--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Quite a small spoke is enough to stop a…" description: "\"Quite a small spoke is enough to stop a wheel - even a mighty big wheel - if it's going too fast.\" — Ethel M. Dell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/ethel-m-dell-31866_bigs_quite-a-small-spoke-is-enough-to-stop-a_510397.png" --- # Quite a small spoke is enough to stop a wheel - even a… ![“Quite a small spoke is enough to stop a wheel - even a mighty big wheel - if it's going too fast.” quote by Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/ethel-m-dell-31866_bigs_quite-a-small-spoke-is-enough-to-stop-a_510397.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/ethel-m-dell-31866_bigs_quite-a-small-spoke-is-enough-to-stop-a_510397.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8c/ethel-m-dell-31866_bigs_quite-a-small-spoke-is-enough-to-stop-a_510397.png) > “Quite a small spoke is enough to stop a wheel - even a mighty big wheel - if it's going too fast.” [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even a small obstacle can halt a powerful force if it moves too quickly. **In simple terms:** Small brakes stop fast wheels. Key Takeaway Apply caution before rapid action. Themes caution control power dynamics Mood thoughtful serious Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - driving - business scaling - personal ambition - sports competition Key Concepts physics psychology risk management Questions to Reflect On - When should we slow down? - What small actions can prevent disaster? A Different Perspective May not apply when momentum is essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Small Spoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-spoke-1631294/) [Small things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-things/) [Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speed/) [Spoke Stop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoke-stop-4326638/) [Spokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spokes/) [Stop Wheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-wheel-1014765/) [Wheel Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheel-going-1692520/) [Wheel Mighty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheel-mighty-4326636/) [Wheels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheels/) ## Related quotes > [But it is really, really fun to just change it up some and to absolutely be a very small spoke on a big wheel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-rossdale/but-it-is-really-really-fun-to-just-change-it-up-some-and-to/) [Gavin Rossdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-rossdale/) > [He who puts out his hand to stop the wheel of history will have his fingers crushed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lech-walesa/he-who-puts-out-his-hand-to-stop-the-wheel-of-history-will-have-his/) [Lech Walesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lech-walesa/) > [If you're rolling over rocks and stuff and you have a bigger wheel, it's going to stay out of the holes - rough sections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gwin/if-you-re-rolling-over-rocks-and-stuff-and-you-have-a-bigger-wheel-it/) [Aaron Gwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gwin/) > [When I get stopped by the police, I keep my hands on the wheel. I'm not going to move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hill-harper/when-i-get-stopped-by-the-police-i-keep-my-hands-on-the-wheel-i-m-not/) [Hill Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hill-harper/) > [“What do you want? Let’s just start with the basics. Write down anything that you want in your life. These can be big or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brodie/what-do-you-want-let-s-just-start-with-the-basics-write-down-anything/) [Richard Brodie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brodie/) > [“Humility is the mother of giants. One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/humility-is-the-mother-of-giants-one-sees-great-things-from-the/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [No matter what's happening, choose to be happy. Don't focus on what's wrong. Find something positive in your life. Thank God for the small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/no-matter-what-s-happening-choose-to-be-happy-don-t-focus-on-what-s/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [I like small things, I like small moments that are almost elliptical, that are not necessarily linear; they're natural things that happen in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-carter/i-like-small-things-i-like-small-moments-that-are-almost-elliptical/) [Keith Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-carter/) > [“It is believed by many that the military life is one of adventure and excitement. In truth, that life more often consists of long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-zahn-star-wars-thrawn/it-is-believed-by-many-that-the-military-life-is-one-of-adventure-and/) [Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-zahn-star-wars-thrawn/) > [“Small things bring joy, somedays.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-ellis/small-things-bring-joy-somedays/) [Warren Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-ellis/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it's the small things that count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-problem-with-people-is-they-forget-that-most-of-the-time-it-s-the/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) ## More by Ethel M. Dell > [“People's ways are all so different. It's rather infernal—trying to please everybody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/people-s-ways-are-all-so-different-it-s-rather-infernal-trying-to/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [“Isn't it possible—sometime—to try to know too much? There is such a thing as looking too closely, mon ami. And then we pay the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/isn-t-it-possible-sometime-to-try-to-know-too-much-there-is-such-a/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [Death is the opening-and the closing-of a Door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/death-is-the-opening-and-the-closing-of-a-door/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [That's the worst of doctors. They are so keen about the body, but they don't study the soul at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/that-s-the-worst-of-doctors-they-are-so-keen-about-the-body-but-they/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [Promises were made for people who do not trust each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/promises-were-made-for-people-who-do-not-trust-each-other/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [I haven't hurt you ... if I have, it's the faithful wound of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/i-haven-t-hurt-you-if-i-have-it-s-the-faithful-wound-of-a-friend/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [“The gods have sent you a gift, and because you don't know what it is made of, you are going to pull it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/the-gods-have-sent-you-a-gift-and-because-you-don-t-know-what-it-is/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [What the world, social and political, concrete and mental, really needs is not new things, but the old things made new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/what-the-world-social-and-political-concrete-and-mental-really-needs/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [What we once fling away never comes again to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/what-we-once-fling-away-never-comes-again-to-us/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [we are all given the ingredients of happiness, but the mixing is left to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/we-are-all-given-the-ingredients-of-happiness-but-the-mixing-is-left/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [People have a way of thinking that everything is finished when the very best of all may yet be in store.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/people-have-a-way-of-thinking-that-everything-is-finished-when-the/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [there was not a tree on the place, only the horrible prickly pear bushes thrusting out their distorted arms as if exulting in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/there-was-not-a-tree-on-the-place-only-the-horrible-prickly-pear/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [There is no such thing as time for those who are happy. For the others - there is nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/there-is-no-such-thing-as-time-for-those-who-are-happy-for-the-others/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [If you didn't sit with your head in the clouds so perpetually you wouldn't get so many shocks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/if-you-didn-t-sit-with-your-head-in-the-clouds-so-perpetually-you/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) > [I love humility in a woman. It's so rare. With man, of course, it is practically extinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-m-dell/i-love-humility-in-a-woman-it-s-so-rare-with-man-of-course-it-is/) [Ethel M. Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) [Explore all 16 Ethel M. Dell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-m-dell/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) [Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Quite a small spoke is enough to stop a wheel - even a mighty big wheel - if it's going too fast.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ethel M. 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