“Don’t cross the bridge until you come to it” is the proverb that tells us not to borrow tomorrow’s troubles today. Here is what it means, where it comes from, how to use it, and a few sayings that share its calm.
What Does “Don’t Cross the Bridge Until You Come to It” Mean?
The proverb means don’t worry about a problem until it actually arises — deal with difficulties when they come, not before. Fretting in advance about something that may never happen only wastes energy and steals your peace. The image is simple: there is no point working out how to cross a bridge while it is still far down the road; when you reach it, you will deal with it then.
Origin of the Proverb
The saying was already known as an old proverb when the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow quoted it in his 1851 work The Golden Legend: “Don’t cross the bridge till you come to it, is a proverb old, and of excellent wit.” His lines helped fix the phrase in popular memory, and it has been offered as reassurance to anxious minds ever since.
Examples in a Sentence
- “You don’t know if you’ll even need surgery yet — don’t cross the bridge until you come to it.”
- “Stop worrying about next year’s exams; don’t cross that bridge until you come to it.”
- “We’ll figure out the move if the job offer comes. Don’t cross the bridge until you come to it.”
Similar Proverbs
- Don’t borrow trouble — don’t go looking for problems before they arrive.
- Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof — each day has enough worry of its own.
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch — don’t act on something before it has happened.
- Tomorrow is another day — let the future take care of itself.
For more sayings about worry and patience, see our proverbs about patience and the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “don’t cross the bridge until you come to it” mean?
It means don’t worry about a problem before it actually happens — deal with difficulties when you reach them, not in advance.
Where does the proverb come from?
It was already an old proverb when Henry Wadsworth Longfellow quoted it in his 1851 poem The Golden Legend, which helped make it famous.
What is a similar proverb?
“Don’t borrow trouble” and “sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” share the same advice not to worry ahead of time.