--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't waste more time worrying unless…" description: "\"I can't waste more time worrying unless something surfaces that should legitimately cause fear.\" — Tig Notaro" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/tig-notaro-3660_fear_i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless_1485491.jpg" --- # I can't waste more time worrying unless something surfaces… ![“I can't waste more time worrying unless something surfaces that should legitimately cause fear.” quote by Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/tig-notaro-3660_fear_i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless_1485491.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/tig-notaro-3660_fear_i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless_1485491.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/tig-notaro-3660_fear_i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless_1485491.jpg) > “I can't waste more time worrying unless something surfaces that should legitimately cause fear.” [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Worrying wastes time unless a genuine threat emerges; prioritize present action over imagined fears. **In simple terms:** Worry only when real danger exists; act now. Key Takeaway Focus on actionable concerns, not imagined ones. Themes anxiety productivity mindfulness risk assessment Mood lighthearted thoughtful Type humorous philosophical When to use this quote - project planning - health decisions - financial budgeting - creative work Key Concepts cognitive bias psychology time management Questions to Reflect On - What fears are justified versus imagined? - How can you differentiate them? A Different Perspective Some worries motivate preparedness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Worrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worrying/) ## Related quotes > [Today I will refuse to spend any time worrying about what might happen, and spend that time on what I want to have happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-i-will-refuse-to-spend-any-time-worrying-about-what-might/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can either waste time worrying about a death that might not come or concentrate on what’s left to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/you-can-either-waste-time-worrying-about-a-death-that-might-not-come/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [What will happen will happen and I won't waste my time worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/what-will-happen-will-happen-and-i-won-t-waste-my-time-worrying/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [“The next time you are worrying about something, try to remember that you aren’t always in control. Instead, do practical things like make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/the-next-time-you-are-worrying-about-something-try-to-remember-that/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [One of the lessons of 2016 is to spend less time worrying about what will happen and more time worrying about what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovett/one-of-the-lessons-of-2016-is-to-spend-less-time-worrying-about-what/) [Jon Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovett/) > [If I spent my time worrying about what other people would think of my work, I would be too self-conscious to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/if-i-spent-my-time-worrying-about-what-other-people-would-think-of-my/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [The longer you spend your time worrying about all the negative things in your life, the further you push any chance of retrieving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/the-longer-you-spend-your-time-worrying-about-all-the-negative-things/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) > [Don't waste your time worrying if people are talking about you - you affected their lives, they didn't affect yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/don-t-waste-your-time-worrying-if-people-are-talking-about-you-you/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I think we can spend too much time worrying about polls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/i-think-we-can-spend-too-much-time-worrying-about-polls/) [Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/) > [I used to spend a lot of time worrying about my defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chipper-jones/i-used-to-spend-a-lot-of-time-worrying-about-my-defense/) [Chipper Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chipper-jones/) > [“Don’t waste the rest of your time here worrying about other people—unless it affects the common good. It will keep you from doing anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-waste-the-rest-of-your-time-here-worrying-about-other-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's a waste of time worrying about something that worry won't fix. It's about as useful as trying to feed your pet rock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/it-s-a-waste-of-time-worrying-about-something-that-worry-won-t-fix-it/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“My point is, there is always a cause for fear. The cause may change over time, but the fear is always with us. Before”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/my-point-is-there-is-always-a-cause-for-fear-the-cause-may-change/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“If I let you, you would make me destroy myself. in order to survive you, I must first survive myself. I can sink no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/if-i-let-you-you-would-make-me-destroy-myself-in-order-to-survive-you/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/action-is-a-great-restorer-and-builder-of-confidence-inaction-is-not/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) ## More by Tig Notaro > [Reminding myself that I have a tailbone keeps me in check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/reminding-myself-that-i-have-a-tailbone-keeps-me-in-check/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I think my brain just has a natural way of going to what would be the most insane thing, the least likely option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-think-my-brain-just-has-a-natural-way-of-going-to-what-would-be-the/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [Before I had a double mastectomy, I was already pretty flat-chested, and I made so many jokes over the years about how small my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/before-i-had-a-double-mastectomy-i-was-already-pretty-flat-chested/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [Even losing my mother, I wanted my mother. That's who you want instinctually when you're having a hard time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/even-losing-my-mother-i-wanted-my-mother-that-s-who-you-want/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I think every person and place is interesting, and there's an interesting story behind every door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-think-every-person-and-place-is-interesting-and-there-s-an/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [A lot of times, people will have after-parties or try and host an event for comedians, and they misunderstand us. They think it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/a-lot-of-times-people-will-have-after-parties-or-try-and-host-an/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I'm fascinated by caddy Buddhists popping up all over Hollywood and people that take themselves too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-m-fascinated-by-caddy-buddhists-popping-up-all-over-hollywood-and/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I love devastating movies, documentaries and hummingbirds (yes, in that order).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-love-devastating-movies-documentaries-and-hummingbirds-yes-in-that/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I definitely still like writing one-liners, but I also think that I've changed a lot in that I've allowed myself freedom to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-definitely-still-like-writing-one-liners-but-i-also-think-that-i-ve/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I'm the luckiest unlucky person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-m-the-luckiest-unlucky-person/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I didn't know whether I'd be attractive to anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-didn-t-know-whether-i-d-be-attractive-to-anybody/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [The hardest lesson to learn always is to just have faith in that you will always have something to say or a story to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/the-hardest-lesson-to-learn-always-is-to-just-have-faith-in-that-you/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [My age makes all my wrinkles and gray hair make sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/my-age-makes-all-my-wrinkles-and-gray-hair-make-sense/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [It's almost embarrassing how much support I have. I mean, I always tell people I feel like I'm perfectly set up to have cancer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/it-s-almost-embarrassing-how-much-support-i-have-i-mean-i-always-tell/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I am just at tragedy right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-am-just-at-tragedy-right-now/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) [Explore all 125 Tig Notaro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't waste more time worrying unless something surfaces that should legitimately cause fear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tig Notaro" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless-something-surfaces-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless-something-surfaces-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/tig-notaro-3660_fear_i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless_1485491.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/tig-notaro-3660_fear_i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless_1485491.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/tig-notaro-3660_fear_i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless_1485491.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't waste more time worrying unless something surfaces that should legitimately cause fear.” — Tig Notaro", "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": "Tig Notaro", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can't waste more time worrying...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless-something-surfaces-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-can-t-waste-more-time-worrying-unless-something-surfaces-that/#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 } } ] } ```