---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just small things are going to hopefully…"
description: "\"Just small things are going to hopefully lead to a bigger surplus in the end. Obviously, you might not see it every single game, every single detail, b..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/john-collins-10870_detail_just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully_2316438.jpg"
---

#  Just small things are going to hopefully lead to a bigger…

![“Just small things are going to hopefully lead to a bigger surplus in the end. Obviously, you might not see it every single game, every single detail, but those small things and those small details add up so much, and that's what creates winning.” quote by John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/john-collins-10870_detail_just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully_2316438.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/john-collins-10870_detail_just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully_2316438.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/john-collins-10870_detail_just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully_2316438.jpg)

> “Just small things are going to hopefully lead to a bigger surplus in the end. Obviously, you might not see it every single game, every single detail, but those small things and those small details add up so much, and that's what creates winning.”

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Small, consistent actions accumulate into significant advantages over time, even if not immediately visible.

**In simple terms:** Tiny actions add up to big wins.

Key Takeaway

Focus on incremental improvements.

Themes

performance consistency growth

Mood

motivational optimistic

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- team practice
- personal habits
- game preparation
- skill drills

Key Concepts

Compound effect incrementalism

Questions to Reflect On

- What tiny habit could you start today?
- How do you track incremental progress?

A Different Perspective

If small actions are ignored, momentum can stall.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bigger Surplus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger-surplus-5521360/) [Creates Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creates-winning-5521361/) [Detail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detail/) [Details](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/details/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Small details](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-details/) [Small things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-things/) [Surplus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surplus/) [Surplus End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surplus-end-1518979/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/)

## Related quotes

> [We should no longer seek to have Budget surplus by end of Parliament. We should avoid tax rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-may/we-should-no-longer-seek-to-have-budget-surplus-by-end-of-parliament/)

[Theresa May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-may/)

> [I learned no detail was too small. It was all about the details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-grey/i-learned-no-detail-was-too-small-it-was-all-about-the-details/)

[Brad Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-grey/)

> [I think that one of the things that I can do is I seem to have the ability to zoom in super tight for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/i-think-that-one-of-the-things-that-i-can-do-is-i-seem-to-have-the/)

[Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/)

> [“When describing nature, a writer should seize upon small details, arranging them so that the reader will see an image in his mind after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/when-describing-nature-a-writer-should-seize-upon-small-details/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [“People are made up of so many small details. Some—like the smell of cookies baking—we can recreate. Or at least try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/people-are-made-up-of-so-many-small-details-some-like-the-smell-of/)

[Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/)

> [Ideally a painter (and, generally, an artist) should not become conscious of his insights: without taking the detour through his reflective processes, and incomprehensibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/ideally-a-painter-and-generally-an-artist-should-not-become-conscious/)

[Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/)

> [“But during the day... that was life. The collection of small details that made up a shared day were what gave richness to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bishop/but-during-the-day-that-was-life-the-collection-of-small-details-that/)

[Anne Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bishop/)

> [I love 'Anna Karenina.' It's in the top five books on my list. Tolstoy is unsurpassed in combining the grand with the trivial, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-minot/i-love-anna-karenina-it-s-in-the-top-five-books-on-my-list-tolstoy-is/)

[Susan Minot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-minot/)

> [I find significance in all kinds of small details when I run; I'm hyper aware of my surroundings, the sensations in my body, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-armstrong/i-find-significance-in-all-kinds-of-small-details-when-i-run-i-m/)

[Kristin Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-armstrong/)

> [“Most of the time, if you think of the small details, rather than the bigger picture, you’ll avoid adverbs and clichés naturally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-bell/most-of-the-time-if-you-think-of-the-small-details-rather-than-the/)

[Jessica Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-bell/)

> [The beauty of life is in small details, not in big events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/the-beauty-of-life-is-in-small-details-not-in-big-events/)

[Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/)

> [“A new moon teaches gradualness and deliberation and how one gives birth to oneself slowly. Patience with small details makes perfect a large work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/a-new-moon-teaches-gradualness-and-deliberation-and-how-one-gives/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [I use a little brush only for really small details. Over the years, I've started to use a much larger brush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-browne/i-use-a-little-brush-only-for-really-small-details-over-the-years-i/)

[Anthony Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-browne/)

> [As a defender, it's really important to communicate with the players in front of you and next to you. It makes it easier for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/as-a-defender-it-s-really-important-to-communicate-with-the-players/)

[Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/)

> [“Watching Joel sip his iced tea and listen to stories of my childhood, the ones my mom told at all of the family gatherings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kirsten-maravel/watching-joel-sip-his-iced-tea-and-listen-to-stories-of-my-childhood/)

[Shawn Kirsten Maravel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kirsten-maravel/)

## More by John Collins

> [If I can be smart off the court, then I have to believe that will bleed onto the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/if-i-can-be-smart-off-the-court-then-i-have-to-believe-that-will/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [I'm comfortable being around the NBA lifestyle, the travel, the hotels, the pregame, everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/i-m-comfortable-being-around-the-nba-lifestyle-the-travel-the-hotels/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> ['The Secret' is sorta teaching me how to think positively, try to take the negative thoughts out of of my brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/the-secret-is-sorta-teaching-me-how-to-think-positively-try-to-take/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [I've always taken pride in trying to catch the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/i-ve-always-taken-pride-in-trying-to-catch-the-ball/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [I definitely feel like I've put in a lot of work and shown my value and shown the worth, shown my competitive spirit, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/i-definitely-feel-like-i-ve-put-in-a-lot-of-work-and-shown-my-value/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [I'm always naturally a bit of a pessimist. And my mom is sorta the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/i-m-always-naturally-a-bit-of-a-pessimist-and-my-mom-is-sorta-the/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [Every day, those on the front lines are putting themselves at risk to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm honored to be partnering with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/every-day-those-on-the-front-lines-are-putting-themselves-at-risk-to/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [My biggest strength is my versatility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/my-biggest-strength-is-my-versatility/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [Size is just something you can't teach, you know what I mean? I can't be bigger than Joel Embiid or Steven Adams or Aron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/size-is-just-something-you-can-t-teach-you-know-what-i-mean-i-can-t/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [I'm a huge dunker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/i-m-a-huge-dunker/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [I just felt like for everybody watching, my game is continuing to develop, continuing to grow. I just hope that's what people see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/i-just-felt-like-for-everybody-watching-my-game-is-continuing-to/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [Everyone has a niche of dunks that they are experts at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/everyone-has-a-niche-of-dunks-that-they-are-experts-at/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [For me, the biggest thing is to adjust from college to a professional setting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/for-me-the-biggest-thing-is-to-adjust-from-college-to-a-professional/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [You always want to fantasize about the future, and all the work you're going to put in, all the accolades, but you always forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/you-always-want-to-fantasize-about-the-future-and-all-the-work-you-re/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

> [I didn't get a chance to shoot any threes at all in the offense we ran at Wake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/i-didn-t-get-a-chance-to-shoot-any-threes-at-all-in-the-offense-we/)

[John Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

[Explore all 63 John Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/)

## More Detail quotes

> [I don't like to discuss my work in a lot of detail; I'm afraid of dissecting it in a way that is not good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-kane/i-don-t-like-to-discuss-my-work-in-a-lot-of-detail-i-m-afraid-of/)

[Carol Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-kane/)

> [A lot of silence takes so much specificity and detail. To not fill the space with words takes restraint and an extraordinary amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/a-lot-of-silence-takes-so-much-specificity-and-detail-to-not-fill-the/)

[Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/)

> [I learned no detail was too small. It was all about the details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-grey/i-learned-no-detail-was-too-small-it-was-all-about-the-details/)

[Brad Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-grey/)

> [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/)

[Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/)

> [When it comes down to playoff basketball, it's attention to detail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-williams/when-it-comes-down-to-playoff-basketball-it-s-attention-to-detail/)

[Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-williams/)

> [When you design a building, you start from a general philosophy, and you come down, and you start from detail and come up. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/when-you-design-a-building-you-start-from-a-general-philosophy-and/)

[Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/)

> [It was always that detail that drove me. Ever since I was a little kid, I used to get into the nitty gritty... when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-base/it-was-always-that-detail-that-drove-me-ever-since-i-was-a-little-kid/)

[Graeme Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-base/)

> [I don't think there's any show comparable to 'Game of Thrones' in terms of the way it does the fantasy element to such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-murray/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-show-comparable-to-game-of-thrones-in-terms/)

[Hannah Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-murray/)

> [“When describing nature, a writer should seize upon small details, arranging them so that the reader will see an image in his mind after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/when-describing-nature-a-writer-should-seize-upon-small-details/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [I do think I'm very in the detail of everything, maybe to my own detriment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griff/i-do-think-i-m-very-in-the-detail-of-everything-maybe-to-my-own/)

[Griff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griff/)

> [My brain power depends on my retained mastery of analyzing in detail what's happening in my world and in my mind and body. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-merzenich/my-brain-power-depends-on-my-retained-mastery-of-analyzing-in-detail/)

[Michael Merzenich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-merzenich/)

> [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/)

[Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/)

> [The Super Bowl is the biggest event in America, the biggest event in television. The preparation and all of the behind-the-scenes detail is immense.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-nantz/the-super-bowl-is-the-biggest-event-in-america-the-biggest-event-in/)

[Jim Nantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-nantz/)

> [“In displaying the psychology of your characters, minute particulars are essential. God save us from vague generalizations!" ( Letter to Alexander Chekhov , May 10, 1886)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/in-displaying-the-psychology-of-your-characters-minute-particulars/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [Autistic people's disabilities are widely known, but one of their best-established strengths is their attention to detail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/autistic-people-s-disabilities-are-widely-known-but-one-of-their-best/)

[Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/)

[Browse all 264 Detail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detail/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Just small things are going to hopefully lead to a bigger surplus in the end. Obviously, you might not see it every single game, every single detail, but those small things and those small details add up so much, and that's what creates winning.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Collins"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully-lead-to-a-bigger-surplus-in/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Detail"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully-lead-to-a-bigger-surplus-in/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/john-collins-10870_detail_just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully_2316438.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/john-collins-10870_detail_just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully_2316438.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/john-collins-10870_detail_just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully_2316438.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Just small things are going to hopefully lead to a bigger surplus in the end. Obviously, you might not see…” — John Collins",
                "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": "John Collins",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collins/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Just small things are going to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully-lead-to-a-bigger-surplus-in/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collins/just-small-things-are-going-to-hopefully-lead-to-a-bigger-surplus-in/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
