Subject: Problems

If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

Samuel Clemens (1835 – 1910) author & humorist
Problems

The degree of failure is in direct proportion to the effort expended and to the need for success.

Failure Murphy’s Laws Problems Success

Alimony is a system by which, when two people make a mistake, one of them continues to pay for it.

(1893 – 1957) American actress & celebrity
Marriage Mistakes Money

A child will not spill on a dirty floor.

Accidents Children

Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.

(1769 – 1821) French general & politician
Mistakes People

Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.

Problems Proverbs

No matter what goes wrong, it will probably look right.

Murphy’s Laws Problems

Always leave room to add an explanation if it doesn't work out.

Communication Murphy’s Laws Problems

No matter how long it takes for you to get back to pick up the shoes the shoemaker will tell you that they won't be ready until tomorrow.

Murphy’s Laws Problems Time

The most delicate component will be dropped.

Accidents Murphy’s Laws Things

Whom the gods wish to destroy they first call promising.

(1903 – 1974) English intellectual, literary critic & writer
Failure Problems

A flying particle will seek the nearest eye.

Accidents Murphy’s Laws

We learn something every day, and lots of times it’s that what we learned the day before was wrong.

(1915 – 1977) columnist, writer & actor
Characteristics Education Learning Problems Time

A dropped power tool will always land on the concrete instead of the soft ground (if outdoors) or the carpet (if indoors) – unless it is running, in which case it will fall on something it can damage (like your foot).

Accidents Murphy’s Laws Things

When you get to the end of your rope tie a knot and hang on.

(1874 – 1965) British prime minister, politician, statesman & orator
Problems Situations

Office machines that function perfectly during normal business hours will break down when you return at night to use them for personal business.

Failure Murphy’s Laws Problems Things

The problem-solving process will always break down at the point at which it is possible to determine who caused the problem.

Murphy’s Laws Problems

Everything will go wrong at one time.

Corollary: That time is always when you least expect it.

Murphy’s Laws Problems Time

There is always a way… and it usually doesn’t work.

Murphy’s Laws Problems

When the product is destined to fail, the delivery system will perform perfectly.

Failure Murphy’s Laws Problems

When we got into office, the thing that surprised me most was to find that things were just as bad as we'd been saying they were.

(1917 – 1963) 35th U.S. president
Characteristics Communication Problems