“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”
- November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910
- American
- Author, humorist, and lecturer
- Wrote masterpieces such as “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” and had a major influence on American literature
Quote
“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”
Explanation
Mark Twain’s quote humorously flips the well-known piece of advice, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today,” by suggesting that it’s better to delay tasks even longer than necessary. The humor comes from the irony and exaggeration of the suggestion to procrastinate even more, making it sound like the ideal approach is to avoid responsibility for as long as possible. Twain’s wit lies in the absurdity of taking procrastination to an extreme, highlighting how people often try to avoid unpleasant tasks, even when they know that delaying them won’t make them go away.
This remark also reflects Twain’s playful cynicism about human nature and the habit of putting off work. While people often tell themselves they will take care of something tomorrow, Twain suggests that, in reality, some people might be even more creative in finding ways to delay the inevitable. The quote is a satirical commentary on the tendency to procrastinate, poking fun at how people try to avoid work without recognizing that doing so might lead to greater stress later.
In modern contexts, this quote resonates with the common problem of procrastination and how delaying tasks can sometimes feel like the easy route. Twain’s humor reminds us that while it might feel good to postpone work or responsibility, it’s often more beneficial to tackle things sooner rather than later to avoid compounding problems. His words serve as a lighthearted caution about the consequences of excessive delay and the dangers of avoiding tasks indefinitely.
