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“...it's like this. Sometimes, when you've a very long street ahead of you, you think how terribly long it is and feel sure you'll never get it swept. And then
by samvher 2y ago
“...it's like this. Sometimes, when you've a very long street ahead of you, you think how terribly long it is and feel sure you'll never get it swept. And then you start to hurry. You work faster and faster and every time you look up there seems to be just as much left to sweep as before, and you try even harder, and you panic, and in the end you're out of breath and have to stop--and still the street stretches away in front of you. That's not the way to do it.
You must never think of the whole street at once, understand? You must only concentrate on the next step, the next breath, the next stroke of the broom, and the next, and the next. Nothing else.
That way you enjoy your work, which is important, because then you make a good job of it. And that's how it ought to be.
And all at once, before you know it, you find you've swept the whole street clean, bit by bit. what's more, you aren't out of breath. That's important, too...”
― Michael Ende, Momo
- cryptonector 2y agoI think of it as scaling a mountain. When you're at the base the mountain looks imposing and out of reach. As you begin the climb it's hard work and you don't know your way around and feel lost, and every time you look up the mountain remains as imposing as before. But then you begin to make progress, and the mountain begins to seem smaller. Now you can finish the climb because it doesn't seem like that much more work -- you've done the truly hard part, which was: getting started. Admittedly when I'm at the base I take my time getting started. But once I'm started, I can power through.
- waynesonfire 2y agoHand excavating a couple tens of feet of 5 ft deep trenches will quickly teach you this lesson.
- edgartaor 2y agoI love that book. Is full of lessons that seam aimed to kids but are even more important for adults to be remembered from time to time.