ProverbPerseveranceInternational origin

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones

Meaning: Great accomplishments are only possible through gradual, persistent small efforts.

Origin: Often credited to Confucius, but it is not in the Analects. A related genuine passage in Book 9 of the Analects compares self-improvement to building a mound: stop one basketful short, and the failure is your own.

Equivalents in German

  • German: Steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein (literally: A constant drop hollows out the stone)

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