--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you find yourself in a hole, the…" description: "\"When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.\" — Tammara Webber" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ba/tammara-webber-1268_digging_when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-fir_3013266.png" --- # When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is… ![“When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.” quote by Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ba/tammara-webber-1268_digging_when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-fir_3013266.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ba/tammara-webber-1268_digging_when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-fir_3013266.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ba/tammara-webber-1268_digging_when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-fir_3013266.png) > “When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.” [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When stuck, stop deepening the problem; pause, reassess, and choose a new direction. **In simple terms:** Stop digging when you’re in a hole. Key Takeaway Pause, reflect, and change tactics. Themes problem‑solving mindfulness change strategy Mood reflective pragmatic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career crisis - relationship conflict - financial trouble - creative block Key Concepts cognitive psychology behavioral change decision theory Questions to Reflect On - What is the first step to stop digging? - How will you redirect your effort? A Different Perspective May be seen as passive if not followed by action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Digging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digging/) [Finding yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Hole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hole/) [Hole Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hole-thing-1602085/) [Holes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holes/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Stop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop/) [Stop Digging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-digging-603882/) [Thing Stop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-stop-853543/) ## Related quotes > [If you find yourself in a hole the first thing to do is stop digging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/church-bulletin-board/if-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-first-thing-to-do-is-stop-digging/) [Church Bulletin Board](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/church-bulletin-board/) > [“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. —WILL ROGERS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/if-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-first-thing-to-do-is-stop-digging-2/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-stop-digging/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you are in a hole, stop digging!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-are-in-a-hole-stop-digging/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We do have a saying in America: if you're in a hole, stop digging … erm, I'm not sure I should have said that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/we-do-have-a-saying-in-america-if-you-re-in-a-hole-stop-digging-erm-i/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [“When you find youself in a hole - stop digging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/when-you-find-youself-in-a-hole-stop-digging/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Now, given the experience that we have had thus far, with our subsequent trade agreements with NAFTA and others, you would think that with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-lynch/now-given-the-experience-that-we-have-had-thus-far-with-our/) [Stephen F. Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-lynch/) > [The first rule of holes: When you're in one stop digging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-first-rule-of-holes-when-you-re-in-one-stop-digging/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [“Healey’s First Law Of Holes: When in one, stop digging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-healey/healey-s-first-law-of-holes-when-in-one-stop-digging/) [Denis Healey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-healey/) > [“The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-important-thing-to-do-if-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-is-to/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Remember what to do when you're at the bottom of a hole? You've got to stop digging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mackler/remember-what-to-do-when-you-re-at-the-bottom-of-a-hole-you-ve-got-to/) [Carolyn Mackler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mackler/) > [When you are in a hole, the top priority is to stop digging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-easterly/when-you-are-in-a-hole-the-top-priority-is-to-stop-digging/) [William Easterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-easterly/) > [First law on holes - when you're in one, stop digging!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-healey/first-law-on-holes-when-you-re-in-one-stop-digging/) [Denis Healey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-healey/) > [If You're In A Hole, Stop Digging: 'Do Not Create More Trouble For Yourself When You Are Already Facing Some.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/if-you-re-in-a-hole-stop-digging-do-not-create-more-trouble-for/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [“One thing they don’t tell you ’bout the blues when you got ’em, you keep on fallin’ ’cause there ain't no bottom,' sings Emmylou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-nelson/one-thing-they-don-t-tell-you-bout-the-blues-when-you-got-em-you-keep/) [Maggie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-nelson/) ## More by Tammara Webber > [My last coherent thought, as Lucas took his time kissing and touching every part of me he could reach and my body arched into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/my-last-coherent-thought-as-lucas-took-his-time-kissing-and-touching/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [Erin and I spent four hours shopping for dresses and shoes Tuesday night. She was going all out in her intention to make Chaz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/erin-and-i-spent-four-hours-shopping-for-dresses-and-shoes-tuesday/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [“This girl wasn’t tapping her fingers restlessly, though. Her movements were methodical. Synchronized. Sitting far enough to the left of her to study her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/this-girl-wasn-t-tapping-her-fingers-restlessly-though-her-movements/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [I’ve been thinking about that proof I spoke of last time – that you’re where you’re supposed to be. And it occurred to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/i-ve-been-thinking-about-that-proof-i-spoke-of-last-time-that-you-re/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [“What the hell is it about brooding guys that’s attractive to women, anyway? I’ve become one since Dori’s call three weeks ago, and it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/what-the-hell-is-it-about-brooding-guys-that-s-attractive-to-women/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [When you tell me to be good, it makes me want to be good,' I say, hearing the undisguised desire in my voice. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/when-you-tell-me-to-be-good-it-makes-me-want-to-be-good-i-say-hearing/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [I thought about texting Lucas, but what would i say? That i'd tossed and turned all night, thinking of his hands on me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/i-thought-about-texting-lucas-but-what-would-i-say-that-i-d-tossed/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [“One of the reasons AA works is that the individual makes the decision not to drink, one day at a time. One hour. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/one-of-the-reasons-aa-works-is-that-the-individual-makes-the-decision/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [No matter what grief or loss takes place, most of life flows on all around us, as though nothing's changed. At some point in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/no-matter-what-grief-or-loss-takes-place-most-of-life-flows-on-all/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [I want it to be better than okay. You deserve better than okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/i-want-it-to-be-better-than-okay-you-deserve-better-than-okay/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [“Everything isn't fixable, and miracles are only happy twists of fate. Fate can so easily twist in the opposite direction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/everything-isn-t-fixable-and-miracles-are-only-happy-twists-of-fate/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [there's not a boy on the planet worth this amount of angst. I know; i used to be one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/there-s-not-a-boy-on-the-planet-worth-this-amount-of-angst-i-know-i/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [Every moment was a before and an after. Every moment was a now to be lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/every-moment-was-a-before-and-an-after-every-moment-was-a-now-to-be/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [I watched him pull his t-shirt over his head. I could put hin on replay doing that and watch it all day...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/i-watched-him-pull-his-t-shirt-over-his-head-i-could-put-hin-on/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [“Thus began the weeks of what we termed being reckless - and I worry from that viewpoint, at least, that word defines our entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/thus-began-the-weeks-of-what-we-termed-being-reckless-and-i-worry/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) [Explore all 257 Tammara Webber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) ## More Digging quotes > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [In archaeology you uncover the unknown. In diplomacy you cover the known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-archaeology-you-uncover-the-unknown-in-diplomacy-you-cover-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-thought-i-knew-a-lot-about-music-then-you-start-digging-and-the/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [From my image of digging around in the mud like a grunt, I preferred fighting the war from ships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haskell-wexler/from-my-image-of-digging-around-in-the-mud-like-a-grunt-i-preferred/) [Haskell Wexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haskell-wexler/) > [When you consider the sheer magnitude of investable equities to choose from in the world's emerging markets, you realize that finding one that looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mobius/when-you-consider-the-sheer-magnitude-of-investable-equities-to/) [Mark Mobius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mobius/) > [I love the little garden in the back of my family's brownstone in Brooklyn. Digging out there in the dirt is a joy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-love-the-little-garden-in-the-back-of-my-family-s-brownstone-in/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [ The Ancient One, as you know, is the master, is the Sorcerer Supreme, and \[Doctor\] Strange comes to learn how to heal himself and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilda-swinton/the-ancient-one-as-you-know-is-the-master-is-the-sorcerer-supreme-and/) [Tilda Swinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilda-swinton/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [If you really want to be a good archaeologist, you have to understand ancient DNA; you have to understand chemical analysis to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-parcak/if-you-really-want-to-be-a-good-archaeologist-you-have-to-understand/) [Sarah Parcak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-parcak/) > [I was a manual labourer. I figured out really early on that the value of my life could be determined by my hourly rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-was-a-manual-labourer-i-figured-out-really-early-on-that-the-value/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [Archaeology, I found, comprehended all manner of excitement and achievement. Adventure is coupled with bookish toil. Romantic excursions go hand in hand with scholarly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/archaeology-i-found-comprehended-all-manner-of-excitement-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've never met a girl who thinks like you." "A lot of people tell me that," she said, digging at a cuticle. "But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-ve-never-met-a-girl-who-thinks-like-you-a-lot-of-people-tell-me/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [If you don't break a hole through the brick wall, don't just start digging a new hole. Keep going until you break through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/if-you-don-t-break-a-hole-through-the-brick-wall-don-t-just-start/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [Keep digging, Flynn. Six feet makes a grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-monk/keep-digging-flynn-six-feet-makes-a-grave/) [Devon Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-monk/) [Browse all 487 Digging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tammara Webber" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-first-thing-to-do-is-stop-digging/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Digging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-first-thing-to-do-is-stop-digging/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ba/tammara-webber-1268_digging_when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-fir_3013266.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ba/tammara-webber-1268_digging_when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-fir_3013266.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ba/tammara-webber-1268_digging_when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-fir_3013266.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.” — Tammara Webber", "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": "Tammara Webber", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you find yourself in a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-first-thing-to-do-is-stop-digging/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-the-first-thing-to-do-is-stop-digging/#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 } } ] } ```