Van Gogh on Great Things from Smallness: Why Little Steps Matter

🎧 Episode #55 (Van Gogh on Great Things from Smallness: Why Little Steps Matter)

What starts small and grows through repetition, iteration, and time? Everything! This episode, inspired by my trip to the Netherlands and a visit to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, is about the genius of small movements in the direction of your goals, desires, and passions. A year after I visited the Netherlands — and the Van Gogh Museum, I saw this quote, and it sparked a desire to explore its roots.

In this episode, I explore:

• One of Van Gogh's letters to his brother Theo, and the source of his famous quote: "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."
• Putting the work in and exploring the practical use of the idea that small steps forward (even awkward attempts at something new) are the way.
•  Whether a goal or a passion, we must recognize the need to take action repeatedly (practice). Manifestation is built on action (seeded with dreams).

🎨Van Gogh's Letters to Theo

Van Gogh's brother Theo was a constant positive force in his life, and you can find many letters available to the public to read here. I tracked down the source of the quote on small things brought together. It’s from a letter to his brother Theo on Sunday, October 22, 1882 (labeled letter 274 by the museum). The passage that contains the original version of this quote reads:

All the more, all the more, I think every attempt in this direction is worthy of respect. I also believe that it may happen that one succeeds and one mustn’t begin by despairing; even if one loses here and there, and even if one sometimes feels a sort of decline, the point is nevertheless to revive and have courage, even though things don’t turn out as one first thought. Moreover, don’t think that I look with contempt on people such as you describe because their life isn’t founded on serious and well-considered principles. My view on this is as follows: the result must be an action, not an abstract idea. I think principles are good and worth the effort only when they develop into deeds, and I think it’s good to reflect and to try to be conscientious, because that makes a person’s will to work more resolute and turns the various actions into a whole. I think that people such as you describe would get more steadiness if they went about what they do more rationally, but otherwise I much prefer them to people who make a great show of their principles without making the slightest effort to put them into practice or even giving that a thought. For the latter have no use for the finest of principles, and the former are precisely the people who, if they ever get round to living with willpower and reflection, will do something great. For the great doesn’t happen through impulse alone, and is a succession of little things that are brought together.  

💭Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• Small steps forward, small actions done repeatedly, are the way forward when working toward a passion project, your art, a personal growth goal, or a self-care routine.
• We must be a person of action (even when we are afraid that we don't know if our actions are the right ones).
• Working consistently on something and making step-by-step progress is the best way to manifest your dreams and desires.
• Incremental growth comes from conscious learning, that is, learning and implementing new skills through practice; sometimes we'll fumble through the early mistakes in our practice sessions, but eventually we become skilled at using new techniques (if we stick with it long enough).
• Break down projects into a step-by-step process. While it doesn’t have to be linear, our artmaking or personal growth endeavors are greatly helped when we focus on process (especially over results and products – those will take care of themselves if we are engaged in the process).

Journal Prompts for Achieving Great Things Through Small Steps

Here are some journal prompts inspired by Van Gogh’s quote. Think about them, write about them, and consider how they can apply to your life.

Van Gogh gave us so much to contemplate: sunflowers, portraits, landscapes, letters, viewpoints, philosophies, and beliefs on life. A vast output of great works shared in a relatively short period. We have years to explore them because great things can be revealed in small ways over time.

Let’s give ourselves the time to make things happen in our lives, give ourselves time to learn new things, to develop new habits, and to make new art. When small things are brought together, we can look back with pride and smile, because we know the work it took to get here, and now we enjoy the fruits of our labor in the afterglow of the bright side of the beat.🌞

Podcast Music: My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and have the courage to put it out into the world. All music and sound effects for my podcast are sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.

Songs in this podcast episode: Windy City by Cristina Scannicchio; Slide by GEMM; Solar Wav by GEMM; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters

Related Episodes:

A Poetic Travelogue: Precious Summer Memories from Utrecht (episode #38)

Deep Listening: Uncovering the Wisdom Within (episode #33)

Resources:

Vincent Van Gogh's Letters (the Van Gogh Museum & the Huygens Institute)

Van Gogh's Letter # 274 (To Theo van Gogh. The Hague, Sunday, 22 October 1882)

7 Habits of Effective Artists (Andrew Price at Blender Conference 2016)

Vincent: A Life In Letters by Vincent van Gogh

New Resource!

On the podcast, I often explore tools and strategies to reduce overthinking. Now, I've created a fun, art-lovers practice guide to stop overthinking, worry, and rumination. Click below to read it now.

The Art-lovers Creative Practice Guide to Stop Overthinking, Worry, and Rumination

This is my creative take on the process (and practice) of releasing the grip of overthinking using four modalities -- body connection, art/creativity, nature, and writing/journaling.

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Journaling Resources

30-Day Journal Challenge (Writing Prompts to Get Started)

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Let the Verse FlowJill Hodge

Journaling 101: An Inspirational Guide to Start (or Revive) a Practice

Whether you write, doodle, draw, or keep memorable quotes, journaling uncovers YOU. Let your unconscious mind speak, download my free guide.

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