--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The key to failing on a monumental scale…" description: "\"“The key to failing on a monumental scale is to take life one small misstep at a time,”\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/anonymous-1_failing_the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale_3206634.jpg" --- # The key to failing on a monumental scale is to take life… ![“The key to failing on a monumental scale is to take life one small misstep at a time,” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/anonymous-1_failing_the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale_3206634.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/anonymous-1_failing_the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale_3206634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/anonymous-1_failing_the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale_3206634.jpg) > ““The key to failing on a monumental scale is to take life one small misstep at a time,”” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Failing massively comes from repeatedly making tiny mistakes without correcting them. **In simple terms:** Small errors add up to big failure. Key Takeaway Fix small mistakes early. Themes failure incremental error self‑discipline Mood cautious reflective Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - project management - personal finance - health habits Key Concepts systems thinking personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What small mistake can you correct today? - How do you track incremental errors? A Different Perspective Ignoring minor issues can lead to larger crises. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Failing Monumental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing-monumental-5974471/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Misstep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misstep-998549/) [Misstep Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misstep-time-5974470/) [Scale Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scale-life-1373340/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Let us remember, too, that greatness is not always a matter of the scale of one’s life, but of the quality of one’s life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/let-us-remember-too-that-greatness-is-not-always-a-matter-of-the/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [Simplicity is cosmic, because it places our life on the same scale as all life, of innocent Nature herself, who is all-powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/simplicity-is-cosmic-because-it-places-our-life-on-the-same-scale-as/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [We're a young species; We're only 175,000 years old. On the evolutionary scale, life on this planet is 4 billion years old. We're 175,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shadyac/we-re-a-young-species-we-re-only-175-000-years-old-on-the/) [Tom Shadyac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shadyac/) > [See the opportunity in the misstep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/see-the-opportunity-in-the-misstep/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [“You and I are not held to the same standards, Andrew. People will forgive a slip, a weakness, a minor personal folly — when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-brennan/you-and-i-are-not-held-to-the-same-standards-andrew-people-will/) [Marie Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-brennan/) > [The worst misstep one can make in design is to solve the wrong problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-carroll/the-worst-misstep-one-can-make-in-design-is-to-solve-the-wrong-problem/) [John M. Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-carroll/) > [Everytime we've had a misstep, rather than freaking out and not being able to recover, we've always looked to what's the next thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gaskarth/everytime-we-ve-had-a-misstep-rather-than-freaking-out-and-not-being/) [Alex Gaskarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gaskarth/) > [“One misstep was all it took, and it all came crashing down. And they were right there waiting for it—eager and ready to bury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-scardoni/one-misstep-was-all-it-took-and-it-all-came-crashing-down-and-they/) [Bianca Scardoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-scardoni/) > [Sometimes I misstep into something perhaps I shouldn't, but with age comes a thick, high pair of rubber boots to wade through the barnyard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-tanton/sometimes-i-misstep-into-something-perhaps-i-shouldn-t-but-with-age/) [Janice Tanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-tanton/) > [“This was something different and deadlier: a dance where the smallest misstep meant death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-was-something-different-and-deadlier-a-dance-where-the-smallest/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [You just have to get one misstep - that's an easy way to fall into caricature. Bad caricature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/you-just-have-to-get-one-misstep-that-s-an-easy-way-to-fall-into/) [Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/) > [Each misstep leads to the next correct step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/each-misstep-leads-to-the-next-correct-step/) [Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/) > [I've done TV, but never where you're given this much time to live with a character, to study the tone and hone it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-farmiga/i-ve-done-tv-but-never-where-you-re-given-this-much-time-to-live-with/) [Vera Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-farmiga/) > [Once you accept that perfection is just a goal, screwing up isn't so hard to handle. Each misstep is still a step, another lesson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/once-you-accept-that-perfection-is-just-a-goal-screwing-up-isn-t-so/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [Success is often the result of taking a misstep in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bernstein/success-is-often-the-result-of-taking-a-misstep-in-the-right-direction/) [Al Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bernstein/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Failing quotes > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Trial by jury. Live wherever you can make a living. How could a government based on such principles fail?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-ambrose/trial-by-jury-live-wherever-you-can-make-a-living-how-could-a/) [Stephen Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-ambrose/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [My willingness to fail gives me the ability to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/my-willingness-to-fail-gives-me-the-ability-to-succeed/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [I would warn against holsters with devices for quick-draw. Devices always fail when you need them most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-powell/i-would-warn-against-holsters-with-devices-for-quick-draw-devices/) [William Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-powell/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [We can't afford any president to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-can-t-afford-any-president-to-fail/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [When I paint, I never think of selling. People simply fail to understand that we paint in order to experiment and to develop ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edvard-munch/when-i-paint-i-never-think-of-selling-people-simply-fail-to/) [Edvard Munch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edvard-munch/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I wake up every morning fearing I am going to fail. But I love a challenge, big or small. There's so much I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-mone/i-wake-up-every-morning-fearing-i-am-going-to-fail-but-i-love-a/) [Michelle Mone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-mone/) > [What I want is to be willing to fail rather than stagnate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/what-i-want-is-to-be-willing-to-fail-rather-than-stagnate/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The very first company I started failed with a great bang. The second one failed a little bit less, but still failed. The third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/the-very-first-company-i-started-failed-with-a-great-bang-the-second/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) [Browse all 5,634 Failing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The key to failing on a monumental scale is to take life one small misstep at a time,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale-is-to-take-life-one-small/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale-is-to-take-life-one-small/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/anonymous-1_failing_the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale_3206634.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/anonymous-1_failing_the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale_3206634.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/anonymous-1_failing_the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale_3206634.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The key to failing on a monumental scale is to take life one small misstep at a time,” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The key to failing on a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale-is-to-take-life-one-small/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-key-to-failing-on-a-monumental-scale-is-to-take-life-one-small/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```