QuoteProject
Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page a day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised.
John Steinbeck
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Focus on small, daily progress rather than the overwhelming total.

John Steinbeck's quote emphasizes the importance of breaking down overwhelming tasks into manageable pieces. By concentrating on writing just one page a day, you can make steady progress towards your goal, while the constant surprise of completion keeps the journey rewarding and enjoyable.

Themes

WritingProgressMotivationGoalsDaily Habits

In practice

Example use cases

This quote could be used in a writing workshop to encourage participants to set small daily writing goals.

More from John Steinbeck

Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
John SteinbeckRead
At one point, as Samuel urges Adam to raise his boys well regardless of the blood that might be in them, Adam tells him, "You can't make a race horse of a pig." Samuel replies, "No, but you can make a very fast pig.
John SteinbeckRead
And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips. No man had touched the seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses.
John SteinbeckRead
The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.
John SteinbeckRead
People do not want advice - they want corroboration.
John SteinbeckRead
It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.
John SteinbeckRead

Similar quotes

Goals are dreams we convert to plans and take action to fulfill.
Zig ZiglarRead
No matter how much pressure you feel at work, if you could find ways to relax for at least five minutes every hour, you’d be more productive.
Joyce BrothersRead
May we understand that fear of failure is worse than failure itself
Paulo CoelhoRead
You will never ever be successful until you turn your pain into greatness, until you allow your pain to push you from where you are to push you to where you need to be. Stop running from your pain and embrace your pain. Your pain is going to be a part of your prize, a part of your product. I challenge you to push yourself.
Eric ThomasRead
You should never be defined by what you do, by the things you have; you've got to define yourself by who you are and who you impact and how you impact people. And that's the thing I try to get across to my players.
Tony DungyRead
People acting together as a group can accomplish things which no individual acting alone could ever hope to bring about.
Franklin D. RooseveltRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.

Quote by John Steinbeck | QuoteProject