--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And then what?\" \"I'll burn that bridge…" description: "\"And then what?\" \"I'll burn that bridge when I cross it.\" — Ilona Andrews" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/ilona-andrews-150_bridge_and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when_1774208.png" --- # And then what?" "I'll burn that bridge when I cross it. ![“And then what?" "I'll burn that bridge when I cross it.” quote by Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/ilona-andrews-150_bridge_and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when_1774208.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/ilona-andrews-150_bridge_and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when_1774208.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/ilona-andrews-150_bridge_and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when_1774208.png) > “And then what?" "I'll burn that bridge when I cross it.” [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Burning a bridge metaphorically means committing to a decision without a fallback. **In simple terms:** Commit fully, no turning back. Key Takeaway Make decisive choices and move forward. Themes decision-making commitment risk Mood determined cautious Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - career change - relationship decisions - venture startups Key Concepts irreversibility psychology strategy Questions to Reflect On - What risks are you willing to accept? - Do you have a backup plan? A Different Perspective May lead to reckless choices without contingency planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridge/) [Bridge Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridge-cross-942602/) [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Burn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn/) [Burn Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn-bridge-773110/) [Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cross/) [Crosses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crosses/) [Ll Burn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ll-burn/) ## Related quotes > [The importance in life is to never burn a bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/the-importance-in-life-is-to-never-burn-a-bridge/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [Sometimes when we follow Jesus we have to burn the bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/for-now/sometimes-when-we-follow-jesus-we-have-to-burn-the-bridge/) [For Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/for-now/) > [It's all too often that we burn a bridge before realizing that we left something on the other side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-all-too-often-that-we-burn-a-bridge-before-realizing-that-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'll never burn a bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-rae/i-ll-never-burn-a-bridge/) [Summer Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-rae/) > [“Most people see those who help them as a bridge; they cross the bridge and move on, without even looking back! To sincerely stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/most-people-see-those-who-help-them-as-a-bridge-they-cross-the-bridge/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Life is a bridge. Cross over it, but build no house on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-chatwin/life-is-a-bridge-cross-over-it-but-build-no-house-on-it/) [Bruce Chatwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-chatwin/) > [“Sometimes the hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/sometimes-the-hardest-thing-in-life-is-to-know-which-bridge-to-cross/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Your mouth on mine our bridge to cross and serve where we would go. Utopia of sensations the flesh could never know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/your-mouth-on-mine-our-bridge-to-cross-and-serve-where-we-would-go/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [“We will burn that bridge when we get to it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-s-smarter-brother/we-will-burn-that-bridge-when-we-get-to-it/) [Napoleon's Smarter Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-s-smarter-brother/) > [We'll burn your store right down to a crisp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/we-ll-burn-your-store-right-down-to-a-crisp/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [“If you’re not good, I’ll burn your—” “Yeah, I know.” MeShack strolled to his bedroom. “You’ll burn my balls off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-wright/if-you-re-not-good-i-ll-burn-your-yeah-i-know-meshack-strolled-to-his/) [Kenya Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-wright/) > [Nobody prays for the heartless. Nobody gives another penny for the selfish. You're learning how to taste what you kill now. Don't mind me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caraphernelia-pierce-the-veil/nobody-prays-for-the-heartless-nobody-gives-another-penny-for-the/) [Caraphernelia-Pierce The Veil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caraphernelia-pierce-the-veil/) > [The seeds of love have taken hold and if we won't burn together, I'll burn alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/the-seeds-of-love-have-taken-hold-and-if-we-won-t-burn-together-i-ll/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“I’ll burn the world down to save her”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-ll-burn-the-world-down-to-save-her/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [There's a danger in starting a fire, you'll never know how many bridges you'll burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-a-danger-in-starting-a-fire-you-ll-never-know-how-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ilona Andrews > [“Did he kill Grandmother?” I whispered. “Don’t be ridiculous,” Erra’s voice said in my ear. “She is already dead. Besides, your grandmother was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/did-he-kill-grandmother-i-whispered-don-t-be-ridiculous-erra-s-voice/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [The only way to make sure that the Hand didn't get to you would have been to kill your brother. I could've done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-only-way-to-make-sure-that-the-hand-didn-t-get-to-you-would-have/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“He hit her with his best smile. Her eyes widened. She took a deep breath. 'Oh no, not that seductive face. I'm overcome with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-hit-her-with-his-best-smile-her-eyes-widened-she-took-a-deep/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Because he doesn’t want me talking to my grandmother.” Barabas looked at Curran. Curran shrugged. “It’s a family thing. Sometimes your father puts your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/because-he-doesn-t-want-me-talking-to-my-grandmother-barabas-looked/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [I had forgotten that talking to you is like trying to pet a cactus." Saiman said dryly. "Thank you for reminding me." "Always happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-had-forgotten-that-talking-to-you-is-like-trying-to-pet-a-cactus/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [« He squeezed his hands into fists. I picked up a grapefruit-sized rock and handed it to him. It went flying. Home run, Beast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-squeezed-his-hands-into-fists-i-picked-up-a-grapefruit-sized-rock/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“He came for me. I couldn’t believe it. He came for me . Into a flying palace full of thousands of armed rakshasas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-came-for-me-i-couldn-t-believe-it-he-came-for-me-into-a-flying/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Saiman picked up a coffee mug, stared at it, and hurled it against the wall. It shattered into a dozen pieces. We looked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/saiman-picked-up-a-coffee-mug-stared-at-it-and-hurled-it-against-the/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Slowly the reality of the situation sank in. He got his ass kicked, learned nothing, and got saved by a dumb dog and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/slowly-the-reality-of-the-situation-sank-in-he-got-his-ass-kicked/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“I paused with the pen in my hand. "He burst into flames?" "He became engulfed in fire." "Was his buddy made out of orange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-paused-with-the-pen-in-my-hand-he-burst-into-flames-he-became/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“He hung his head. “Am I punished?” “Yes. I’m too mad to punish you right now. We’ll talk about it when we get home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-hung-his-head-am-i-punished-yes-i-m-too-mad-to-punish-you-right/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [The pervert." "He prefers to think of himself as sexual deviant." "Semantics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-pervert-he-prefers-to-think-of-himself-as-sexual-deviant-semantics/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“I want you to understand me. This isn’t vengeance. This is punishment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-want-you-to-understand-me-this-isn-t-vengeance-this-is-punishment/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [He snarled. I showed him my teeth. A rolled-up newspaper landed on my head and then on Jim’s. “None of that in my house!”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-snarled-i-showed-him-my-teeth-a-rolled-up-newspaper-landed-on-my/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [The door swung open and Kate walked in. Her jeans and T-shirt were splattered with blood and she was carrying a severed vampire head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-door-swung-open-and-kate-walked-in-her-jeans-and-t-shirt-were/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) [Explore all 1,105 Ilona Andrews quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) ## More Bridge quotes > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [“Art is what gets us beyond what is real. It makes reality more real. It also shortens the distance we gotta travel to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-pritchett/art-is-what-gets-us-beyond-what-is-real-it-makes-reality-more-real-it/) [Laura Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-pritchett/) > [People who have lost relationships often wonder why they can't just let it be water under the bridge. It is water under the bridge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-fairley/people-who-have-lost-relationships-often-wonder-why-they-can-t-just/) [Grant Fairley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-fairley/) > [Telling your story is transformative. For both the storyteller and their audience, a new bridge to understanding is created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-burton/telling-your-story-is-transformative-for-both-the-storyteller-and/) [Susan Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-burton/) > [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/) [Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/) > [“Mr Benz, the parapet of an Italian bridge doesn’t look like the proper place for you,” said Chase.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefania-mattana/mr-benz-the-parapet-of-an-italian-bridge-doesn-t-look-like-the-proper/) [Stefania Mattana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefania-mattana/) > [I find that it's best to take one step at a time and cross each bridge as they come to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stuhlbarg/i-find-that-it-s-best-to-take-one-step-at-a-time-and-cross-each/) [Michael Stuhlbarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stuhlbarg/) > [“Houses built on bridges are scandals. A bridge wants to not be. If it could choose its shape, a bridge would be no shape,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/houses-built-on-bridges-are-scandals-a-bridge-wants-to-not-be-if-it/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [Bridge the gap with closed minds though careful dissection of ideas and solid presentation of fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximillian-degenerez/bridge-the-gap-with-closed-minds-though-careful-dissection-of-ideas/) [Maximillian Degenerez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximillian-degenerez/) > [I remember, many years ago, coming over the Brooklyn Bridge in the night and seeing the skyline of Manhattan, with the Twin Towers. 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A bridge constructed entirely out of trust, honesty, and in our case, wooden planks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/love-is-a-bridge-between-your-future-and-mine-a-bridge-constructed/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [What I do is I'm trying to bridge the gap between yoga and fitness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-ingber/what-i-do-is-i-m-trying-to-bridge-the-gap-between-yoga-and-fitness/) [Mandy Ingber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-ingber/) > [Historically, Hong Kong has served as an important bridge between China and the world. Our freedoms, stability and the rule of law have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/historically-hong-kong-has-served-as-an-important-bridge-between/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Tower Bridge would make a cool house. I like the idea of living over the river.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-broad/tower-bridge-would-make-a-cool-house-i-like-the-idea-of-living-over/) [Stuart Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-broad/) [Browse all 736 Bridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And then what?\" \"I'll burn that bridge when I cross it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ilona Andrews" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when-i-cross-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bridge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when-i-cross-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/ilona-andrews-150_bridge_and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when_1774208.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/ilona-andrews-150_bridge_and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when_1774208.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/ilona-andrews-150_bridge_and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when_1774208.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And then what?\" \"I'll burn that bridge when I cross it.” — Ilona Andrews", "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": "Ilona Andrews", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And then what?\" \"I'll burn that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when-i-cross-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/and-then-what-i-ll-burn-that-bridge-when-i-cross-it/#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 } } ] } ```