--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't look at the problem all at…" description: "\"“You don't look at the problem all at once, or it's like being caught in a spring flood under a downpour. You tackle the problem in pieces...”\" — Sherw..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/sherwood-smith-10181_downpour_you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-onc_2799280.png" --- # You don't look at the problem all at once, or it's like… ![“You don't look at the problem all at once, or it's like being caught in a spring flood under a downpour. You tackle the problem in pieces...” quote by Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/sherwood-smith-10181_downpour_you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-onc_2799280.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/sherwood-smith-10181_downpour_you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-onc_2799280.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/sherwood-smith-10181_downpour_you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-onc_2799280.png) > ““You don't look at the problem all at once, or it's like being caught in a spring flood under a downpour. You tackle the problem in pieces...”” [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complex problems are easier when broken into smaller parts rather than faced all at once. **In simple terms:** Break big issues into pieces. Key Takeaway Tackle tasks step by step. Themes problem solving focus incremental progress Mood determined analytical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - project planning - software debugging - personal challenges - learning new skills Key Concepts systems thinking cognitive load management Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify the natural sub‑tasks? - What risks arise from over‑fragmentation? A Different Perspective Only addressing parts may miss the overall picture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Downpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downpour/) [Problem Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-like-790489/) [Problem Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-pieces-3438718/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Spring Flood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring-flood-3438719/) [Tackle Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tackle-problem-3438720/) ## Related quotes > [I'm against solutions that are worse than the problem. Like old women who want their hair dyed the color of shoe polish to hide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/i-m-against-solutions-that-are-worse-than-the-problem-like-old-women/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“The problem, like most problems in life, probably had to do with his footwork.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-harbach/the-problem-like-most-problems-in-life-probably-had-to-do-with-his/) [Chad Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-harbach/) > [Asking a sociologist to solve a problem is like prescribing an enema for diarrhea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/asking-a-sociologist-to-solve-a-problem-is-like-prescribing-an-enema/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [“We all over-share here. It’s a problem we have. It’s like we all think our lives are a movie and we want everyone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-over-share-here-it-s-a-problem-we-have-it-s-like-we-all-think/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The problem is that there is only one you and I can never find someone like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-problem-is-that-there-is-only-one-you-and-i-can-never-find/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I see a problem, I like to think if there's a better way to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rober/if-i-see-a-problem-i-like-to-think-if-there-s-a-better-way-to-do-it/) [Mark Rober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rober/) > [Problem is like washing machine.They twist us,spin us,& knock around but in the end we come cleaner & brighter & better than before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/problem-is-like-washing-machine-they-twist-us-spin-us-knock-around/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“He had a problem, like any other problem. The problem just hadn't been well posed. The problem was: Should he leave Penny or not?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/he-had-a-problem-like-any-other-problem-the-problem-just-hadn-t-been/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [My problem is I'm like a junkie. I want a good movie fix, and I never get that fix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gilliam/my-problem-is-i-m-like-a-junkie-i-want-a-good-movie-fix-and-i-never/) [Terry Gilliam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gilliam/) > [“For the rest of my life, Zanzibar will be the Swahili word for rain. The rain would drizzle, spit, mist, downpour, shower, torrent, gust,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-k-stevens/for-the-rest-of-my-life-zanzibar-will-be-the-swahili-word-for-rain/) [Kristine K. Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-k-stevens/) > [“Beside him, at that very moment of existence, at the heart of a torrential downpour, he was exquisitely real, and she, too, seemed content…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-godbersen/beside-him-at-that-very-moment-of-existence-at-the-heart-of-a/) [Anna Godbersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-godbersen/) > [Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/another-secret-of-the-universe-sometimes-pain-was-like-a-storm-that/) [Benjamin Alire Saenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [“slipped through it, and closed it behind her. The sudden drenching from the rain made the vertigo intensify, staggering her. She stopped, recovering her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-fletcher/slipped-through-it-and-closed-it-behind-her-the-sudden-drenching-from/) [Aaron Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-fletcher/) > [“When the rain had hit the beach and Zane had turned to retreat to their room, Ty grabbed him instead and started a waltz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/when-the-rain-had-hit-the-beach-and-zane-had-turned-to-retreat-to/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [The circus tent was flowing pale in the rain like a fleshy flower lit from within. It seemed to bloom in the downpour. Drops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/the-circus-tent-was-flowing-pale-in-the-rain-like-a-fleshy-flower-lit/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) ## More by Sherwood Smith > [“Who in the universe halts when the enemy tells them to?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/who-in-the-universe-halts-when-the-enemy-tells-them-to/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [Except. What is normal at any given time? We change just as the seasons change, and each spring brings new growth. So nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/except-what-is-normal-at-any-given-time-we-change-just-as-the-seasons/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [It would have been funny if I had been an observer and not a participant, an idea that gave me a disconcerting insight into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/it-would-have-been-funny-if-i-had-been-an-observer-and-not-a/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [I have made number mistakes - I have such bad number dyslexia that I can look at a number and see the wrong one.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/i-have-made-number-mistakes-i-have-such-bad-number-dyslexia-that-i/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“War is a convenient fix for government problems if it happens somewhere else. To other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/war-is-a-convenient-fix-for-government-problems-if-it-happens/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“If your opponent is better armed and has longer reach, then surprise is your only ally. And then you'd better hope he's half asleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/if-your-opponent-is-better-armed-and-has-longer-reach-then-surprise/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [As a kid, I pretty much got nothing but scorn, and occasionally active animus, for writing fantasy and squirreling it away in my closet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/as-a-kid-i-pretty-much-got-nothing-but-scorn-and-occasionally-active/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“The more one has, the less one desires.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/the-more-one-has-the-less-one-desires/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“Fall in love with heart, not head, to trouble you’re led. Fall in love with heart and mind, then true love you’ll find.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/fall-in-love-with-heart-not-head-to-trouble-you-re-led-fall-in-love/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [I had seen ardency in men's eyes, but I had only felt it once. With Flauvic, false and therefore easy to dismiss. I suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/i-had-seen-ardency-in-men-s-eyes-but-i-had-only-felt-it-once-with/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [Everyone is an idiot," I stated. "Except me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/everyone-is-an-idiot-i-stated-except-me/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [Despite how entertaining certain stories were, at the bottom of every item of gossip there was someone getting hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/despite-how-entertaining-certain-stories-were-at-the-bottom-of-every/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [They're safe,'' he said. "And you're not made of glass". He swept me up in his arms. I laughed. "And I'm not made of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/they-re-safe-he-said-and-you-re-not-made-of-glass-he-swept-me-up-in/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“Who can ever know what turns the spark into flame? Vidanric's initial interest in me might well have been kindled by the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/who-can-ever-know-what-turns-the-spark-into-flame-vidanric-s-initial/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) > [“For the first time, I comprehended that love, at least for me, had nothing to do with sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/for-the-first-time-i-comprehended-that-love-at-least-for-me-had/) [Sherwood Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) [Explore all 67 Sherwood Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/) ## More Downpour quotes > [The circus tent was flowing pale in the rain like a fleshy flower lit from within. It seemed to bloom in the downpour. Drops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/the-circus-tent-was-flowing-pale-in-the-rain-like-a-fleshy-flower-lit/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“When the rain had hit the beach and Zane had turned to retreat to their room, Ty grabbed him instead and started a waltz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/when-the-rain-had-hit-the-beach-and-zane-had-turned-to-retreat-to/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [“slipped through it, and closed it behind her. The sudden drenching from the rain made the vertigo intensify, staggering her. She stopped, recovering her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-fletcher/slipped-through-it-and-closed-it-behind-her-the-sudden-drenching-from/) [Aaron Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-fletcher/) > [Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/another-secret-of-the-universe-sometimes-pain-was-like-a-storm-that/) [Benjamin Alire Saenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [“Beside him, at that very moment of existence, at the heart of a torrential downpour, he was exquisitely real, and she, too, seemed content…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-godbersen/beside-him-at-that-very-moment-of-existence-at-the-heart-of-a/) [Anna Godbersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-godbersen/) > [“For the rest of my life, Zanzibar will be the Swahili word for rain. The rain would drizzle, spit, mist, downpour, shower, torrent, gust,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-k-stevens/for-the-rest-of-my-life-zanzibar-will-be-the-swahili-word-for-rain/) [Kristine K. Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-k-stevens/) > [“Gray. The overcast skies had the colour of deadened stones, and seemed closer than usually, as though they were phlegmatically observing my every movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simona-panova/gray-the-overcast-skies-had-the-colour-of-deadened-stones-and-seemed/) [Simona Panova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simona-panova/) > [I hate to rain on the parade of this so-called new champion here, but Junior, put on your slicker because there's gonna be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/i-hate-to-rain-on-the-parade-of-this-so-called-new-champion-here-but/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [“She wanted him to be the sunshine to her clouds. She couldn't handle the idea that he had weather patterns of his own, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-rosenfeld/she-wanted-him-to-be-the-sunshine-to-her-clouds-she-couldn-t-handle/) [Lucinda Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-rosenfeld/) > [One must know the so-called 'lesson of a downpour. A man, caught in a sudden rain en route, dashes along the road not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamamoto-tsunetomo/one-must-know-the-so-called-lesson-of-a-downpour-a-man-caught-in-a/) [Yamamoto Tsunetomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamamoto-tsunetomo/) > [“The closer you are to the end of your temporal trials, the louder the voice of critics. Close your ears to the heavy downpours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-closer-you-are-to-the-end-of-your-temporal-trials-the-louder-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“You were my tempest, my thunder cloud, my tree in the downpour. I loved all of those things, and I loved you. But now…you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-douglas/you-were-my-tempest-my-thunder-cloud-my-tree-in-the-downpour-i-loved/) [Penelope Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-douglas/) > [The rain is a necessary prelude to beautiful weather. So even if your heart is in downpour right now it only means it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bisco-hatori/the-rain-is-a-necessary-prelude-to-beautiful-weather-so-even-if-your/) [Bisco Hatori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bisco-hatori/) > [“The rain came before I'd gone a block. A few drops at first, and then a downpour. I didn't turn back. I tipped my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/makiia-lucier/the-rain-came-before-i-d-gone-a-block-a-few-drops-at-first-and-then-a/) [Makiia Lucier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/makiia-lucier/) > [“Without any wind blowing, the sheer weight of a raindrop, shining in parasitic luxury on a cordate leaf, caused its tip to dip, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/without-any-wind-blowing-the-sheer-weight-of-a-raindrop-shining-in/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) [Browse all 38 Downpour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downpour/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You don't look at the problem all at once, or it's like being caught in a spring flood under a downpour. You tackle the problem in pieces...”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sherwood Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-once-or-it-s-like-being-caught/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Downpour" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-once-or-it-s-like-being-caught/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/sherwood-smith-10181_downpour_you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-onc_2799280.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/sherwood-smith-10181_downpour_you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-onc_2799280.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/013/sherwood-smith-10181_downpour_you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-onc_2799280.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You don't look at the problem all at once, or it's like being caught in a spring flood under a downpour. You…” — Sherwood Smith", "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": "Sherwood Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You don't look at the problem...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-once-or-it-s-like-being-caught/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-smith/you-don-t-look-at-the-problem-all-at-once-or-it-s-like-being-caught/#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 } } ] } ```