The theologian Thomas Merton said, “The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little.” Wisdom is seeing our true potential while at the same time seeing the power of small acts. The founder of Stoicism, Zeno of Citium, stressed, “Well-being is attained by little and little and nevertheless is no little thing itself.”
The Chinese philosopher Confucius taught,
“The journey of the wise to virtue is a journey to a remote land or the ascent of a high mountain. People who travel to a faraway place start with a single step, and those who climb a high mountain start from the bottom.”
Is there anything that isn’t attained little by little?
What is the smallest step you can take towards the life you want to lead?
In the classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey advised beginning with the end in mind. According to Covey, all things are created twice — mental (first) and physical (second). This timeless habit connects to the idea of The Discipline of Clarity, or as Seneca put it: “If one does not know which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.”
One must be able to think big (with imagination and creativity) to determine their destination. But, we must also be able to think small (present-focused) to carry out the small mundane acts required to reach that destination.
Which do you find more challenging (thinking big or small)?
When we discover our tendencies, we can remind ourselves accordingly. For example, the Buddha used this analogy to illustrate the power of small acts, “Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the wise person becomes full of good, even if they gather it little by little.” If you find it more difficult to see what is possible (or think big) — remember these words:
“If you find something very difficult to achieve yourself, don’t imagine it impossible — for anything possible and proper for another person can be achieved as easily by you.” — Marcus Aurelius
The writer Leo Tolstoy observed that one must strive for goodness without expecting rapid or noticeable success. Natural goodness is not something that can be acquired in an instant but only through constant effort.
Think big, take time to contemplate what matters; the poet Mary Oliver asked: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” But also think small; remember to start each day at the bottom. As a Chinese proverb says, “Renew yourself completely every day, start fresh, from the beginning.”
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Thank you for reading; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
What a lovely start of my day and to refresh my daily habits and to focus more at the present time, daily achievements, 1% improvement everyday, and improve your daily discipline to reach my final goal. As Jim Rohn said “you can not change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight”.