--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is thinking small?\" asked Isobel. \"Small…" description: "\"“Is thinking small?\" asked Isobel. \"Small as air.\" May tapped my head with her finger. \"And just as big.”\" — Gordon Dahlquist" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/gordon-dahlquist-35354_thinking_is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as_2398561.jpg" --- # Is thinking small?" asked Isobel. "Small as air." May… ![“Is thinking small?" asked Isobel. "Small as air." May tapped my head with her finger. "And just as big.” quote by Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/gordon-dahlquist-35354_thinking_is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as_2398561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/gordon-dahlquist-35354_thinking_is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as_2398561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/gordon-dahlquist-35354_thinking_is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as_2398561.jpg) > ““Is thinking small?" asked Isobel. "Small as air." May tapped my head with her finger. "And just as big.”” [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small ideas can be as expansive as air, suggesting that seemingly insignificant thoughts hold great potential. **In simple terms:** Small thoughts can be huge. Key Takeaway Value even tiny ideas. Themes creativity philosophy potential Mood philosophical motivational Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - brainstorming - writing - problem solving Key Concepts smallness expansion mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can you nurture small ideas? - What makes a small thought powerful? A Different Perspective Small ideas may be overlooked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“When they find what they don't like , they destroy it. Because it scares them-and you girls would scare them as much as anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/when-they-find-what-they-don-t-like-they-destroy-it-because-it-scares/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [Nothing GREAT ever happens from thinking SMALL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-great-ever-happens-from-thinking-small/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Thinking small is not humility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-verd/thinking-small-is-not-humility/) [Nicky Verd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-verd/) > [“Small shifts in your thinking, and small changes in your energy, can lead to massive alterations of your end result.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-michel/small-shifts-in-your-thinking-and-small-changes-in-your-energy-can/) [Kevin Michel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-michel/) > [If you already know how to make your dream come true, then you're thinking too small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/if-you-already-know-how-to-make-your-dream-come-true-then-you-re/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [We have to challenge ourselves and be innovative so as to change the world. Get to this level of thinking. No small dreams, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/we-have-to-challenge-ourselves-and-be-innovative-so-as-to-change-the/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [Your greatest risk is in thinking too small. Think big. Life is too short to think small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/your-greatest-risk-is-in-thinking-too-small-think-big-life-is-too/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I have no problem with thinking small. Sometimes you have to think small first in order to think big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahki/i-have-no-problem-with-thinking-small-sometimes-you-have-to-think/) [Rahki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahki/) > [Brothers and sisters: Now is not the time for thinking small, now is not the time for the same-old, same-old establishment politics and stale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/brothers-and-sisters-now-is-not-the-time-for-thinking-small-now-is/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If you're not working to get your business or investing operation to operate without you, you're thinking too small. Think team and systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-re-not-working-to-get-your-business-or-investing-operation-to/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [“I was thinking as small children think, as if my thoughts or wishes had the power to reverse the narrative, change the outcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-was-thinking-as-small-children-think-as-if-my-thoughts-or-wishes/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [I've had it all my life - people thinking I was too small or not fast enough, not strong enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-f-cahill/i-ve-had-it-all-my-life-people-thinking-i-was-too-small-or-not-fast/) [Timothy F. Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-f-cahill/) > [At Stanford, we teach 'design thinking' - that is, we put together small, interdisciplinary groups to figure out what the true needs are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasso-plattner/at-stanford-we-teach-design-thinking-that-is-we-put-together-small/) [Hasso Plattner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasso-plattner/) > [Over the last 20 years, I've worked on or invested in many companies that scaled to 100 million users or more. But here's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/over-the-last-20-years-i-ve-worked-on-or-invested-in-many-companies/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [“But there is a limit to thinking about even a small piece of something monumental. You still see the shadow of the whole rearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/but-there-is-a-limit-to-thinking-about-even-a-small-piece-of/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) ## More by Gordon Dahlquist > [It’s impossible to read The Poison Belt, written in 1913, and not see in its exterminating vision a shadow of the coming war that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/it-s-impossible-to-read-the-poison-belt-written-in-1913-and-not-see/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“I didn't understand her being gone, either. I had seen her fall. Now her part of any conversation would always be unsaid, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/i-didn-t-understand-her-being-gone-either-i-had-seen-her-fall-now-her/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“This was how people were able to do things when they didn't want to - they made themselves feel something else, like anger, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/this-was-how-people-were-able-to-do-things-when-they-didn-t-want-to/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“but a man did not acquire so much gold brocade without learning to swallow his own desire”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/but-a-man-did-not-acquire-so-much-gold-brocade-without-learning-to/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“each man braces his fear against his love. What you love may change. But if you love still, your fear remains”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/each-man-braces-his-fear-against-his-love-what-you-love-may-change/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“There are so many ways to tell time-one way with clocks and watches and sunsets, or other ways with how many times a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/there-are-so-many-ways-to-tell-time-one-way-with-clocks-and-watches/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“She did not especially appreciate children either, but could be kind to them when they were silent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/she-did-not-especially-appreciate-children-either-but-could-be-kind/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“When they find what they don't like , they destroy it. Because it scares them-and you girls would scare them as much as anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/when-they-find-what-they-don-t-like-they-destroy-it-because-it-scares/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“Did not pleasure depend on an architecture of perspective--on contrast and delay, withholding and loss? Did not true enjoyment rely in facing the future?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/did-not-pleasure-depend-on-an-architecture-of-perspective-on-contrast/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“First you say I am a murderer - an agent in league against you - and now I am a deluded heartsick girl! Pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/first-you-say-i-am-a-murderer-an-agent-in-league-against-you-and-now/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“Despite himself he scoffed—a staccato bark of saliva—at the very notion of ladders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/despite-himself-he-scoffed-a-staccato-bark-of-saliva-at-the-very/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [“Chang believed that learning was dangerous and best suited for private contemplation, not something to put in the service of the highest bidder- as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/chang-believed-that-learning-was-dangerous-and-best-suited-for/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) [Explore all 13 Gordon Dahlquist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) ## More Thinking quotes > [When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. I think the writers showed bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/when-i-passed-the-chancellor-he-arose-waved-his-hand-at-me-and-i/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I have three words for you," EMT Guy said. "Possible internal bleeding." I turned back to him. "Don't you think if I was bleeding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/i-have-three-words-for-you-emt-guy-said-possible-internal-bleeding-i/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [I think the most famous person I've ever met is Brad Pitt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-think-the-most-famous-person-i-ve-ever-met-is-brad-pitt/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [If your life's at a juncture and you need to think about things, there's nowhere better than home. However old you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/if-your-life-s-at-a-juncture-and-you-need-to-think-about-things-there/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) [Browse all 112,137 Thinking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Is thinking small?\" asked Isobel. \"Small as air.\" May tapped my head with her finger. \"And just as big.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gordon Dahlquist" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as-air-may-tapped-my-head-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Thinking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as-air-may-tapped-my-head-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/gordon-dahlquist-35354_thinking_is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as_2398561.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/gordon-dahlquist-35354_thinking_is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as_2398561.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/gordon-dahlquist-35354_thinking_is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as_2398561.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Is thinking small?\" asked Isobel. \"Small as air.\" May tapped my head with her finger. \"And just as big.” — Gordon Dahlquist", "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": "Gordon Dahlquist", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Is thinking small?\" asked Isobel. \"Small...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as-air-may-tapped-my-head-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/is-thinking-small-asked-isobel-small-as-air-may-tapped-my-head-with/#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 } } ] } ```