proverb · Words worth keeping
Don’t climb the hill before you get to it.
Don’t climb the hill before you get to it.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Climbing a hill before reaching it pictures taking on a difficulty prematurely. The supplied reading warns against worrying as though a future problem were already present.
Example
Someone makes a reasonable preparation for a possible difficulty and then returns attention to the task presently available.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The journey image separates an anticipated obstacle from the point at which it must be addressed. It can encourage proportionate attention to the current situation while leaving room for practical preparation. It does not prove the obstacle imaginary or require someone to dismiss a well-founded concern.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish useful preparation from treating an uncertain problem as already happening.
Keep in mind
Future concerns may be valid, and the saying is not a ban on planning or seeking support.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown