--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When times are tough, vision is the first…" description: "\"When times are tough, vision is the first casualty. Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing we must recover.\" — Michael Hyatt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/michael-hyatt-7018_casualties_when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first_1354219.png" --- # When times are tough, vision is the first casualty. Before… ![“When times are tough, vision is the first casualty. Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing we must recover.” quote by Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/michael-hyatt-7018_casualties_when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first_1354219.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/michael-hyatt-7018_casualties_when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first_1354219.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/michael-hyatt-7018_casualties_when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first_1354219.png) > “When times are tough, vision is the first casualty. Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing we must recover.” [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard times erode vision; restoring purpose is essential before conditions improve. **In simple terms:** Vision suffers in crisis; regain it first. Key Takeaway Recover vision early. Themes leadership vision crisis management Mood hopeful strategic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - business turnaround - personal setbacks - team motivation Key Concepts purpose strategic focus resilience Questions to Reflect On - What steps you restore vision during hardship? - How does clear purpose guide recovery? A Different Perspective Vision can be vague without concrete goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Casualties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casualties/) [Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions/) [Conditions Improve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions-improve-2671550/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-tough/) [Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough/) [Tough Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-vision-4615408/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [Vision Casualty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision-casualty-4615407/) ## Related quotes > [Happiness is not bought by money, but it can buy circumstances and conditions that improve the chances of a worldly kind of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scott/happiness-is-not-bought-by-money-but-it-can-buy-circumstances-and/) [Steve Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scott/) > [We need to work together to strengthen protections for pre-existing conditions and improve upon the gains made under the ACA, not tear it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikie-sherrill/we-need-to-work-together-to-strengthen-protections-for-pre-existing/) [Mikie Sherrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikie-sherrill/) > [To improve our conditions we must first improve ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-haanel/to-improve-our-conditions-we-must-first-improve-ourselves/) [Charles F. Haanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-haanel/) > [Oftentimes, misunderstandings and antagonism surfaces most strongly when economic times are tough. And that's not surprising. If everybody is working and feeling good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/oftentimes-misunderstandings-and-antagonism-surfaces-most-strongly/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Tough times never last, tough people do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-schuller/tough-times-never-last-tough-people-do/) [Robert Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-schuller/) > [When times get tough, we get tougher. Failure and government assistance are not an option for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-boebert/when-times-get-tough-we-get-tougher-failure-and-government-assistance/) [Lauren Boebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-boebert/) > [Tough times never last but tough people do last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/tough-times-never-last-but-tough-people-do-last/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Relationship are easy when times are good, BUT THE TRUE TEST IS WHAT YOU DO WHEN ( ONE IS BLIND AND OTHER IS VICTIM…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danish-ahmad-afsar-ali/relationship-are-easy-when-times-are-good-but-the-true-test-is-what/) [Danish Ahmad Afsar Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danish-ahmad-afsar-ali/) > [Tough times never last, but tough people always do! We all have it in us, some people just need to search a bit more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tough-times-never-last-but-tough-people-always-do-we-all-have-it-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When times get tough, at some point, people instinctively know they need to lighten up in order to get through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-klein/when-times-get-tough-at-some-point-people-instinctively-know-they/) [Allen Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-klein/) > [Never give up hope, and always remember...tough times never last, it's the tough people that do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/never-give-up-hope-and-always-remember-tough-times-never-last-it-s/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [Our job is not to retreat when times get tough. Our job is to solve the tough problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bel-edwards/our-job-is-not-to-retreat-when-times-get-tough-our-job-is-to-solve/) [John Bel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bel-edwards/) > [I'm careful not to give into theatrics when times are tough, I don't like it when somebody gives into outside pressure and puts on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-la-russa/i-m-careful-not-to-give-into-theatrics-when-times-are-tough-i-don-t/) [Tony La Russa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-la-russa/) > [Life is stressful and times are tough. Just got to keep moving on, because life is life, no one said it was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/life-is-stressful-and-times-are-tough-just-got-to-keep-moving-on/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) ## More by Michael Hyatt > [No one runs your life unless you let them. And you have more power than you think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/no-one-runs-your-life-unless-you-let-them-and-you-have-more-power/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [A readership crisis is really a leadership crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/a-readership-crisis-is-really-a-leadership-crisis/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [Marketing is really just about sharing your passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/marketing-is-really-just-about-sharing-your-passion/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [Most people spend more time planning a one-week vacation than they spend planning their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/most-people-spend-more-time-planning-a-one-week-vacation-than-they/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [“There is no deficit in human resources,” as King said in his 1964 Nobel lecture, “the deficit is in human will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/there-is-no-deficit-in-human-resources-as-king-said-in-his-1964-nobel/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [When finished writing a post, go back and add bullets, sub heads, spacing; eliminate long paragraphs or sentences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/when-finished-writing-a-post-go-back-and-add-bullets-sub-heads/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [“The law of diminishing intent says that the longer you delay doing something, the less probability you have of actually doing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/the-law-of-diminishing-intent-says-that-the-longer-you-delay-doing/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [Fools take criticism and dish it back. The wise take it and turn it to their advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/fools-take-criticism-and-dish-it-back-the-wise-take-it-and-turn-it-to/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [Consistency is better than perfection. We can all be consistent-perf ection is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/consistency-is-better-than-perfection-we-can-all-be-consistent-perf/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [The best way to deal in a transparent world is just be transparent. Let your life be authentic and let people look in. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/the-best-way-to-deal-in-a-transparent-world-is-just-be-transparent/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [Asking questions is one of the best ways to grow as a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/asking-questions-is-one-of-the-best-ways-to-grow-as-a-human-being/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [Speak in your authentic voice because people have a BS Meter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/speak-in-your-authentic-voice-because-people-have-a-bs-meter/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/history-doesn-t-repeat-itself-but-it-rhymes/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [Social media is new to me and I didn't think I would like it, being very protective of my private space, but it's nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/social-media-is-new-to-me-and-i-didn-t-think-i-would-like-it-being/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [You are the architect of the memories that others will have about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/you-are-the-architect-of-the-memories-that-others-will-have-about-you/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) [Explore all 94 Michael Hyatt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) ## More Casualties quotes > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [We went over there and fought the war and eventually burned down every town in North Korea anyway, someway or another, and some in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-lemay/we-went-over-there-and-fought-the-war-and-eventually-burned-down/) [Curtis LeMay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-lemay/) > [“Meanwhile nothing happened, nothing ever happened. The English had got into the habit of saying that this wasn’t a war, it was a bloody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/meanwhile-nothing-happened-nothing-ever-happened-the-english-had-got/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We read our mail and counted up our missions In bombers named for girls, we burned The cities we had learned about in school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-jarrell/we-read-our-mail-and-counted-up-our-missions-in-bombers-named-for/) [Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-jarrell/) > [The cost of an on-site inspection team would be minuscule compared to war, Saddam would have no choice except to comply, the results would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/the-cost-of-an-on-site-inspection-team-would-be-minuscule-compared-to/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“The first-day casualties on the Somme totaled 57,470.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-e-persico/the-first-day-casualties-on-the-somme-totaled-57-470/) [Joseph E. Persico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-e-persico/) > [Their casualties and bodies are many. Their equipment and vehicles, several were destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/their-casualties-and-bodies-are-many-their-equipment-and-vehicles/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [When war is declared, truth is the first casualty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-war-is-declared-truth-is-the-first-casualty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no battle space the U.S. Military cannot access. They said we couldn't do Afghanistan. We did it with ease. They said we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/there-is-no-battle-space-the-u-s-military-cannot-access-they-said-we/) [Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/) > [We're giving them a real lesson today. Heavy doesn't accurately describe the level of casualties we have inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/we-re-giving-them-a-real-lesson-today-heavy-doesn-t-accurately/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [I wanted people who wouldn't become too worried about casualties. One always should be concerned about casualties, but the risk of incurring casualties can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-vokes/i-wanted-people-who-wouldn-t-become-too-worried-about-casualties-one/) [Christopher Vokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-vokes/) > [WikiLeaks exposed corruption, war crimes, torture and cover-ups. It showed that we were lied to about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemima-khan/wikileaks-exposed-corruption-war-crimes-torture-and-cover-ups-it/) [Jemima Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemima-khan/) > [The Civil War was fought in 10,000 places, from Valverde, New Mexico, and Tullahoma, Tennessee, to St. Albans, Vermont, and Fernandina on the Florida…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/the-civil-war-was-fought-in-10-000-places-from-valverde-new-mexico/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [By citing the UN Charter I indicate that the defensive party to the conflict should use only proportionate force, try to avoid civilian casualties,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/by-citing-the-un-charter-i-indicate-that-the-defensive-party-to-the/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [A martyr's just a casualty with really good PR.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/a-martyr-s-just-a-casualty-with-really-good-pr/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) [Browse all 251 Casualties quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casualties/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When times are tough, vision is the first casualty. Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing we must recover.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Hyatt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first-casualty-before-conditions/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Casualties" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first-casualty-before-conditions/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/michael-hyatt-7018_casualties_when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first_1354219.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/michael-hyatt-7018_casualties_when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first_1354219.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/michael-hyatt-7018_casualties_when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first_1354219.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When times are tough, vision is the first casualty. Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing we…” — Michael Hyatt", "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": "Michael Hyatt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When times are tough, vision is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first-casualty-before-conditions/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/when-times-are-tough-vision-is-the-first-casualty-before-conditions/#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 } } ] } ```