--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Take care of what is difficult while it…" description: "\"Take care of what is difficult while it is still easy, and deal with what will become big while it is yet small.\" — Laozi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/laozi-147_bigs_take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it_1097910.jpg" --- # Take care of what is difficult while it is still easy, and… ![“Take care of what is difficult while it is still easy, and deal with what will become big while it is yet small.” quote by Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/laozi-147_bigs_take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it_1097910.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/laozi-147_bigs_take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it_1097910.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/laozi-147_bigs_take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it_1097910.jpg) > “Take care of what is difficult while it is still easy, and deal with what will become big while it is yet small.” [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Address problems early while they are manageable, before they grow. **In simple terms:** Deal with small issues before they become big. Key Takeaway Act early to prevent larger problems. Themes prevention timing wisdom Mood reflective calm Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - project management - personal health - financial planning Key Concepts Taoism strategic foresight Questions to Reflect On - What small tasks are you postponing? - How can early intervention change outcomes? A Different Perspective Early action may be costly if issues never materialize. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Care Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care-difficult-2149390/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-easy-661800/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Take care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-care/) ## Related quotes > [Meet the difficult while it is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/meet-the-difficult-while-it-is-easy/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Caring for someone is easy but to make someone care for you is difficult¦ So never lose the one who really cares for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/caring-for-someone-is-easy-but-to-make-someone-care-for-you-is-2/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Trying not to care at all is very difficult when you care so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/trying-not-to-care-at-all-is-very-difficult-when-you-care-so-much/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“It is always taking care, but it is difficult, because at times to take care of her is also to cause her pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-nelson/it-is-always-taking-care-but-it-is-difficult-because-at-times-to-take/) [Maggie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-nelson/) > [Caring for someone is easy, but to make someone care for you is difficult, so never loose the one who really cares for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/caring-for-someone-is-easy-but-to-make-someone-care-for-you-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Great changes may not happen right away, but with effort even the difficult may become easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/great-changes-may-not-happen-right-away-but-with-effort-even-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/plan-for-what-is-difficult-while-it-is-easy-do-what-is-great-while-it/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Many things which nature makes difficult become easy to the man who uses his brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal/many-things-which-nature-makes-difficult-become-easy-to-the-man-who/) [Hannibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal/) > [Have patience. Everything is difficult before it is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/have-patience-everything-is-difficult-before-it-is-easy/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [Attempt easy tasks as if they were difficult, and difficult as if they were easy; in the one case that confidence may not fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/attempt-easy-tasks-as-if-they-were-difficult-and-difficult-as-if-they/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [I meant I’m not afraid of love being difficult. If it was easy, then everyone would find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-meant-i-m-not-afraid-of-love-being-difficult-if-it-was-easy-then/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I think that for me as a person, it's very easy for me to hear, 'It's too difficult.' Or, 'You're not easy to cast.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-lynskey/i-think-that-for-me-as-a-person-it-s-very-easy-for-me-to-hear-it-s/) [Melanie Lynskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-lynskey/) > [Ballet technique is arbitrary and very difficult. It never becomes easy...it becomes possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-de-mille/ballet-technique-is-arbitrary-and-very-difficult-it-never-becomes/) [Agnes De Mille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-de-mille/) > [“I’m not afraid of love being difficult. If it was easy, then everyone would find it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-m-not-afraid-of-love-being-difficult-if-it-was-easy-then-everyone/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“Don’t expect good things to come easily, we must work at them. Easy is to think about improving. Difficult is to put these thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-expect-good-things-to-come-easily-we-must-work-at-them-easy-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Laozi > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In lightness the root is lost. In haste the ruler is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-lightness-the-root-is-lost-in-haste-the-ruler-is-lost/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If the sage wants to stand above people, he must speak to them from below. If he wants to lead people, he must follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-the-sage-wants-to-stand-above-people-he-must-speak-to-them-from/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Goodie-goodies are the thieves of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/goodie-goodies-are-the-thieves-of-virtue/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He that humbles himself shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight. He that is empty shall be filled. He that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-that-humbles-himself-shall-be-preserved-entire-he-that-bends-shall/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Way of the Sage is to act but not to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-way-of-the-sage-is-to-act-but-not-to-compete/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-nonstriving-savor-the-flavorless-regard-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Without looking through the window, you can see Heaven's Way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/without-looking-through-the-window-you-can-see-heaven-s-way/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What's the difference between beautiful and ugly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-s-the-difference-between-beautiful-and-ugly/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-stillness-the-muddied-water-returns-to-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He (the sage) is good to those who are good. He is also good to those who are not good. That is the virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-the-sage-is-good-to-those-who-are-good-he-is-also-good-to-those/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There is a thing inherent and natural which existed before heaven and earth. Motionless and fathomless, It stands alone and never changes; It pervades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/there-is-a-thing-inherent-and-natural-which-existed-before-heaven-and/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job? If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-is-a-good-man-but-a-bad-man-s-teacher-what-is-a-bad-man-but-a/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Explore all 1,140 Laozi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) [Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Take care of what is difficult while it is still easy, and deal with what will become big while it is yet small.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laozi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it-is-still-easy-and-deal-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it-is-still-easy-and-deal-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/laozi-147_bigs_take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it_1097910.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/laozi-147_bigs_take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it_1097910.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/laozi-147_bigs_take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it_1097910.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Take care of what is difficult while it is still easy, and deal with what will become big while it is yet…” — Laozi", "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": "Laozi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Take care of what is difficult...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it-is-still-easy-and-deal-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/take-care-of-what-is-difficult-while-it-is-still-easy-and-deal-with/#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 } } ] } ```