--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was too late - everything was too…" description: "\"It was too late - everything was too late. For years now he had dreamed the world away, basing his decisions upon emotions unstable as water.\" — F. Sco..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_decision_it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late_374231.jpg" --- # It was too late - everything was too late. For years now… ![“It was too late - everything was too late. For years now he had dreamed the world away, basing his decisions upon emotions unstable as water.” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_decision_it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late_374231.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_decision_it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late_374231.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_decision_it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late_374231.jpg) > “It was too late - everything was too late. For years now he had dreamed the world away, basing his decisions upon emotions unstable as water.” [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He delayed decisions, letting fleeting emotions dictate his life, leading to missed chances. **In simple terms:** Emotions can cloud judgment and cause regret. Key Takeaway Act before emotions dominate. Themes regret emotion timing decision-making Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - creative projects Key Concepts psychology literature existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What decisions have you postponed due to feelings? A Different Perspective Emotions can also inspire creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Feelings and emotions are unstable. And should never be the reason for your permanent decisions and choices that you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/feelings-and-emotions-are-unstable-and-should-never-be-the-reason-for-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your emotions are very unstable and should never be the foundation for direction in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/your-emotions-are-very-unstable-and-should-never-be-the-foundation/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“For eight years I dreamed of fire. Trees ignited as I passed them; oceans burned. The sugary smoke settled in my hair as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-diffenbaugh/for-eight-years-i-dreamed-of-fire-trees-ignited-as-i-passed-them/) [Vanessa Diffenbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-diffenbaugh/) > [I've been doing this close to 19 years now, and I always dreamed of being in the WWE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickie-james/i-ve-been-doing-this-close-to-19-years-now-and-i-always-dreamed-of/) [Mickie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickie-james/) > [We (the indivisible divinity that works in us) have dreamed the world . We have dreamed it resistant, mysterious, visible, ubiquitous in space and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/we-the-indivisible-divinity-that-works-in-us-have-dreamed-the-world/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“I dreamed the world was an awful place,” he said. “It wasn’t a dream,” she told him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cotterill/i-dreamed-the-world-was-an-awful-place-he-said-it-wasn-t-a-dream-she/) [Colin Cotterill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cotterill/) > [When I was a kid in Adelaide, I dreamed of becoming No. 1 in the world, winning a grand slam and the Davis Cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lleyton-hewitt/when-i-was-a-kid-in-adelaide-i-dreamed-of-becoming-no-1-in-the-world/) [Lleyton Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lleyton-hewitt/) > [I dreamed of becoming a world champion, I dreamed of becoming France's champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylian-mbappe/i-dreamed-of-becoming-a-world-champion-i-dreamed-of-becoming-france-s/) [Kylian Mbappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylian-mbappe/) > [The world as dreamed and the world as lived cross-pollinate each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ian-barasch/the-world-as-dreamed-and-the-world-as-lived-cross-pollinate-each-other/) [Marc Ian Barasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ian-barasch/) > [“And then... And then Thomas Hunter dreamed, and the world would never be the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/and-then-and-then-thomas-hunter-dreamed-and-the-world-would-never-be/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [I grew up in a very small town which is remote even by Indian standards. I always dreamed of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/i-grew-up-in-a-very-small-town-which-is-remote-even-by-indian/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) > [Feelings and emotions are unstable. And should never be the reason for your decisions and choices that you make. It cannot be trusted, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-vermaak/feelings-and-emotions-are-unstable-and-should-never-be-the-reason-for/) [Geraldine Vermaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-vermaak/) > [Do not allow your emotions to direct you. Emotions are unstable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tassel-daley/do-not-allow-your-emotions-to-direct-you-emotions-are-unstable/) [Tassel Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tassel-daley/) > [“That errant devil must have some wicked hold upon her to make her act in such a way. Eliza loved him. They were to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-lynn-perry/that-errant-devil-must-have-some-wicked-hold-upon-her-to-make-her-act/) [Amber Lynn Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-lynn-perry/) > [“For years I dreamed of having the sort of massive oak slab that would dominate a room...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/for-years-i-dreamed-of-having-the-sort-of-massive-oak-slab-that-would/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More by F. Scott Fitzgerald > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“There was a ripe mystery about it, a hint of bedrooms upstairs more beautiful and cool than other bedrooms, of gay and radiant activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/there-was-a-ripe-mystery-about-it-a-hint-of-bedrooms-upstairs-more/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. You can read in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-you-to-take-a-red-hot-bath-as-hot-as-you-can-bear-it-and-just/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Tireless passion, fierce jealousy, longing to possess and crush-these alone were left of all his love for Rosalind; these remained to him as payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/tireless-passion-fierce-jealousy-longing-to-possess-and-crush-these/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I found something! Courage--just that; courage as a rule of life and something to cling to always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-found-something-courage-just-that-courage-as-a-rule-of-life-and/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Life is a series of successful gestures...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/life-is-a-series-of-successful-gestures/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Another dawn flung itself across the river; a belated taxi hurried along the street, its lamps still shining like burning eyes in a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/another-dawn-flung-itself-across-the-river-a-belated-taxi-hurried/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I'm one of those people who go through the world giving other people thrills but getting few myself except those I read into men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-go-through-the-world-giving-other-people/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-montana-sunset-lay-between-the-mountains-like-a-giant-bruise-from/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“You loved me too?" he repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-loved-me-too-he-repeated/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“He was good looking, "sort of distinguished when he wants to be", had a line, and was properly inconstant. In fact, he summed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-was-good-looking-sort-of-distinguished-when-he-wants-to-be-had-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [What are you going to do? "Can't say - run for president, write -" "Greenwich Village?" "Good heavens, no - I said write -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-are-you-going-to-do-can-t-say-run-for-president-write-greenwich/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The latter was considered a good fellow and a fine leader, until a year later, when he disappeared with a mess fund of eleven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-latter-was-considered-a-good-fellow-and-a-fine-leader-until-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-eluded-us-then-but-that-s-no-matter-tomorrow-we-will-run-faster/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Explore all 1,568 F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## More Decision quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) [Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was too late - everything was too late. For years now he had dreamed the world away, basing his decisions upon emotions unstable as water.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "F. Scott Fitzgerald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late-for-years-now-he-had-dreamed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decision" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late-for-years-now-he-had-dreamed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_decision_it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late_374231.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_decision_it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late_374231.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_decision_it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late_374231.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was too late - everything was too late. For years now he had dreamed the world away, basing his decisions…” — F. Scott Fitzgerald", "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": "F. Scott Fitzgerald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It was too late - everything...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late-for-years-now-he-had-dreamed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-was-too-late-everything-was-too-late-for-years-now-he-had-dreamed/#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 } } ] } ```