastrous circumstances have brought him forcibly to this end. Such a one does not always know what he can do, but he nevertheless instinctively feels, I am good for something! My existence is not without reason! I know that I could be a quite a different person! How can I be of use, how can I be of service? There is something inside me, but what can it be? He is quite another idler. If you like you may take me for one of those.

Vincent Willem Van Gogh#13

WorkValuePotential

About this quote

What does it mean?
Not all inactivity is laziness; some comes from external constraints.
In plain terms
Some people rest because they must, not because they are lazy.
What can you take from it?
Distinguish between laziness and forced inactivity.

Where it applies

  • unemployment
  • creative blocks
  • social judgment

Putting it to work

  • assess barriers
  • seek support
  • recognize potential

Questions to consider

  • What stops you from being productive?
  • How do you feel about your potential?

Another view

Some idleness is indeed due to lack of effort.

More from Vincent Willem Van Gogh

  1. The dreamer sometimes falls into the doldrums, but is said to emerge from them again. And the absent-minded person also makes up for it with bouts of perspicac…

    Permalink to quote #12
  2. People are often unable to do anything, imprisoned as they are in I don't know what kind of terrible, terrible, oh such terrible cage. I do know that there is …

    Permalink to quote #14
  3. Try to grasp the essence of what the great artists, the serious masters, say in their masterpieces, and you will again find God in them. One man has written or…

    Permalink to quote #11

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