--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don’t let things sit for too long. It’s…" description: "\"“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, but then you’re als..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/james-s-a-corey-861_fire_don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-a_1399427.jpg" --- # Don’t let things sit for too long. It’s always tempting to… ![“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, but then you’re also committing to spend your time putting out fires.” quote by James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/james-s-a-corey-861_fire_don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-a_1399427.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/james-s-a-corey-861_fire_don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-a_1399427.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/james-s-a-corey-861_fire_don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-a_1399427.jpg) > ““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, but then you’re also committing to spend your time putting out fires.”” [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignoring minor issues leads to larger crises; proactive attention prevents fire‑fighting. **In simple terms:** Address small problems early. Key Takeaway Act early, avoid larger problems. Themes proactivity time management crisis prevention Mood alert responsible Type advice motivational When to use this quote - project management - home maintenance - personal health - team leadership Key Concepts systems thinking behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - What small task have you postponed? - How can you balance vigilance with rest? A Different Perspective Constant vigilance can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [“People who spend most of their time putting out fires are usually also the arsonists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-sullivan/people-who-spend-most-of-their-time-putting-out-fires-are-usually/) Dan Sullivan > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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 > [“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 > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [Ignore the things that depresses you because it only makes you weak inside and out. Theres a lot of things you can give your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ignore-the-things-that-depresses-you-because-it-only-makes-you-weak/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are all very ignorant. What happens is that not all ignore the same things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/we-are-all-very-ignorant-what-happens-is-that-not-all-ignore-the-same/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [We gather the things we learned, and they don't nearly add up to fill the space of a life. You will miss the taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-gather-the-things-we-learned-and-they-don-t-nearly-add-up-to-fill/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I'm not going to stand by and ignore things that I think are important to talk about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cordray/i-m-not-going-to-stand-by-and-ignore-things-that-i-think-are/) [Richard Cordray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cordray/) ## More by James S.A. Corey > [“If life transcends death, then I will seek for you there. If not, then there too.” He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/if-life-transcends-death-then-i-will-seek-for-you-there-if-not-then/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [Violence is what people do when they run out of good ideas. It's attractive because it's simple, it's direct, it's almost always available as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/violence-is-what-people-do-when-they-run-out-of-good-ideas-it-s/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“This was the difference, she thought, between solitude and isolation. And now she knew something about herself she hadn’t known before. It was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/this-was-the-difference-she-thought-between-solitude-and-isolation/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Oh, I’m not dying out here,” Amos said, and pointed toward the interior of the ship with his chin. “Worst-case scenario, I’m dying inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-i-m-not-dying-out-here-amos-said-and-pointed-toward-the-interior/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“My love is a pure love,” Alex said with a grin. “I wouldn’t sully it by actually, you know, doin’ anything about it.” “The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/my-love-is-a-pure-love-alex-said-with-a-grin-i-wouldn-t-sully-it-by/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“The mech hadn’t been designed for violence, but it was suited for it. That made her and it the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-mech-hadn-t-been-designed-for-violence-but-it-was-suited-for-it/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“For another thing, we’re under martial law, so I can do very nearly whatever the fuck I want. Including march through your precious little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/for-another-thing-we-re-under-martial-law-so-i-can-do-very-nearly/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“This attack is the greatest tragedy in human history,” Avasarala said. “They want the belt to rise up so they can hide behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/this-attack-is-the-greatest-tragedy-in-human-history-avasarala-said/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Church of Humanity Ascendant, a religion that eschewed supernaturalism in all forms, and whose theology boiled down to Humans can be better than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/church-of-humanity-ascendant-a-religion-that-eschewed-supernaturalism/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Oh good,” Amos replied. “Somebody got killed there. That’s how we claim stuff, you know. This planet is officially ours now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-good-amos-replied-somebody-got-killed-there-that-s-how-we-claim/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Alamogordo and worked his two-year service stripping down ancient solar electricity stations from the bad old days before fusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/alamogordo-and-worked-his-two-year-service-stripping-down-ancient/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“But humans hadn’t been living and working in space nearly long enough for the primitive part of the brain not to say, I’ll fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/but-humans-hadn-t-been-living-and-working-in-space-nearly-long-enough/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“I like the backup plan better,” Amos said. “Backup plan?” Prax asked. “The backup plan is I grab the first guy we see, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/i-like-the-backup-plan-better-amos-said-backup-plan-prax-asked-the/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“She had seen Holden on the newsfeeds and reports. At the beginning of the war between Mars and the Belt, he had been the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/she-had-seen-holden-on-the-newsfeeds-and-reports-at-the-beginning-of/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“the lizard living at the base of her spine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-lizard-living-at-the-base-of-her-spine/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) [Explore all 341 James S.A. Corey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) ## More Fire quotes > [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/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Carrying that lumber the forty meters from the forest had left his knuckles blistered, his underarms sopping, but now a few hours of flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/carrying-that-lumber-the-forty-meters-from-the-forest-had-left-his/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [AHHHHHH! Goyle has set the bloody place on fire! -Ron Weasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ahhhhhh-goyle-has-set-the-bloody-place-on-fire-ron-weasley/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 8,652 Fire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“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, but then you’re also committing to spend your time putting out fires.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James S.A. Corey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-always-tempting-to-just-ignore/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-always-tempting-to-just-ignore/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/james-s-a-corey-861_fire_don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-a_1399427.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/james-s-a-corey-861_fire_don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-a_1399427.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/james-s-a-corey-861_fire_don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-a_1399427.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don’t let things sit for too long. It’s always tempting to just ignore the things that aren’t actually on…” — James S.A. Corey", "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": "James S.A. Corey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Don’t let things sit for too...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-always-tempting-to-just-ignore/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/don-t-let-things-sit-for-too-long-it-s-always-tempting-to-just-ignore/#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 } } ] } ```