--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes we spend more time than we…" description: "\"Sometimes we spend more time than we should defending the old thing, instead of working to take advantage of the new thing.\" — Seth" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/seth-1954_advantage_sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-sho_3218877.png" --- # Sometimes we spend more time than we should defending the… ![“Sometimes we spend more time than we should defending the old thing, instead of working to take advantage of the new thing.” quote by Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/seth-1954_advantage_sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-sho_3218877.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/seth-1954_advantage_sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-sho_3218877.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/seth-1954_advantage_sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-sho_3218877.png) > “Sometimes we spend more time than we should defending the old thing, instead of working to take advantage of the new thing.” [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People cling to outdated ideas instead of embracing new opportunities. **In simple terms:** Clinging to old ideas blocks progress. Key Takeaway Embrace change, innovate. Themes change innovation tradition progress Mood optimistic inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business strategy - technology adoption - personal development - education Key Concepts obsolescence adaptation growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - What old habits limit you? - How can you test new ideas safely? A Different Perspective Change can be risky, cause uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [More time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-time/) [New things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-things/) [Old things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-things/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Republicans let this happen over and over, and there is never anyone to stick up for them. They spend too much time defending themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-ramone/republicans-let-this-happen-over-and-over-and-there-is-never-anyone/) [Johnny Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-ramone/) > [“Don't waste time defending your intentions. History will judge you by the outcomes of your actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savania-china/don-t-waste-time-defending-your-intentions-history-will-judge-you-by/) [Savania China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savania-china/) > [We're creating a little niche for ourselves instead of working the whole canvas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-glassman/we-re-creating-a-little-niche-for-ourselves-instead-of-working-the/) [Bernie Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-glassman/) > [Your goals should be to have the system work for you instead of your working for the system! Be the hammer - not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-joseph-cossman/your-goals-should-be-to-have-the-system-work-for-you-instead-of-your/) [E. Joseph Cossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-joseph-cossman/) > [For a while, I was saying 'no' way too often. I turned down 'An Officer and A Gentleman,' 'Splash' and 'Midnight Express.' I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/for-a-while-i-was-saying-no-way-too-often-i-turned-down-an-officer/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [Could be outside laying by the pool tanning today, but instead I'm working and I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-jenner/could-be-outside-laying-by-the-pool-tanning-today-but-instead-i-m/) [Kendall Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-jenner/) > [“Instead of working hard for money, why not make money work hard for you; this way, you can have more time to enjoy life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taskinsoy/instead-of-working-hard-for-money-why-not-make-money-work-hard-for/) [JOHN TASKINSOY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taskinsoy/) > [Marketers need to spend less time making promises and more time keeping them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/marketers-need-to-spend-less-time-making-promises-and-more-time/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Sometimes I don't fully accept it. It's tough. I miss doing old things. I miss shooting hoops with my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bauman/sometimes-i-don-t-fully-accept-it-it-s-tough-i-miss-doing-old-things/) [Jeff Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bauman/) > [“Passion makes a person stop eating, sleeping, working, feeling at peace. A lot of people are frightened because, when it appear, it demolishes all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/passion-makes-a-person-stop-eating-sleeping-working-feeling-at-peace/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Naming one thing after another cannot, logically, increase the chances of the new thing turning out like the old thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-beauman/naming-one-thing-after-another-cannot-logically-increase-the-chances/) [Ned Beauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-beauman/) > [Repentance is a realization that what God wants from you and what you want from God are not going to be achieved by doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/repentance-is-a-realization-that-what-god-wants-from-you-and-what-you/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“It is as simple as that. Birds fly because they have wings and so when you can’t grow the wings, you can’t be called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/it-is-as-simple-as-that-birds-fly-because-they-have-wings-and-so-when/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Old things need not be therefore true, O brother men, nor yet the new; Ah! still awhile the old thought retain, And yet consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/old-things-need-not-be-therefore-true-o-brother-men-nor-yet-the-new/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [“The thing about moving," he said, "is it's a good way to shake loose whatever old baggage you have, or the old things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-schuster/the-thing-about-moving-he-said-is-it-s-a-good-way-to-shake-loose/) Tara Schuster ## More by Seth > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [We must be talented, powerful and resilient creatures indeed given how much we manage to produce despite the constant undercutting, ridicule and needless censorship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/we-must-be-talented-powerful-and-resilient-creatures-indeed-given-how/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [“If you become so frightened of realities that are not your own, if you take upon yourselves tragedies that do not exist in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/if-you-become-so-frightened-of-realities-that-are-not-your-own-if-you/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The connection economy rewards the leader, the initiator, and the rebel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-connection-economy-rewards-the-leader-the-initiator-and-the-rebel/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [There is no other way to change your physical reality but by changing your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/there-is-no-other-way-to-change-your-physical-reality-but-by-changing/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The search for the right answer is the enemy of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-search-for-the-right-answer-is-the-enemy-of-art/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [If you do not have a loving concern for the environment... it will no longer sustain you - you will not be worthy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/if-you-do-not-have-a-loving-concern-for-the-environment-it-will-no/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The only real help is self-help. Anything else is just designed to get you to the point where you can help yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-only-real-help-is-self-help-anything-else-is-just-designed-to-get/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The easiest thing is to react. The second easiest thing is to respond. But the hardest thing is to initiate. – When people ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-easiest-thing-is-to-react-the-second-easiest-thing-is-to-respond/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [“Love. It has always seemed to me that love is a combination of lust and pity. (...) I've got to have some feelings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/love-it-has-always-seemed-to-me-that-love-is-a-combination-of-lust/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [My life is mine and I form it. Tell yourself this often. Create your own life now, using your beliefs as an artist uses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/my-life-is-mine-and-i-form-it-tell-yourself-this-often-create-your/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [There's a huge difference between the shallow pleasure of instant applause and the long-lasting impact of true connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/there-s-a-huge-difference-between-the-shallow-pleasure-of-instant/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Ideas that spread win. Ideas don't have to be selfish to win, in fact, it turns out that the more generous the interactions an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/ideas-that-spread-win-ideas-don-t-have-to-be-selfish-to-win-in-fact/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [A good job is largely anonymous and forgotten (but still important). A personal job, on the other hand, is humanized. It brings us closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/a-good-job-is-largely-anonymous-and-forgotten-but-still-important-a/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Don’t try to change someone’s worldview is the strategy smart marketers follow. Don’t try to use facts to prove your case and to insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/don-t-try-to-change-someone-s-worldview-is-the-strategy-smart/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) [Explore all 195 Seth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) ## More Advantage quotes > [Dogmatists have one advantage: they are poor listeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/dogmatists-have-one-advantage-they-are-poor-listeners/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [ 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/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [All I ever wanted was an unfair advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/all-i-ever-wanted-was-an-unfair-advantage/) [Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/) > [Part of the advantage, and part of the result of trying to be a producer and director, are the practical things, you find. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/part-of-the-advantage-and-part-of-the-result-of-trying-to-be-a/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [For some reason when I decide to pursue something, I never have any fear that it won't happen. I think it's just ingrained in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-blatz/for-some-reason-when-i-decide-to-pursue-something-i-never-have-any/) [Kelly Blatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-blatz/) > [I think I have good hands, so I try to use them to my advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-andreescu/i-think-i-have-good-hands-so-i-try-to-use-them-to-my-advantage/) [Bianca Andreescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-andreescu/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [Baseball needs to put the steroids era behind it by having and enforcing tough rules against all kinds of artificial advantages, so that spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/baseball-needs-to-put-the-steroids-era-behind-it-by-having-and/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [I always tell women that the fact that you're different and that you're noticed, because there are few of us in the tech industry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/i-always-tell-women-that-the-fact-that-you-re-different-and-that-you/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) [Browse all 3,503 Advantage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes we spend more time than we should defending the old thing, instead of working to take advantage of the new thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-should-defending-the-old-thing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advantage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-should-defending-the-old-thing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/seth-1954_advantage_sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-sho_3218877.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/seth-1954_advantage_sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-sho_3218877.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/seth-1954_advantage_sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-sho_3218877.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes we spend more time than we should defending the old thing, instead of working to take advantage of…” — Seth", "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": "Seth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes we spend more time than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-should-defending-the-old-thing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/sometimes-we-spend-more-time-than-we-should-defending-the-old-thing/#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 } } ] } ```