Joseph Brodsky Quotes

I'm never really happy with anything I do.

It's a blessing and a curse, 'cause I'm never satisfied, so I continually want to outdo myself. But still, I'm never happy.

I have this problem where I'm never satisfied with what I do.

Joni Mitchell seems destined to remain in a state of permanent dissatisfaction - always knowing what she would like to do, always more depressed when it's done.

I get tired of myself pretty fast.

Boredom, after all, is a form of criticism.

I'm never happy with my work. I always go back home thinking I could have done so so much better.

I beat myself up the whole time because I'm striving for something I'll basically never achieve. I portray this image of confidence, of arrogance, and it's not really me. I'm never satisfied, and I'm never content. It means I'm a bit of a mess some of the time.

What is it in my makeup that makes me grab any offer and fly around the world? Will I ever be satisfied? Can't I ever just rest?

I can't deal with actors! I can't deal with myself. We're neurotic and miserable ... I love doing what I'm doing, but while I'm doing it, I'm miserable.

I am content with nothing, restless and ambitious... and I despise myself for the vanity, which formed half the stimulus to my exertions. Oh would that I were one of those plodding wise fools who having once set their hand to the plough go on nothing doubting.

The world today doesn't please me.

I just look around and say, I'm a mess. I don't know why I do things.

Of course there are times when I think, 'I'd be better out of this.'

I'm never, like I say, I'm never happy, I'm never satisfied, it's never good enough.

I felt like I had a really bad case of writer's block... Music is so therapeutic for me that if I can't get it out, I start feeling bad about myself - a lot of self-loathing.

I don't very often think I've done a good job. I don't like the majority of what I do. I shouldn't say I don't like it, but I'm not satisfied with almost everything that I do.

I've always had this deep and chronic sense of dissatisfaction.

The discontented man finds no easy chair.

I'm neurotic. I complain all the time. I'm a workaholic. And I'm never satisfied.

But a lot of writers - and I'm one of them - do tend to feel dissatisfied. It makes you a little hard to live with, but it's a goad and does keep you alert and restless.

The more I get used to my life, the more restless I become.

I'm never happy with my performance.

The man who is dissatisfied with himself, what can he do?

So much of my intention with songs is to voice a continual dissatisfaction, or at least to claw my way out of it.