--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing you ought to do when you…" description: "\"The first thing you ought to do when you find yourself in a hole is quit digging. . . . Instead they are looking for a bigger shovel.\" — William J. Cli..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/william-j-clinton-302_bigger_the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you_1452055.jpg" --- # The first thing you ought to do when you find yourself in… ![“The first thing you ought to do when you find yourself in a hole is quit digging. . . . Instead they are looking for a bigger shovel.” quote by William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/william-j-clinton-302_bigger_the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you_1452055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/william-j-clinton-302_bigger_the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you_1452055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/william-j-clinton-302_bigger_the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you_1452055.jpg) > “The first thing you ought to do when you find yourself in a hole is quit digging. . . . Instead they are looking for a bigger shovel.” [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## 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 digging deeper and seek a new approach; sometimes a different tool solves the problem. **In simple terms:** Quit digging, find a better tool. Key Takeaway Seek new solutions, not more effort. Themes problem solving strategy change adaptation Mood analytical inspirational pragmatic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - project management - personal crises - career obstacles - conflict resolution Key Concepts systems thinking innovation resource management Questions to Reflect On - What new tool could solve your current problem? - When is it better to persist versus change? A Different Perspective Changing tactics may not address underlying issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finding yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) ## Related quotes > [“When you’re in a hole, quit digging!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/when-you-re-in-a-hole-quit-digging/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [When you find yourself in a hole, quit digging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-quit-digging/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“The way to quit digging holes is to get rid of the shovels and stay away from the dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-way-to-quit-digging-holes-is-to-get-rid-of-the-shovels-and-stay/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [ I shovel \[money\] out, and God shovels it back...but God has a bigger shovel! ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-letourneau/i-shovel-money-out-and-god-shovels-it-back-but-god-has-a-bigger-shovel/) R. G. LeTourneau > [“The reward for digging holes is a bigger shovel”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-reward-for-digging-holes-is-a-bigger-shovel/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [In too deep to see the diamond, down too dark to see the gold. Now he won't let go of the shovel, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-travis/in-too-deep-to-see-the-diamond-down-too-dark-to-see-the-gold-now-he/) [Randy Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-travis/) > [The first rule of holes is when you're in one, stop digging. When you're in three, bring a lot of shovels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/the-first-rule-of-holes-is-when-you-re-in-one-stop-digging-when-you/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Who the fuck cares? I'll dig the fuckin' hole. I don't give a fuck. What is it, the first hole I dug? Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-the-fuck-cares-i-ll-dig-the-fuckin-hole-i-don-t-give-a-fuck-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Some years ago I was working on some forms which were vase forms with a fairly narrow base, and it was after \[Hans\] Coper… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/some-years-ago-i-was-working-on-some-forms-which-were-vase-forms-with/) [Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/) > [For 3 Million you could give everyone in Scotland a shovel, and we could dig a hole so deep we could hand her over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/for-3-million-you-could-give-everyone-in-scotland-a-shovel-and-we/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [“My view on writers? We all have the same shovels, but never dig in the same places or to the exact same depth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-henegan/my-view-on-writers-we-all-have-the-same-shovels-but-never-dig-in-the/) [Carl Henegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-henegan/) > [Tell you what," I said. "After the testing after the Demon Days, when things settle down -" "Things won't settle down." "- I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/tell-you-what-i-said-after-the-testing-after-the-demon-days-when/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Let soldiers on manoeuvres plant trees. Give police and criminals a shovel and a thousand seedlings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wright/let-soldiers-on-manoeuvres-plant-trees-give-police-and-criminals-a/) [John Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wright/) > [When one wants to become cognizant of the color and the texture of the soil, one does not get a ladder; one gets a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djuna-barnes/when-one-wants-to-become-cognizant-of-the-color-and-the-texture-of/) [Djuna Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djuna-barnes/) > [The financial crisis just made the hole deeper, which is why our stimulus needs to be both big and smart, both financially and educationally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/the-financial-crisis-just-made-the-hole-deeper-which-is-why-our/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) ## More by William J. Clinton > [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Almost makes you want to go to jail out here, doesn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/almost-makes-you-want-to-go-to-jail-out-here-doesn-t-it/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I take full responsability...for what we did. It was the right thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-take-full-responsability-for-what-we-did-it-was-the-right-thing-to/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Even as people take pride in their national independence, we know we are becoming more and more interdependent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/even-as-people-take-pride-in-their-national-independence-we-know-we/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [To build a twenty-first-century economy, America must revive a nineteenth-century habit--investing in the common, national economic resources that enable every person and every firm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/to-build-a-twenty-first-century-economy-america-must-revive-a/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [One of the things that I think we have learned is that we should all be very careful about making predictions about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/one-of-the-things-that-i-think-we-have-learned-is-that-we-should-all/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Only astrophysicists new about the Internet 20 years ago. Today my cat has a website.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/only-astrophysicists-new-about-the-internet-20-years-ago-today-my-cat/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Our military superiority is so great - it's far greater than it was in the Gulf War, and the Gulf War was over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/our-military-superiority-is-so-great-it-s-far-greater-than-it-was-in/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [You know, I've always been really interested in this stuff, and I'm going to read this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/you-know-i-ve-always-been-really-interested-in-this-stuff-and-i-m/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [If you believe in making change from the bottom up, if you believe the measure of change is how many people's lives are better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/if-you-believe-in-making-change-from-the-bottom-up-if-you-believe-the/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [ We \[Democrats\] have got to be strong. When we look weak in a time where people feel insecure, we lose. when people feel uncertain,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-democrats-have-got-to-be-strong-when-we-look-weak-in-a-time-where/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [It's the economy, stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/it-s-the-economy-stupid/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The Republicans could mess up a two car parade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-republicans-could-mess-up-a-two-car-parade/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [We're all in this together is a far better philosophy than you're on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-re-all-in-this-together-is-a-far-better-philosophy-than-you-re-on/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) [Explore all 712 William J. Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## More Bigger quotes > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Max—you have a bigger mission than finding the flock's parents. Focus on helping the whole world, not just your friends. I held my wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/max-you-have-a-bigger-mission-than-finding-the-flock-s-parents-focus/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Sometimes people can write really great scenes and even a great episode, but they can't see the bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/sometimes-people-can-write-really-great-scenes-and-even-a-great/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [If you consider yourself a part of the culture, then finances can't allow you to be bigger than the actual art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/if-you-consider-yourself-a-part-of-the-culture-then-finances-can-t/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [If we get better our customers will demand we get bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/if-we-get-better-our-customers-will-demand-we-get-bigger/) [S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I think everyone has been annoyed at school or in their life, that's a type of bullying. So, you can take those feelings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodi-smit-mcphee/i-think-everyone-has-been-annoyed-at-school-or-in-their-life-that-s-a/) [Kodi Smit-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodi-smit-mcphee/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) Browse all 3,614 Bigger quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first thing you ought to do when you find yourself in a hole is quit digging. . . . Instead they are looking for a bigger shovel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William J. Clinton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/william-j-clinton-302_bigger_the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you_1452055.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/william-j-clinton-302_bigger_the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you_1452055.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21a/william-j-clinton-302_bigger_the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you_1452055.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first thing you ought to do when you find yourself in a hole is quit digging. . . . Instead they are…” — William J. Clinton", "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": "William J. Clinton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first thing you ought to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-when-you-find-yourself-in-a-hole-is/#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 } } ] } ```