---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great art to learn much is to…"
description: "\"The great art to learn much is to undertake a little at a time.\" — John Locke"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/john-locke-814_art_the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undert_674184.png"
---

#  The great art to learn much is to undertake a little at a…

![“The great art to learn much is to undertake a little at a time.” quote by John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/john-locke-814_art_the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undert_674184.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/john-locke-814_art_the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undert_674184.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/john-locke-814_art_the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undert_674184.png)

> “The great art to learn much is to undertake a little at a time.”

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

## About This Quote

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

Learning is best achieved by small, steady increments rather than overwhelming bursts.

**In simple terms:** Learn little by little over time.

Key Takeaway

Break tasks into manageable pieces.

Themes

learning incremental progress discipline

Mood

optimistic practical

Type

educational advice

When to use this quote

- studying a new language
- skill development
- daily reading

Key Concepts

educational theory habit formation

Questions to Reflect On

- What small habit can you start today?
- How does incremental learning affect confidence?

A Different Perspective

Large leaps can cause burnout and shallow retention.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-learn-748954/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Great art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-art/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Learn Undertake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-undertake-5346644/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Undertake Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undertake-little-5346645/)

## Related quotes

> [“Ballet isn’t pop culture, after all; it is an art of the chosen few, a selected elite, for those who understand it; and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-e-pawlick/ballet-isn-t-pop-culture-after-all-it-is-an-art-of-the-chosen-few-a/)

[Catherine E. Pawlick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-e-pawlick/)

> [Art teaches you the philosophy of life, and if you can't learn it from art, you can't learn it at all. It shows you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris-hunt/art-teaches-you-the-philosophy-of-life-and-if-you-can-t-learn-it-from/)

[William Morris Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris-hunt/)

> [The good we get from art is not what we learn from it; it is what we become through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-good-we-get-from-art-is-not-what-we-learn-from-it-it-is-what-we/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [When I was in art school, I thought art was something I would learn how to do, and then I would just do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-nauman/when-i-was-in-art-school-i-thought-art-was-something-i-would-learn/)

[Bruce Nauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-nauman/)

> [There is a huge thirst for knowledge among the younger generation for contemporary art, but most of them learn about it by going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dasha-zhukova/there-is-a-huge-thirst-for-knowledge-among-the-younger-generation-for/)

[Dasha Zhukova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dasha-zhukova/)

> [Why not spend that time on art: painting, sculpting, charcoal, pastel, oils? Are words or numbers more important than images? Who decides this? Does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/why-not-spend-that-time-on-art-painting-sculpting-charcoal-pastel/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [You learn about yourself when you're collecting art. You learn what you're capable of. After all, we're not speaking about pennies-we're speaking about vast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-graff/you-learn-about-yourself-when-you-re-collecting-art-you-learn-what/)

[Laurence Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-graff/)

> [Happiness is an art that one has to learn. It has nothing to do with your doing or not doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/happiness-is-an-art-that-one-has-to-learn-it-has-nothing-to-do-with/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [To live remains an art which everyone must learn, and which no one can teach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/to-live-remains-an-art-which-everyone-must-learn-and-which-no-one-can/)

[Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/)

> [If you cannot learn to love real art at least learn to hate sham art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/if-you-cannot-learn-to-love-real-art-at-least-learn-to-hate-sham-art/)

[William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/)

> [“For the good we get from art is not what we learn from it; it is what we become through it. Its real influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/for-the-good-we-get-from-art-is-not-what-we-learn-from-it-it-is-what/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [“If you don’t learn art now, you will never learn to breathe!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/if-you-don-t-learn-art-now-you-will-never-learn-to-breathe/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I've never argued that humans are massively hot-wired. What I was trying to point out was that you can't understand how we learn unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/i-ve-never-argued-that-humans-are-massively-hot-wired-what-i-was/)

[Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/)

> [All things good to know are difficult to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greek-proverb/all-things-good-to-know-are-difficult-to-learn/)

[Greek Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greek-proverb/)

> [You learn from every bout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-jr/you-learn-from-every-bout/)

[Chris Eubank Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-jr/)

## More by John Locke

> [I thought that I had no time for faith nor time to pray, then I saw an armless man saying his Rosary with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-thought-that-i-had-no-time-for-faith-nor-time-to-pray-then-i-saw-an/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [I pretend not to teach, but to inquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-pretend-not-to-teach-but-to-inquire/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [If we trace the progress of our minds, and with attention observe how it repeats, adds together, and unites its simple ideas received from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/if-we-trace-the-progress-of-our-minds-and-with-attention-observe-how/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Thus parents, by humouring and cockering them when little, corrupt the principles of nature in their children, and wonder afterwards to taste the bitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/thus-parents-by-humouring-and-cockering-them-when-little-corrupt-the/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [ “\[M\]an is not permitted without censure to follow his own thoughts in the search of truth, when they lead him ever so little out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/m-an-is-not-permitted-without-censure-to-follow-his-own-thoughts-in/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Fashion for the most part is nothing but the ostentation of riches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/fashion-for-the-most-part-is-nothing-but-the-ostentation-of-riches/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [When we know our own strength, we shall the better know what to undertake with hopes of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/when-we-know-our-own-strength-we-shall-the-better-know-what-to/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has a right to, but himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/every-man-has-a-property-in-his-own-person-this-nobody-has-a-right-to/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [“Earthly minds, like mud-walls, resist the strongest batteries: And though perhaps sometimes the force of a clear argument may make some impression, yet they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/earthly-minds-like-mud-walls-resist-the-strongest-batteries-and/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [“To avoid this state of war (wherein there is no appeal but to heaven, and wherein every the least difference is apt to end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/to-avoid-this-state-of-war-wherein-there-is-no-appeal-but-to-heaven/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [If by gaining knowledge we destroy our health, we labour for a thing that will be useless in our hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/if-by-gaining-knowledge-we-destroy-our-health-we-labour-for-a-thing/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [“don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using the things you do have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prevent-you-from-using-the-things/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Power to do good is the true and lawful act of aspiring; for good thoughts (though God accept them), yet towards men are little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/power-to-do-good-is-the-true-and-lawful-act-of-aspiring-for-good/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [The body of People may with Respect resist intolerable Tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-body-of-people-may-with-respect-resist-intolerable-tyranny/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Anger is uneasiness or discomposure of the mind upon the receipt of any injury, with a present purpose of revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/anger-is-uneasiness-or-discomposure-of-the-mind-upon-the-receipt-of/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

[Explore all 355 John Locke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

## More Art quotes

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/)

[Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/)

> [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/)

> [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/)

[Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/)

> [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/)

[Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/)

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/)

[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/)

> [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

[Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The great art to learn much is to undertake a little at a time.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Locke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undertake-a-little-at-a-time/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undertake-a-little-at-a-time/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/john-locke-814_art_the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undert_674184.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/john-locke-814_art_the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undert_674184.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/john-locke-814_art_the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undert_674184.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The great art to learn much is to undertake a little at a time.” — John Locke",
                "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 Locke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The great art to learn much...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undertake-a-little-at-a-time/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-great-art-to-learn-much-is-to-undertake-a-little-at-a-time/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
