---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But, come to think of it, there was no…"
description: "\"But, come to think of it, there was no need to wait. Time travelers don't have to wait for anybody.\" — Jack McDevitt"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/jack-mcdevitt-8429_needs_but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-nee_1052623.jpg"
---

#  But, come to think of it, there was no need to wait. Time…

![“But, come to think of it, there was no need to wait. Time travelers don't have to wait for anybody.” quote by Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/jack-mcdevitt-8429_needs_but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-nee_1052623.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/jack-mcdevitt-8429_needs_but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-nee_1052623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/jack-mcdevitt-8429_needs_but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-nee_1052623.jpg)

> “But, come to think of it, there was no need to wait. Time travelers don't have to wait for anybody.”

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Time travelers are not constrained by waiting; they can act immediately without delay.

**In simple terms:** Time travelers act instantly.

Key Takeaway

Embrace immediacy.

Themes

time action science fiction

Mood

thoughtful inspired

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- planning
- making decisions
- seizing opportunities
- overcoming procrastination

Key Concepts

relativity causality

Questions to Reflect On

- How would you act if you could skip waiting?
- What opportunities arise when you stop delaying?

A Different Perspective

Assumes fictional premise; real life differs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-travel/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Traveler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traveler/) [Travelers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travelers/)

## Related quotes

> [“And never forget," Michael said, "time travelers never die. No matter what you saw up ahead, about me, I'll always be here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/and-never-forget-michael-said-time-travelers-never-die-no-matter-what/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [the only time travelers are really gay is when they are traveling for no good reason at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boothe-luce/the-only-time-travelers-are-really-gay-is-when-they-are-traveling-for/)

[Clare Boothe Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boothe-luce/)

> [“We are all time travelers, we just don't know it yet.The only problem is that we only have a one way ticket, destination: FUTURE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alina-radoi/we-are-all-time-travelers-we-just-don-t-know-it-yet-the-only-problem/)

[Alina Radoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alina-radoi/)

> [“And, in a way, we're all time travelers. Somehow, the entire temporal stream exists, but we're only conscious of a single moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/and-in-a-way-we-re-all-time-travelers-somehow-the-entire-temporal/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [“we are all time travelers in our minds, if not in our bodies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/we-are-all-time-travelers-in-our-minds-if-not-in-our-bodies/)

[Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/)

> [“We are the time travelers that time forgot about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipolar-godauthor/we-are-the-time-travelers-that-time-forgot-about/)

Bipolar GodAuthor

> [Stars, too, were time travelers. How many of these ancient points of light were the last echoes of suns now dead? How many had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/stars-too-were-time-travelers-how-many-of-these-ancient-points-of/)

[Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/)

> [“Running along the bank was a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and looking worriedly at a clock. Appearing and disappearing at various points on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/running-along-the-bank-was-a-white-rabbit-wearing-a-waistcoat-and/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [There's no need to wait for the bad things and bullshit to be over. Change now. Love now. Live now. Don't wait for people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-carr/there-s-no-need-to-wait-for-the-bad-things-and-bullshit-to-be-over/)

[Kris Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-carr/)

> [“That's just how time travel looks like to the untrained eye. The reason why there aren't more travelers is that your average physicist refuses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-sands/that-s-just-how-time-travel-looks-like-to-the-untrained-eye-the/)

[Bradley Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-sands/)

> [My impatient grind, I'm taking mine. I ain't finna wait for mine. Anybody wanna shine? I suggest you wait in line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti/my-impatient-grind-i-m-taking-mine-i-ain-t-finna-wait-for-mine/)

TI

> [You'll find another.' God! Banish the thought. Why don't you tell me that 'if the girl had been worth having she'd have waited for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-ll-find-another-god-banish-the-thought-why-don-t-you-tell-me-that/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [I'm not going to wait on anybody to put out music or a visual. Everything I will do is on my own. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario/i-m-not-going-to-wait-on-anybody-to-put-out-music-or-a-visual/)

[Mario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario/)

> [You live and you learn, man. I've learned you can't wait on anybody. You have to raise your awareness yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/you-live-and-you-learn-man-i-ve-learned-you-can-t-wait-on-anybody-you/)

[Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/)

> [Do not wait for anybody or anything. Do whatever you can. Build your hope on none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/do-not-wait-for-anybody-or-anything-do-whatever-you-can-build-your/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

## More by Jack McDevitt

> [The queen of virtues is the recognition of one's own flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/the-queen-of-virtues-is-the-recognition-of-one-s-own-flaws/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [Tides are like politics. They come and go with a great deal of fuss and noise, but inevitably they leave the beach just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/tides-are-like-politics-they-come-and-go-with-a-great-deal-of-fuss/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [Talking with most people usually involves a search for truth. Talking with congressmen is strictly special effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/talking-with-most-people-usually-involves-a-search-for-truth-talking/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [The real problem has to do with the inability by people to admit that a position they've held a long time might be wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/the-real-problem-has-to-do-with-the-inability-by-people-to-admit-that/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [Lies hold civilization together. If people ever seriously begin telling each other what they really think, there'd be no peace. Good-bye to tact. Good-bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/lies-hold-civilization-together-if-people-ever-seriously-begin/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [Science fiction writers missed the most salient feature of our modern era: the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/science-fiction-writers-missed-the-most-salient-feature-of-our-modern/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [ “...those whose tastes run to personal power \[can\] never be trusted to act save in the pursuit of their own ambition.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/those-whose-tastes-run-to-personal-power-can-never-be-trusted-to-act/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [Solitude is only a good idea if you have the right people along to share it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/solitude-is-only-a-good-idea-if-you-have-the-right-people-along-to/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [Universal deities ... never seem to smile. Not in any culture. What's the point of having omnipotence if you don't enjoy it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/universal-deities-never-seem-to-smile-not-in-any-culture-what-s-the/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [Technological civilizations don't last long. You're all right until you get a printing press. Then a race starts between technology and common sense. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/technological-civilizations-don-t-last-long-you-re-all-right-until/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [My father used to take me to the movies on Saturdays. In 1940, when I was four years old, we encountered 'Flash Gordon Conquers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/my-father-used-to-take-me-to-the-movies-on-saturdays-in-1940-when-i/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [Of course, they (i. e., demons) had always been observed with some regularity, but that could usually be ascribed to an overabundance of piety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/of-course-they-i-e-demons-had-always-been-observed-with-some/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [If you want creative and successful children, resign yourself to jousting with rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/if-you-want-creative-and-successful-children-resign-yourself-to/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [There is no justice. There are occasional acts of vengeance, or regret, but there's no real justice. In the natural scheme of things, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/there-is-no-justice-there-are-occasional-acts-of-vengeance-or-regret/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [I was once invited to attend a private dinner for Senator John F. Kennedy. But it was a Saturday evening, and I passed. Had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/i-was-once-invited-to-attend-a-private-dinner-for-senator-john-f/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

[Explore all 81 Jack McDevitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

## More Needs quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/)

[Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/)

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [If your life's at a juncture and you need to think about things, there's nowhere better than home. However old you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/if-your-life-s-at-a-juncture-and-you-need-to-think-about-things-there/)

[Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/)

[David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/)

> [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. It ignores the health needs of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/it-is-irresponsible-to-set-an-arbitrary-cap-on-how-much-therapy-a/)

[John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/)

> [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/)

[Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/)

> [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/)

[Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/)

> [I was very lucky to get well known much later in life. You need to have flopped quite a few times to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-was-very-lucky-to-get-well-known-much-later-in-life-you-need-to/)

[George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/)

[Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/)

> [I want a man that when I come running up to him with tears running down my face, the first thing he says is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-a-man-that-when-i-come-running-up-to-him-with-tears-running/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

Browse all 40,464 Needs quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "But, come to think of it, there was no need to wait. Time travelers don't have to wait for anybody.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jack McDevitt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-need-to-wait-time-travelers-don/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Needs"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-need-to-wait-time-travelers-don/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/jack-mcdevitt-8429_needs_but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-nee_1052623.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/jack-mcdevitt-8429_needs_but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-nee_1052623.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/jack-mcdevitt-8429_needs_but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-nee_1052623.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“But, come to think of it, there was no need to wait. Time travelers don't have to wait for anybody.” — Jack McDevitt",
                "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": "Jack McDevitt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "But, come to think of it,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-need-to-wait-time-travelers-don/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/but-come-to-think-of-it-there-was-no-need-to-wait-time-travelers-don/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
