Quote of the Week...from Vincent van Gogh

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.
                                                                          ----Vincent van Gogh.

Not that anyone was paying any attention to the now-celebrated Post-Impressionist painter from the Netherlands in the late nineteenth century when he made this statement...van Gogh received no recognition during his lifetime for his artistic accomplishments and committed suicide certain of his own personal failure...not necessarily someone you'd want to take a quote from and live by.  But the above declaration is so obviously true and significant that I couldn't help but include it on my weekly tour through Quotationland...

In 1978, public television showed a series titled Connections in which James Burke explored how technology and innovation worked over history.  Besides delving into people's sometimes quirky motivations for invention, he stressed the concept that new machines and processes depended intimately on earlier-developed, component machines and processes...the automobile, a complex composite machine, is a prime example.  So the small things, brought together, in turn bring about a great thing...

Our educational system, when done right (and I have little personal memory of that having happened for me), will teach in small portions the rudiments of a field to the student, who as he or she develops competency in the area can employ those elementary steps and apply them in more complex and effective ways.  When someone starts out at a new job...even with an advanced degree in the area of concern...the new employer will almost always gradually introduce them to their new situation, emphasizing immediate effectiveness with small things while training them to combine what they have learned into what is hoped will eventually be an advancement of the organization's mission and profits...

Do you want to become a great writer, runner, chess player, widget maker...or even painter?  First you start by doing...you write, run, play chess, make a widget (or part of one), paint, etc.  Then you introduce new improvements to your regimen that advance your skills and progress...imitating others who have enjoyed success is a good idea. If you're not being taught by someone else, than you may need to do your own research into the area you want to become great in.  Adding a decent dose of humility to your personality is a good idea as well, for if you believe you already know everything, you're not likely to be open to learning to bring together those small things to achieve greatness...