Cross that bridge when you come to it
Meaning
Deal with a potential problem only when it actually arises, rather than worrying about it beforehand.
Origin
The phrase gained widespread currency in the mid-19th century, famously appearing in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1858 epic poem, The Sagas of King Olaf. While earlier similar sentiments existed, Longfellow's poignant line, 'Don't cross the bridge till you come to it,' struck a chord with readers, capturing the universal wisdom of facing challenges only when they are directly before you. This vivid, practical metaphor for deferring unnecessary worry resonated deeply, cementing itself into the English lexicon as a popular adage advising against premature anxiety.
Examples
- My flight is next month, but I'm not thinking about packing yet; I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
- We don't know if the new software will crash the system, so let's just launch it and cross that bridge when we come to it.