--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: if a thing is to be done, there is no…" description: "\"if a thing is to be done, there is no time like the hour that has not struck.\" — Amelia Barr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/amelia-barr-9924_action_if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-tim_682060.jpg" --- # if a thing is to be done, there is no time like the hour… ![“if a thing is to be done, there is no time like the hour that has not struck.” quote by Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/amelia-barr-9924_action_if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-tim_682060.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/amelia-barr-9924_action_if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-tim_682060.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/amelia-barr-9924_action_if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-tim_682060.jpg) > “if a thing is to be done, there is no time like the hour that has not struck.” [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time offers unique opportunities; waiting for the perfect moment can be a missed chance. **In simple terms:** Act now, don’t wait for a perfect hour. Key Takeaway Seize the moment before it passes. Themes time opportunity action urgency decision Mood motivational urgent Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal goals - creative projects - relationships Key Concepts Temporal philosophy carpe diem choice theory Questions to Reflect On - What opportunity are you postponing? - How can you create your own perfect timing? A Different Perspective Waiting for the ideal moment may lead to inaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If you're doing something you love, an hour feels like five minutes. If you're doing something that doesn't resonate with your spirit, five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/if-you-re-doing-something-you-love-an-hour-feels-like-five-minutes-if/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) > [When you are courting nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/when-you-are-courting-nice-girl-an-hour-seems-like-a-second-when-you/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“He wants money for nothing, without waiting or working! We’ve grown used to having everything ready made, to walking on crutches, to having our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-wants-money-for-nothing-without-waiting-or-working-we-ve-grown/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Then the great hour struck, and every man showed himself in his true colors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/then-the-great-hour-struck-and-every-man-showed-himself-in-his-true/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [Ignatius, when he heard the clock strike, would say, "Now I have another hour to answer for." (Eph. 5:16)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/ignatius-when-he-heard-the-clock-strike-would-say-now-i-have-another/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [There is no time like the present time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yashraj-suman/there-is-no-time-like-the-present-time/) [Yashraj Suman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yashraj-suman/) > [Time is of the essence, no time like the present...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-of-the-essence-no-time-like-the-present/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't like definitions. I like four-hour movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-don-t-like-definitions-i-like-four-hour-movies/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [I do Bar Method - it's, like, you're there for an hour, and you get everything, and you're done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-gilpin/i-do-bar-method-it-s-like-you-re-there-for-an-hour-and-you-get/) [Betty Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-gilpin/) > [“I didn’t like the eight hour job. I didn’t even like the four hour job, even though I couldn’t get one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-didn-t-like-the-eight-hour-job-i-didn-t-even-like-the-four-hour-job/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“There is a place you can go that is below down and beyond bad. When you get there, every minute that passes goes by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rees/there-is-a-place-you-can-go-that-is-below-down-and-beyond-bad-when/) [Douglas Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rees/) > [Am I the only one who wakes up then stays in bed for like another hour?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/am-i-the-only-one-who-wakes-up-then-stays-in-bed-for-like-another-hour/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-your-hand-on-a-hot-stove-for-a-minute-and-it-seems-like-an-hour-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like to have the first hour of my day without looking at my phone, the news, the TV or anything. I put on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-odudu/i-like-to-have-the-first-hour-of-my-day-without-looking-at-my-phone/) [A. J. Odudu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-odudu/) > [I like four-hour movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-like-four-hour-movies/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) ## More by Amelia Barr > [When a man has calamity upon calamity the world generally concludes that he must be a very wicked man to deserve them. Perhaps the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/when-a-man-has-calamity-upon-calamity-the-world-generally-concludes/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [... the evil that comes out of your lips, into your own bosom will fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/the-evil-that-comes-out-of-your-lips-into-your-own-bosom-will-fall/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [Men can bear all things but good days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/men-can-bear-all-things-but-good-days/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [Whatever the scientists may say, if we take the supernatural out of life, we leave only the unnatural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/whatever-the-scientists-may-say-if-we-take-the-supernatural-out-of/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [I have seen that every one forgives much in themselves that they find unpardonable in other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/i-have-seen-that-every-one-forgives-much-in-themselves-that-they-find/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [That is the great mistake about the affections. It is not the rise and fall of empires, the birth and death of kings, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/that-is-the-great-mistake-about-the-affections-it-is-not-the-rise-and/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [No man was ever ruined from without; the final ruin comes from within, when you turn hopeless and lose courage!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/no-man-was-ever-ruined-from-without-the-final-ruin-comes-from-within/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [... money trials are not the hardest, and somehow or other, they are always overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/money-trials-are-not-the-hardest-and-somehow-or-other-they-are-always/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [All changes are more or less tinged with melancholy, for what we are leaving behind is part of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/all-changes-are-more-or-less-tinged-with-melancholy-for-what-we-are/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [The first step is what I like to be sure of ... to the second step it often binds you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/the-first-step-is-what-i-like-to-be-sure-of-to-the-second-step-it/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [... though mathematics may teach a man how to build a bridge, it is what the Scotch Universities call the humanities, that teach him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/though-mathematics-may-teach-a-man-how-to-build-a-bridge-it-is-what/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [The great difference between voyages rests not with the ships, but with the people you meet on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/the-great-difference-between-voyages-rests-not-with-the-ships-but/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [the fruit of life is experience, not happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/the-fruit-of-life-is-experience-not-happiness/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [politicians ... turn patriotism into shopkeeping and their own interest - men who care far more for who governs us than for how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/politicians-turn-patriotism-into-shopkeeping-and-their-own-interest/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) > [The fate of love is that it always seems too little or too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/the-fate-of-love-is-that-it-always-seems-too-little-or-too-much/) [Amelia Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) [Explore all 69 Amelia Barr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "if a thing is to be done, there is no time like the hour that has not struck.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amelia Barr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-time-like-the-hour-that-has-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-time-like-the-hour-that-has-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/amelia-barr-9924_action_if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-tim_682060.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/amelia-barr-9924_action_if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-tim_682060.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/amelia-barr-9924_action_if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-tim_682060.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“if a thing is to be done, there is no time like the hour that has not struck.” — Amelia Barr", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amelia Barr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-barr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "if a thing is to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-time-like-the-hour-that-has-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-barr/if-a-thing-is-to-be-done-there-is-no-time-like-the-hour-that-has-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```