--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People who spend most of their time…" description: "\"“People who spend most of their time putting out fires are usually also the arsonists.”\" — Dan Sullivan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/dan-sullivan-87712_arsonists_people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putt_2961972.jpg" --- # People who spend most of their time putting out fires are… ![“People who spend most of their time putting out fires are usually also the arsonists.” quote by Dan Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/dan-sullivan-87712_arsonists_people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putt_2961972.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/dan-sullivan-87712_arsonists_people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putt_2961972.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/dan-sullivan-87712_arsonists_people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putt_2961972.jpg) > ““People who spend most of their time putting out fires are usually also the arsonists.”” [Dan Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-sullivan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Those who constantly solve problems may be causing them. **In simple terms:** Problem‑solvers can be arsonists. Key Takeaway Identify and stop creating problems. Themes productivity self‑awareness responsibility Mood reflective practical Type business self‑help When to use this quote - time management - stress reduction - team dynamics Key Concepts cause‑effect analysis personal development Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate between solving and creating issues? - What habits reduce unnecessary firefighting? A Different Perspective Not all problem‑solvers are at fault. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arsonists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arsonists/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Fires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fires/) [Fires Usually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fires-usually-4516237/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Putting Fires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putting-fires-429428/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Usually Arsonists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usually-arsonists-4516236/) ## Related quotes > [It is difficult to determine the cause of grass fires. There is usually nothing left behind when we get there, like a cigarette or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glover/it-is-difficult-to-determine-the-cause-of-grass-fires-there-is/) [John Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glover/) > [In Boston I got to a point where I thought I was putting out fires more than being a baseball coach. And some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-francona/in-boston-i-got-to-a-point-where-i-thought-i-was-putting-out-fires/) [Terry Francona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-francona/) > [“If I don't learn how to move from a place where I am constantly putting out fires, I will never learn how to plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glynn-brown-marlayna/if-i-don-t-learn-how-to-move-from-a-place-where-i-am-constantly/) [Glynn Brown, Marlayna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glynn-brown-marlayna/) > [My normal routine is pretty much putting out fires all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-wang/my-normal-routine-is-pretty-much-putting-out-fires-all-day/) [Vera Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-wang/) > [Some people procrastinate so much that all they can do is run around like firefighters all day - putting out fires that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nido-r-qubein/some-people-procrastinate-so-much-that-all-they-can-do-is-run-around/) [Nido R Qubein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nido-r-qubein/) > [Mayor De Blasio's appointment of Bill Bratton as police commissioner is the height of hypocrisy. Asking Bratton to stop racial profiling and stop and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barron/mayor-de-blasio-s-appointment-of-bill-bratton-as-police-commissioner/) [Charles Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barron/) > [If somebody says, "You like putting out fires," and I say, "It's not a case of liking it, but I do put them out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/if-somebody-says-you-like-putting-out-fires-and-i-say-it-s-not-a-case/) [Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/) > [Stop putting out 'fires' and start chasing problems to the root cause(s). Address the issues that keep flaring up there at the root.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-jay-taylor/stop-putting-out-fires-and-start-chasing-problems-to-the-root-cause-s/) [T Jay Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-jay-taylor/) > [Really, most of us just focus on what's in front of us. We're too busy putting out the fires of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-quinn/really-most-of-us-just-focus-on-what-s-in-front-of-us-we-re-too-busy/) [Aidan Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-quinn/) > [“Don’t let things sit for too long. It’s always tempting to just ignore the things that aren’t actually on fire just at the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-always-tempting-to-just-ignore/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“You get to decide where your time goes. You can either spend it moving forward, or you can spend it putting out fires. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-morgan/you-get-to-decide-where-your-time-goes-you-can-either-spend-it-moving/) [Tony Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-morgan/) > [“If your team is constantly chasing its own tail and putting out fires instead of having time to sit down and experiment, learn new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-osherove/if-your-team-is-constantly-chasing-its-own-tail-and-putting-out-fires/) [Roy Osherove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-osherove/) > [The way that I am, most of my time as a manager has been putting fires out and I don't enjoy dealing with chairmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-warnock/the-way-that-i-am-most-of-my-time-as-a-manager-has-been-putting-fires/) [Neil Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-warnock/) > [Sometimes change came all at once, with a sound like a fire taking hold of dry wood and paper, with a roar that rose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/sometimes-change-came-all-at-once-with-a-sound-like-a-fire-taking/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [“I look at you Across those fires and the dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weldon-kees/i-look-at-you-across-those-fires-and-the-dark/) [Weldon Kees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weldon-kees/) ## More by Dan Sullivan > [“Always make your future bigger than your past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-sullivan/always-make-your-future-bigger-than-your-past/) [Dan Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-sullivan/) > [“Questions are infinitely superior to answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-sullivan/questions-are-infinitely-superior-to-answers/) [Dan Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-sullivan/) [Explore all 3 Dan Sullivan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-sullivan/) ## More Arsonists quotes > [Mayor De Blasio's appointment of Bill Bratton as police commissioner is the height of hypocrisy. Asking Bratton to stop racial profiling and stop and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barron/mayor-de-blasio-s-appointment-of-bill-bratton-as-police-commissioner/) [Charles Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barron/) > [“We have arsonists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/we-have-arsonists/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [What's taken God 200 years to create was wiped out in a couple of days by what was apparently an arsonist, And it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-janklow/what-s-taken-god-200-years-to-create-was-wiped-out-in-a-couple-of/) [Bill Janklow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-janklow/) > [The innovative leader has to be an arsonist and a firefighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sloane/the-innovative-leader-has-to-be-an-arsonist-and-a-firefighter/) [Paul Sloane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sloane/) > [I am a phoenix who runs after arsonists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/i-am-a-phoenix-who-runs-after-arsonists/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [I get a headache when I hear supporters of this endless warfare complaining about the federal budget deficits. They're like arsonists complaining about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-herbert/i-get-a-headache-when-i-hear-supporters-of-this-endless-warfare/) [Bob Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-herbert/) > [Giving people like Dodd and Frank more authority is like rewarding an arsonist with gasoline and matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-mitchell/giving-people-like-dodd-and-frank-more-authority-is-like-rewarding-an/) [Daniel J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-mitchell/) > [“I hear Mr. Palmer tell Hannah that it was an electrical fault. Five arsonists in one school and it ends up being something so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-hear-mr-palmer-tell-hannah-that-it-was-an-electrical-fault-five/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [It could be worse," he said finally. "Efrenia married an arsonist. Jake's wife is a kleptomaniac. I suppose, a psychopathic spree killer isn't that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/it-could-be-worse-he-said-finally-efrenia-married-an-arsonist-jake-s/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“I didn't realize there was a ranking." I said. "Sadie frowned. "What do you mean?" "A ranking," I said. "You know, what's crazier than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/i-didn-t-realize-there-was-a-ranking-i-said-sadie-frowned-what-do-you/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [You Republicans are the arsonists who burned down our national home. Now you have the nerve to criticize the 'architect' America just hired -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-schaeffer/you-republicans-are-the-arsonists-who-burned-down-our-national-home/) [Frank Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-schaeffer/) > [Resentment is when you allow what’s eating you to eat you up. Revenge is the raging fire that consumes the arsonist. Bitterness is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/resentment-is-when-you-allow-what-s-eating-you-to-eat-you-up-revenge/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [We now know that a neo-conservative is an arsonist who sets the house on fire and six years later boasts that no one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/we-now-know-that-a-neo-conservative-is-an-arsonist-who-sets-the-house/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [“Darkest the outside 1921 "Agent of Fantasy" arsonists of the ascent from peril the miss actress”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinidad-falcon/darkest-the-outside-1921-agent-of-fantasy-arsonists-of-the-ascent/) [Trinidad Falcon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinidad-falcon/) > [It is not altogether a bad thing to have criminal ancestors. An arsonist grandfather may bequeath one a nose for smelling smoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/it-is-not-altogether-a-bad-thing-to-have-criminal-ancestors-an/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) [Browse all 27 Arsonists quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arsonists/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People who spend most of their time putting out fires are usually also the arsonists.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dan Sullivan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-sullivan/people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putting-out-fires-are-usually/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arsonists" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-sullivan/people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putting-out-fires-are-usually/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/dan-sullivan-87712_arsonists_people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putt_2961972.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/dan-sullivan-87712_arsonists_people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putt_2961972.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/dan-sullivan-87712_arsonists_people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putt_2961972.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People who spend most of their time putting out fires are usually also the arsonists.” — Dan Sullivan", "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": "Dan Sullivan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-sullivan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“People who spend most of their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-sullivan/people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putting-out-fires-are-usually/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-sullivan/people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putting-out-fires-are-usually/#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 } } ] } ```