See also: if you’re standing in a hole, stop digging.

We are all in a hole.

Maybe, it’s not easy to realize, you are in a hole. Or, at least, not during early stage

Well, of course you can only stop digging after you realize you are on a hole.

This phrase is intended for people that once discover they are in an always deepening hole panic and do nothing (or worse) because they see no way to completely fix the situation.

While playing the game of GO, I learned something related:

Don't go on a hunt when your house is on fire

Related: if your house is on fire, that’s an emergency. If your house is on fire every week, that’s a Tuesday

Notable failures both personally experienced and famous usually involve great amplifications of the issue resulting from attempts to fix, often with increasingly urgent and hasty actions.

Yes, the adage should be "changes for the better start with changes for the worse."

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"