--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're thirsty, it's too late to…" description: "\"When you're thirsty, it's too late to think about digging a well.\" — Harvey Mackay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/harvey-mackay-1775_digging_when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-thi_1263505.png" --- # When you're thirsty, it's too late to think about digging… ![“When you're thirsty, it's too late to think about digging a well.” quote by Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/harvey-mackay-1775_digging_when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-thi_1263505.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/harvey-mackay-1775_digging_when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-thi_1263505.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/harvey-mackay-1775_digging_when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-thi_1263505.png) > “When you're thirsty, it's too late to think about digging a well.” [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Delaying action leads to missed opportunities; proactive planning is essential. **In simple terms:** Act early, avoid regret. Key Takeaway Plan ahead, act promptly. Themes planning timing opportunity proactivity regret Mood practical reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - business ventures - personal health goals - financial investments - emergency preparedness Key Concepts decision making future planning resource management Questions to Reflect On - What opportunity have you delayed? - How can you improve timely decision making? A Different Perspective Early action may involve risk or uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) ## Related quotes > [A Japanese proverb says fall seven times, stand up eight. We can also say this: Hate zero times, love infinitely!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-japanese-proverb-says-fall-seven-times-stand-up-eight-we-can-also/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Fall down seven times, get up eight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margi-preus/fall-down-seven-times-get-up-eight/) [Margi Preus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margi-preus/) > [One of my favorite Japanese proverbs is "Fall down 7 times, stand up 8".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/one-of-my-favorite-japanese-proverbs-is-fall-down-7-times-stand-up-8/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/however-late-you-think-you-are-however-many-chances-you-think-you/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [It is not as late as you think. It is merely early - in the age of the rebirth of individualism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/it-is-not-as-late-as-you-think-it-is-merely-early-in-the-age-of-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [ I think it \[presidency of Dwight Eisenhower\] came too late and I think that he is not on the wavelength of this dreadful time… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/i-think-it-presidency-of-dwight-eisenhower-came-too-late-and-i-think/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [It's never too late to think big. Widen your horizons. Look beyond your normal limits. See things in a larger picture. Consider the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bourget/it-s-never-too-late-to-think-big-widen-your-horizons-look-beyond-your/) [Paul Bourget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bourget/) > [“We say "later", "later", until "later" becomes "too late" and all we can think of is "if only".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anastasia-petrenko/we-say-later-later-until-later-becomes-too-late-and-all-we-can-think/) Anastasia Petrenko > [“She stirs things inside me that I don't even know I'm feeling until it's too late. Whenever I'm around her, all I can think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collette-west/she-stirs-things-inside-me-that-i-don-t-even-know-i-m-feeling-until/) [Collette West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collette-west/) > [You asked Marco Rubio if it was too little too late. I think there's a little bit of too much too late, which is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/you-asked-marco-rubio-if-it-was-too-little-too-late-i-think-there-s-a/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“If ours souls are thirsty, we can draw freely, livng water from the well of salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/if-ours-souls-are-thirsty-we-can-draw-freely-livng-water-from-the/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Trying to find this industry's tendency to celebrate the physical is a waste of time. So I'm happy to play the game. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/trying-to-find-this-industry-s-tendency-to-celebrate-the-physical-is/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [“I'll get it if you need it, I'll search if you don't see it, You're thirsty, I'll be rain, You get hurt, I'll take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-degraw/i-ll-get-it-if-you-need-it-i-ll-search-if-you-don-t-see-it-you-re/) [Gavin DeGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-degraw/) > [“A certain man placed a fountain by the wayside, and he hung up a cup near to it by a little chain. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/a-certain-man-placed-a-fountain-by-the-wayside-and-he-hung-up-a-cup/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More by Harvey Mackay > [It doesn't matter if they say you can't do it. It only matters if you say you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/it-doesn-t-matter-if-they-say-you-can-t-do-it-it-only-matters-if-you/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don’t. Believe everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/life-is-too-short-to-wake-up-with-regrets-so-love-the-people-who/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Be like the turtle. If he didn't stick his neck out, he wouldn't get anywhere at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/be-like-the-turtle-if-he-didn-t-stick-his-neck-out-he-wouldn-t-get/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Keep the customer actively involved throughout your presentation, and watch your results improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/keep-the-customer-actively-involved-throughout-your-presentation-and/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Your workforce is your most valuable asset. The knowledge and skills they have represent the fuel that drives the engine of business - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/your-workforce-is-your-most-valuable-asset-the-knowledge-and-skills/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [I've learned that people will seldom let you down if they understand that your destiny is in their hands, and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/i-ve-learned-that-people-will-seldom-let-you-down-if-they-understand/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/people-begin-to-become-successful-the-minute-they-decide-to-be/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [I have ten marathons under my belt, including four New York races and one Boston.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/i-have-ten-marathons-under-my-belt-including-four-new-york-races-and/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Southwest Airlines is successful because the company understands it's a customer service company. It also happens to be an airline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/southwest-airlines-is-successful-because-the-company-understands-it-s/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Pay attention to those employees who respectfully ask why. They are demonstrating an interest in their jobs and exhibiting a curiosity that could eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/pay-attention-to-those-employees-who-respectfully-ask-why-they-are/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [The employees who share innovative ideas may also be the folks who have some hidden talents that would help incorporate their suggestions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/the-employees-who-share-innovative-ideas-may-also-be-the-folks-who/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Leadership does not mean getting people to do their job. It means getting people to do their best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/leadership-does-not-mean-getting-people-to-do-their-job-it-means/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [It's only lonely at the top if you forget all the people you met along the way and fail to acknowledge their contributions to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/it-s-only-lonely-at-the-top-if-you-forget-all-the-people-you-met/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [If you walk backwards, you will never stub your toe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/if-you-walk-backwards-you-will-never-stub-your-toe/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [As you schedule individual tasks, give yourself a cushion. Mark the due date a few days ahead of the actual deadline so you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/as-you-schedule-individual-tasks-give-yourself-a-cushion-mark-the-due/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) [Explore all 209 Harvey Mackay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) ## More Digging quotes > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [In archaeology you uncover the unknown. In diplomacy you cover the known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-archaeology-you-uncover-the-unknown-in-diplomacy-you-cover-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-thought-i-knew-a-lot-about-music-then-you-start-digging-and-the/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [From my image of digging around in the mud like a grunt, I preferred fighting the war from ships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haskell-wexler/from-my-image-of-digging-around-in-the-mud-like-a-grunt-i-preferred/) [Haskell Wexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haskell-wexler/) > [When you consider the sheer magnitude of investable equities to choose from in the world's emerging markets, you realize that finding one that looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mobius/when-you-consider-the-sheer-magnitude-of-investable-equities-to/) [Mark Mobius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mobius/) > [I love the little garden in the back of my family's brownstone in Brooklyn. Digging out there in the dirt is a joy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-love-the-little-garden-in-the-back-of-my-family-s-brownstone-in/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [ The Ancient One, as you know, is the master, is the Sorcerer Supreme, and \[Doctor\] Strange comes to learn how to heal himself and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilda-swinton/the-ancient-one-as-you-know-is-the-master-is-the-sorcerer-supreme-and/) [Tilda Swinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilda-swinton/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [If you really want to be a good archaeologist, you have to understand ancient DNA; you have to understand chemical analysis to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-parcak/if-you-really-want-to-be-a-good-archaeologist-you-have-to-understand/) [Sarah Parcak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-parcak/) > [I was a manual labourer. I figured out really early on that the value of my life could be determined by my hourly rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-was-a-manual-labourer-i-figured-out-really-early-on-that-the-value/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [Archaeology, I found, comprehended all manner of excitement and achievement. Adventure is coupled with bookish toil. Romantic excursions go hand in hand with scholarly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/archaeology-i-found-comprehended-all-manner-of-excitement-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've never met a girl who thinks like you." "A lot of people tell me that," she said, digging at a cuticle. "But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-ve-never-met-a-girl-who-thinks-like-you-a-lot-of-people-tell-me/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [If you don't break a hole through the brick wall, don't just start digging a new hole. Keep going until you break through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/if-you-don-t-break-a-hole-through-the-brick-wall-don-t-just-start/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [Keep digging, Flynn. Six feet makes a grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-monk/keep-digging-flynn-six-feet-makes-a-grave/) [Devon Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-monk/) Browse all 487 Digging quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're thirsty, it's too late to think about digging a well.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harvey Mackay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-think-about-digging-a-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Digging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-think-about-digging-a-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/harvey-mackay-1775_digging_when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-thi_1263505.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/harvey-mackay-1775_digging_when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-thi_1263505.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/harvey-mackay-1775_digging_when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-thi_1263505.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're thirsty, it's too late to think about digging a well.” — Harvey Mackay", "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": "Harvey Mackay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're thirsty, it's too late...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-think-about-digging-a-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/when-you-re-thirsty-it-s-too-late-to-think-about-digging-a-well/#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 } } ] } ```