Hesiod — If you should put even a little on a little, and should do this often, soon this too would become big.
If you should put even a little on a little, and should do this often, soon this too would become big.Hesiod
Hesiod, 'Works and Days'
Nearly three thousand years old, and still the most practical advice ever given about anything: add a little, often. The arithmetic is unremarkable; the results are not.
Ten minutes of English is a little. Ten minutes, often, is how every fluent speaker you admire got there. Do not despise the small amount — repeat it.
Words that widen the world
To gather or build up over time.
Synonyms: gather, amass, build up
Small efforts accumulate quietly.
Many times; frequently.
Synonyms: frequently, repeatedly, regularly
A little, done often, becomes a lot.
Common questions
It means small amounts added regularly accumulate into something substantial — consistency compounds over time.
From 'Works and Days' by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod.
Carry it with you
In your own words, what does this thought mean to you? Write three or four sentences in English about a moment when it felt true — saying it yourself is how it stays with you.
Read more from Hesiod
A hand-picked book or collection to sit with this idea longer. Affiliate links — replace # with your tagged URL.
Explore the readingLove this one? Order it as a print or poster → (shop coming soon)