I believe that it may happen that one will succeed, and one must not begin to despair, even though defeated here and there; and even though one sometimes feels a kind of decay, though things go differently from the expected, it is necessary to take heart again and new courage. For the great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. And great things are not something accidental, but must certainly be willed. What is drawing? How does one learn it? It is working through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can do.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Persistence and small steps lead to greatness; the barrier between feeling and doing must be broken.
- In plain terms
- Keep going even when things go wrong; great things come from small repeated acts.
- What can you take from it?
- Consistency and small steps build great achievements.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What small steps can you take today?
- How do you recover from defeat?
Another view
Persistence without direction may lead to wasted effort.
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