--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the most important thing is to…" description: "\"I think the most important thing is to take the long view on things. We live in such a 24/7, Twitter-fed, constant news cycle, and everything's a crisi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/665/barack-obama-17_constant_i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-t_1059388.jpg" --- # I think the most important thing is to take the long view… ![“I think the most important thing is to take the long view on things. We live in such a 24/7, Twitter-fed, constant news cycle, and everything's a crisis, everything is terrible, everything is doomsday, everything is - if it doesn't get solved tomorrow, your presidency is going off the rails.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/665/barack-obama-17_constant_i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-t_1059388.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/665/barack-obama-17_constant_i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-t_1059388.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/665/barack-obama-17_constant_i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-t_1059388.jpg) > “I think the most important thing is to take the long view on things. We live in such a 24/7, Twitter-fed, constant news cycle, and everything's a crisis, everything is terrible, everything is doomsday, everything is - if it doesn't get solved tomorrow, your presidency is going off the rails.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes the need for patience and perspective amid relentless news and crisis culture. **In simple terms:** Take a broader, longer‑term view despite daily turmoil. Key Takeaway Prioritize long‑term goals over short‑term panic. Themes patience perspective media leadership crisis\_management Mood thoughtful calm reflective Type advice political philosophical When to use this quote - political decision‑making - personal stress management - media consumption habits - organizational planning Key Concepts strategic foresight resilience information overload Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate long‑term thinking in a fast‑paced environment? - What habits help you resist crisis fatigue? A Different Perspective Short‑term urgency can crowd out thoughtful planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) [Constant News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant-news-2577007/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Crisis Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis-terrible-2577005/) [Cycles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycles/) [Doomsday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doomsday/) [Feds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feds/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency/) [Rail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rail/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Terrible Doomsday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-doomsday-2577008/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Tomorrow Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow-presidency-2577006/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) ## Related quotes > [A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-donovan/a-crisis-is-a-terrible-thing-to-waste/) [Shaun Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-donovan/) > [“Jesus wasn’t the first to resurrect Christ inside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-emunds/jesus-wasn-t-the-first-to-resurrect-christ-inside/) [Stefan Emunds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-emunds/) > [Doomsday is quite within our reach, if we will only stretch for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/doomsday-is-quite-within-our-reach-if-we-will-only-stretch-for-it/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) > [For everyone who, having no artistic sense-that is to say, no submission to subjective reality-may have the knack of reasoning about art till doomsday,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/for-everyone-who-having-no-artistic-sense-that-is-to-say-no/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [You might prove doctrine from the Bible till doomsday, and it would merely convince a people, but would not convert them. You might read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/you-might-prove-doctrine-from-the-bible-till-doomsday-and-it-would/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical, decisive hour. Write it on your heart that every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/one-of-the-illusions-of-life-is-that-the-present-hour-is-not-the-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“This is what the beginning of the end of the world will look like”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/this-is-what-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-world-will-look-like/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [“DeVontay touched his left eye and wiggled the glass prosthetic. “You got that right. 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No man has learned anything rightly, until he knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/write-it-on-your-heart-that-every-day-is-the-best-day-in-the-year-no/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Some comments called for the inclusion of an anti-skimming device that would block unauthorized connections with the readable chip to gain access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-everett-church/some-comments-called-for-the-inclusion-of-an-anti-skimming-device/) [Ray Everett-Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-everett-church/) > [Fools, when their roof-tree falls, think it doomsday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/fools-when-their-roof-tree-falls-think-it-doomsday/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [“If silence of the days and darkness of the nights is the indicator of the doomsday; we are already in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-silence-of-the-days-and-darkness-of-the-nights-is-the-indicator-of/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [We had the same doomsday people when we were building the MGM Grand, same people, same doomsday. You have to ask a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-kerkorian/we-had-the-same-doomsday-people-when-we-were-building-the-mgm-grand/) [Kirk Kerkorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-kerkorian/) > [Gee, I wish we had one of them doomsday machines things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/gee-i-wish-we-had-one-of-them-doomsday-machines-things/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Constant quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [As I grow through love, so grows my joy, ever more present, ever more constant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/as-i-grow-through-love-so-grows-my-joy-ever-more-present-ever-more/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/life-and-death-are-illusions-we-are-in-a-constant-state-of/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [People don't need sudden revelations. They get what they need when they need it, thought by thought by thought. It's a constant thing when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/people-don-t-need-sudden-revelations-they-get-what-they-need-when/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Fishing is a constant reminder of the democracy of life, of humility, and of human frailty. The forces of nature discriminate for no man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/fishing-is-a-constant-reminder-of-the-democracy-of-life-of-humility/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [It's a constant man-ego-check going on in the streets, in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/it-s-a-constant-man-ego-check-going-on-in-the-streets-in-this-world/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Research is an organized method of trying to find out what you are going to do after you cannot do what you are doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/research-is-an-organized-method-of-trying-to-find-out-what-you-are/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better angels prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-and-evil-in-everyone-and-it-s-a/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [You're a constant student, as a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/you-re-a-constant-student-as-a-musician/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [Intimacy requires an ability to both merge and be separate, to come together and be apart, like oscillating on a giant swing from oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-sophia-kasl/intimacy-requires-an-ability-to-both-merge-and-be-separate-to-come/) [Charlotte Sophia Kasl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-sophia-kasl/) [Browse all 3,025 Constant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the most important thing is to take the long view on things. 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