--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst possible thing ... was to lie…" description: "\"The worst possible thing ... was to lie dead in the water with any problem. Solve it, solve it quickly ... If you solved it wrong, it would come back a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/thomas-watson-jr-26660_faces_the-worst-possible-thing-was-to-lie-dead_3209135.jpg" --- # The worst possible thing ... was to lie dead in the water… ![“The worst possible thing ... was to lie dead in the water with any problem. Solve it, solve it quickly ... If you solved it wrong, it would come back and slap you in the face, and then you could solve it right.” quote by Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/thomas-watson-jr-26660_faces_the-worst-possible-thing-was-to-lie-dead_3209135.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/thomas-watson-jr-26660_faces_the-worst-possible-thing-was-to-lie-dead_3209135.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/thomas-watson-jr-26660_faces_the-worst-possible-thing-was-to-lie-dead_3209135.jpg) > “The worst possible thing ... was to lie dead in the water with any problem. Solve it, solve it quickly ... If you solved it wrong, it would come back and slap you in the face, and then you could solve it right.” [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing problems head‑on prevents them from worsening; quick correction avoids larger setbacks. **In simple terms:** Solve problems fast before they grow. Key Takeaway Act swiftly, correct mistakes. Themes problem solving urgency resilience Mood determined urgent Type motivational practical When to use this quote - project crises - personal setbacks - technical failures - health emergencies Key Concepts risk management feedback loops Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance speed with accuracy? - When is it better to pause before acting? A Different Perspective If you rush, you may misdiagnose the issue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Solve it. Solve it quickly, solve it right or wrong. If you solve it wrong, it will come back and slap you in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/solve-it-solve-it-quickly-solve-it-right-or-wrong-if-you-solve-it/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [It's better to solve the right problem approximately than to solve the wrong problem exactly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tukey/it-s-better-to-solve-the-right-problem-approximately-than-to-solve/) [John Tukey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tukey/) > [It's a real misconception that water is a problem in Africa only. It's also an issue in Nepal, in Honduras, and in the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenna/it-s-a-real-misconception-that-water-is-a-problem-in-africa-only-it-s/) [Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenna/) > [Problems are good, as long as you solve them quickly,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-whitman/problems-are-good-as-long-as-you-solve-them-quickly/) [Meg Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-whitman/) > [Contaminated water is not a problem limited to Flint. Think of New Jersey, where school fountains were found to contain unsafe levels of lead.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-brockovich/contaminated-water-is-not-a-problem-limited-to-flint-think-of-new/) [Erin Brockovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-brockovich/) > [Isolation is the worst possible counselor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/isolation-is-the-worst-possible-counselor/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [If I get too type-cast, that's the worst possible scenario.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-drake/if-i-get-too-type-cast-that-s-the-worst-possible-scenario/) [Larry Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-drake/) > [If anything can go wrong - it will, at the worst possible moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-anything-can-go-wrong-it-will-at-the-worst-possible-moment/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Ari, Ari, Ari. You’re fighting this war in the worst possible way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ari-ari-ari-you-re-fighting-this-war-in-the-worst-possible-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All Bridget Jones did was give us a word for it - singleton - which was the worst possible thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-donovan/all-bridget-jones-did-was-give-us-a-word-for-it-singleton-which-was/) [Daisy Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-donovan/) > [A happy childhood... is the worst possible preparation for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/a-happy-childhood-is-the-worst-possible-preparation-for-life/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [The fashion industry is the worst possible vessel for conveying an ethical message about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/the-fashion-industry-is-the-worst-possible-vessel-for-conveying-an/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [Complaining is the absolute worst possible thing you could do for your health or your wealth. The worst!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/complaining-is-the-absolute-worst-possible-thing-you-could-do-for/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [... the worst possible heritage to leave with children: high spiritual pretensions and low performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-possible-heritage-to-leave-with-children-high-spiritual/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most painful and worst possible types of goodbyes are the ones that are never said, or never explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakare/the-most-painful-and-worst-possible-types-of-goodbyes-are-the-ones/) [Bakare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakare/) ## More by Thomas Watson, Jr > [The future regulatory arrangements for the newspaper industry need to be done in a much calmer deliberative way, in slower time when we've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/the-future-regulatory-arrangements-for-the-newspaper-industry-need-to/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [Great design will not sell an inferior product, but it will enable a great product to achieve its maximum potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/great-design-will-not-sell-an-inferior-product-but-it-will-enable-a/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [When someone gives the hospital a gift of $5 and you know he can afford less than that, thank him profusely. When someone gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/when-someone-gives-the-hospital-a-gift-of-5-and-you-know-he-can/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [The web of influence which News Corporation spun in Britain, which effectively bent politicians, police and many others in public life to its will,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/the-web-of-influence-which-news-corporation-spun-in-britain-which/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [Always remember that your personality is your big asset. Do not try to emulate another person. Real personality comes from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/always-remember-that-your-personality-is-your-big-asset-do-not-try-to/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [Put First Things First! These four words cover an entire philosophy which can be applied with profit by every business leader, by every executive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/put-first-things-first-these-four-words-cover-an-entire-philosophy/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [The only sacred cow is an organisation should be its basic philosophy of doing business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/the-only-sacred-cow-is-an-organisation-should-be-its-basic-philosophy/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [I believe the real difference between success and failure in a corporation can be very often traced to the question of how well the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/i-believe-the-real-difference-between-success-and-failure-in-a/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [The future of this business is far beyond the vision of any of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/the-future-of-this-business-is-far-beyond-the-vision-of-any-of-us/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [I've been a minister and I know how cautious you have to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/i-ve-been-a-minister-and-i-know-how-cautious-you-have-to-be/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [It's the job of a special advisor to be the eyes and ears of a minister and it's the job of a corporate lobbyist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/it-s-the-job-of-a-special-advisor-to-be-the-eyes-and-ears-of-a/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [There's a fine line between eccentrics and geniuses. If you're a little ahead of your time, you're an eccentric, and if you're too late,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/there-s-a-fine-line-between-eccentrics-and-geniuses-if-you-re-a/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [The higher the monkey climbs, the more he shows his ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/the-higher-the-monkey-climbs-the-more-he-shows-his-ass/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [The last thing we want is politicians running newspapers, but so too we don't want newspapers running the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/the-last-thing-we-want-is-politicians-running-newspapers-but-so-too/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [I've got to be careful what I say but Glenn Mulcaire was a blagger and a phone hacker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/i-ve-got-to-be-careful-what-i-say-but-glenn-mulcaire-was-a-blagger/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) [Explore all 21 Thomas Watson, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) ## More Faces quotes > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/his-fingertips-slid-down-from-my-face-lightly-stroking-the-line-of-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I've seen every one, from Motley Crue to John Denver, with tears running down my face. I had no idea everyone had such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/i-ve-seen-every-one-from-motley-crue-to-john-denver-with-tears/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [So," I said. "Seems you're going to be stuck with me for a while." He smiled. A real smile that lit up his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/so-i-said-seems-you-re-going-to-be-stuck-with-me-for-a-while-he/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Here comes old Rosie she's looking mighty fine, here comes hot Nancy she's steppin' right on time. There go the street lights bringing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/here-comes-old-rosie-she-s-looking-mighty-fine-here-comes-hot-nancy/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [A face is too slight a foundation for happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/a-face-is-too-slight-a-foundation-for-happiness/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 13,128 Faces quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The worst possible thing ... was to lie dead in the water with any problem. Solve it, solve it quickly ... 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