--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Shit, if I took time out to have an…" description: "\"“Shit, if I took time out to have an opinion about everything, I wouldn't get any work done.”\" — Neal Stephenson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/neal-stephenson-362_time_shit-if-i-took-time-out-to-have-an-opini_989796.png" --- # Shit, if I took time out to have an opinion about… ![“Shit, if I took time out to have an opinion about everything, I wouldn't get any work done.” quote by Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/neal-stephenson-362_time_shit-if-i-took-time-out-to-have-an-opini_989796.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/neal-stephenson-362_time_shit-if-i-took-time-out-to-have-an-opini_989796.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/neal-stephenson-362_time_shit-if-i-took-time-out-to-have-an-opini_989796.png) > ““Shit, if I took time out to have an opinion about everything, I wouldn't get any work done.”” [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing constant opinions consumes time, preventing productive work. **In simple terms:** Too many opinions stall action. Key Takeaway Limit opinion‑forming to essential decisions. Themes productivity focus decision‑making efficiency Mood focused pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - work tasks - creative projects - strategic planning Key Concepts cognitive load prioritization time management Questions to Reflect On - Which decisions truly need deep thought? - How can you schedule opinion‑forming? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can lead to paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Opinion Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion-wouldn-2019495/) [Shit Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shit-took-2019496/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-opinion-872999/) [Took Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-time/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-done/) [Wouldn Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wouldn-work-1357430/) ## Related quotes > [If you're dedicated to something and you put the time in, why should anyone have an opinion on it? Halif of the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/if-you-re-dedicated-to-something-and-you-put-the-time-in-why-should/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [People put off writing thinking they don't have the time or enough of an opinion to matter and that is crap. You are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-chapman/people-put-off-writing-thinking-they-don-t-have-the-time-or-enough-of/) [C.C. Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-chapman/) > [That I would rather be in another business where a bad cold wouldn't put me out of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merv-griffin/that-i-would-rather-be-in-another-business-where-a-bad-cold-wouldn-t/) [Merv Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merv-griffin/) > [“No sense in being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathie-linz/no-sense-in-being-pessimistic-it-wouldn-t-work-anyway/) [Cathie Linz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathie-linz/) > [If you were to just slap together Six of Crows' and Shadow and Bone,' it really wouldn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/if-you-were-to-just-slap-together-six-of-crows-and-shadow-and-bone-it/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [I just thought that I was going to get to sing for a living and I wouldn't have to go to work in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-just-thought-that-i-was-going-to-get-to-sing-for-a-living-and-i/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [“I sometimes wonder if my last words on this earth will be something like, 'Oh, I knew this wouldn't work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-cummings/i-sometimes-wonder-if-my-last-words-on-this-earth-will-be-something/) [Quinn Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-cummings/) > [I think - no, I'm sure - 'Coast to Coast' wouldn't work with a daytime audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-bell/i-think-no-i-m-sure-coast-to-coast-wouldn-t-work-with-a-daytime/) [Art Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-bell/) > [Its roots are in American Negro culture, which is part of the whole country's heritage, but the dance speaks to everyone... 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Why? Because I am not commercial enough. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-ghesquiere/first-at-a-certain-point-i-wanted-to-have-my-own-magazine-but-i-never/) [Nicolas Ghesquiere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-ghesquiere/) > [Baby that's a gift, maybe you can live. I knew it wouldn't work but I just like to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/baby-that-s-a-gift-maybe-you-can-live-i-knew-it-wouldn-t-work-but-i/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) ## More by Neal Stephenson > [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. The ability to move, far from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-insects-here-see-you-as-a-big-slab-of-animated-but-not-very-well/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Space and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/space-and-time-two-minor-omissions-that-no-one-is-likely-to-notice/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/see-the-world-is-full-of-things-more-powerful-than-us-but-if-you-know/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/hey-shaftoe-says-if-we-surrender-to-you-you-ll-kill-us-right-yes-if/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/my-men-think-you-are-dead-now-and-won-t-waste-balls-on-you-jack-said/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/you-ve-probably-heard-the-expression-that-the-industry-feeds-off-of/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/and-people-could-only-make-sense-of-complicated-matters-through/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Van Eck phreaking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/van-eck-phreaking/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/when-the-deliverator-puts-the-hammer-down-shit-happens/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) [Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## More Time quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. 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