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About this quote

What does it mean?
Nightingale encourages starting practical projects early, no matter how small, because they often grow over time.
In plain terms
Start small practical actions early because they can grow into something big.
What can you take from it?
Small beginnings can grow into significant outcomes if nurtured early.

Where it applies

  • entrepreneurship
  • community organizing
  • personal habits

Putting it to work

  • start now
  • nurture small projects

Questions to consider

  • What small action could you start today?
  • What are you waiting for to begin?

Another view

Not all small efforts grow; context and resources matter.

More from Florence Nightingale

  1. The Church is now more like the Scribes and Pharisees than like Christ... What are now called the 'essential doctrines' of the Christian religion he does not e…

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  2. Law is the continuous manifestation of God's presence - not reason for believing him absent. Great confusion arises from our using the same word law in two tot…

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  3. You ask me why I do not write something... I think one's feelings waste themselves in words, they ought all to be distilled into actions and into actions which…

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