--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As it was, things went from bad to worse…" description: "\"As it was, things went from bad to worse, as they often will when amateurs are involved in an activity that they perform in bad temper – or in a hurry...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/john-irving-337_amateurs_as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse_2518399.png" --- # As it was, things went from bad to worse, as they often… ![“As it was, things went from bad to worse, as they often will when amateurs are involved in an activity that they perform in bad temper – or in a hurry.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/john-irving-337_amateurs_as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse_2518399.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/john-irving-337_amateurs_as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse_2518399.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/john-irving-337_amateurs_as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse_2518399.png) > “As it was, things went from bad to worse, as they often will when amateurs are involved in an activity that they perform in bad temper – or in a hurry.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Amateurs often worsen situations due to impatience and poor temperament, leading to escalating problems. **In simple terms:** Amateurs can make things worse when rushed or angry. Key Takeaway Pause, reflect, and manage emotions before acting. Themes patience skill temperament decisionmaking Mood frustrated reflective Type cautionary observational When to use this quote - team projects - sports competitions - creative collaborations - emergency response Key Concepts human error emotional regulation competence Questions to Reflect On - How can you recognize when emotions are clouding judgment? - What steps help you regain composure? A Different Perspective Even experts can falter under pressure; skill alone isn’t enough. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amateurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amateurs/) [Bad temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-temper/) [Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper/) ## Related quotes > [Interacting with Karan Johar was huge and my first Weekend Ka Vaar really went bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-agarwal/interacting-with-karan-johar-was-huge-and-my-first-weekend-ka-vaar/) [Divya Agarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-agarwal/) > [The remake of 'Gulaabi Aankhein' went into a bad spin and I'll only hold myself responsible for it. I shouldn't have done it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaal-mallik/the-remake-of-gulaabi-aankhein-went-into-a-bad-spin-and-i-ll-only/) [Amaal Mallik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaal-mallik/) > [“The absolute defining moment of my life was the day the drug deal went bad. It started out just like any other day, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-fries-wade/the-absolute-defining-moment-of-my-life-was-the-day-the-drug-deal/) Valerie Fries Wade > [I so never went through a bad-girl period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-siff/i-so-never-went-through-a-bad-girl-period/) [Maggie Siff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-siff/) > [This is for them bitches that played me, waddup ho? No I ain't mad, it's sad, you went from bad to real bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole/this-is-for-them-bitches-that-played-me-waddup-ho-no-i-ain-t-mad-it-s/) [J Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole/) > [Probably I have more phobias, fear and eccentricities than I would care to admit. I don't think I'm in danger of losing my mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-o-hare/probably-i-have-more-phobias-fear-and-eccentricities-than-i-would/) [Denis O'Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-o-hare/) > [Bad temper is its own safety valve. He who can bark does not bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/bad-temper-is-its-own-safety-valve-he-who-can-bark-does-not-bite/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [I'm half Scotch-Irish on both sides, and when I lose my temper-brother, I go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-perelman/i-m-half-scotch-irish-on-both-sides-and-when-i-lose-my-temper-brother/) [S. J. Perelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-perelman/) > [My mother is a strong person. She's funny but volatile, with a pretty bad temper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grayson-perry/my-mother-is-a-strong-person-she-s-funny-but-volatile-with-a-pretty/) [Grayson Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grayson-perry/) > [A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/a-gentle-answer-turns-away-wrath-but-a-harsh-word-stirs-up-anger/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) > [I keep my good health by having a very bad temper, kept under good control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-keep-my-good-health-by-having-a-very-bad-temper-kept-under-good/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“You have a bad temper, Mr. Morrison.” “Get the hell off me,” Tate snarled through his teeth. “I’m not on you.” “Yes, you fucking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/you-have-a-bad-temper-mr-morrison-get-the-hell-off-me-tate-snarled/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) > [For me it is really important to have a story with blood in the veins, there are bad tempers and good tempers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/for-me-it-is-really-important-to-have-a-story-with-blood-in-the-veins/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Bad temper is its own scourge. Few things are more bitter than to feel bitter. A man's venom poisons himself more than his victim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-buxton/bad-temper-is-its-own-scourge-few-things-are-more-bitter-than-to-feel/) [Charles Buxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-buxton/) > [Nah, I don't have a bad temper. I just have a quick reaction to bullshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nah-i-don-t-have-a-bad-temper-i-just-have-a-quick-reaction-to-bullshit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Amateurs quotes > [Dealing with Jazz at Lincoln Center and its board of directors, who are so great, and then seeing how these Rock Hall guys operate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/dealing-with-jazz-at-lincoln-center-and-its-board-of-directors-who/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [I love mixing amateurs and professionals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lasse-hallstrom/i-love-mixing-amateurs-and-professionals/) [Lasse Hallstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lasse-hallstrom/) > [Even virtue is an art; and even its devotees are divided into those who practise it and those who are merely amateurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-virtue-is-an-art-and-even-its-devotees-are-divided-into-those/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Most amateurs are so worried about mis-hitting the shot or hitting it off line, they don't make an aggressive move. You'd be surprised how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-bradley/most-amateurs-are-so-worried-about-mis-hitting-the-shot-or-hitting-it/) [Keegan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-bradley/) > [A lot of amateurs are terrified of going up against a player who is clearly better than they are. They never play their best,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fuzzy-zoeller/a-lot-of-amateurs-are-terrified-of-going-up-against-a-player-who-is/) [Fuzzy Zoeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fuzzy-zoeller/) > [Amateurs look for challenges; professionals look for easy trades. Losers get high from the action; the pros look for the best odds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-elder/amateurs-look-for-challenges-professionals-look-for-easy-trades/) [Alexander Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-elder/) > [Inner beauty is for amateurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-taintor/inner-beauty-is-for-amateurs/) [Anne Taintor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-taintor/) > [There's a myth among amateurs, optimists and fools that beyond a certain level of achievement, famous artists retire to some kind of Elysium where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-matousek/there-s-a-myth-among-amateurs-optimists-and-fools-that-beyond-a/) [Mark Matousek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-matousek/) > [You know, criticism began as the province of amateurs, of wealthy men who liked the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/you-know-criticism-began-as-the-province-of-amateurs-of-wealthy-men/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [Conor is not emulating me. He has to be his own man and learn his trade from the start. He will fight in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/conor-is-not-emulating-me-he-has-to-be-his-own-man-and-learn-his/) [Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/) > [We're all amateurs when it comes to love. Don't be too hard on each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/we-re-all-amateurs-when-it-comes-to-love-don-t-be-too-hard-on-each/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“They were chosen for their perfect ignorance of these things. That is how the system works. In the end, the lawyers and judges happily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/they-were-chosen-for-their-perfect-ignorance-of-these-things-that-is/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [Sometimes, I wish we were all amateurs again. I'd play for nothing. Ab-so-lute-ly free. But that's not the system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-marino/sometimes-i-wish-we-were-all-amateurs-again-i-d-play-for-nothing-ab/) [Dan Marino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-marino/) > [Inspiration is for amateurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/inspiration-is-for-amateurs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Inspiration is for amateurs,” Close says. “The rest of us just show up and get to work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-currey/inspiration-is-for-amateurs-close-says-the-rest-of-us-just-show-up/) [Mason Currey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-currey/) [Browse all 127 Amateurs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amateurs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As it was, things went from bad to worse, as they often will when amateurs are involved in an activity that they perform in bad temper – or in a hurry.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse-as-they-often-will-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amateurs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse-as-they-often-will-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/john-irving-337_amateurs_as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse_2518399.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/john-irving-337_amateurs_as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse_2518399.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/john-irving-337_amateurs_as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse_2518399.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As it was, things went from bad to worse, as they often will when amateurs are involved in an activity that…” — John Irving", "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": "John Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As it was, things went from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse-as-they-often-will-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/as-it-was-things-went-from-bad-to-worse-as-they-often-will-when/#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 } } ] } ```