--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All good work is done the way ants do…" description: "\"All good work is done the way ants do things: Little by little.\" — Lafcadio Hearn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/lafcadio-hearn-10164_ants_all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-th_1758690.png" --- # All good work is done the way ants do things: Little by… ![“All good work is done the way ants do things: Little by little.” quote by Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/lafcadio-hearn-10164_ants_all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-th_1758690.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/lafcadio-hearn-10164_ants_all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-th_1758690.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/lafcadio-hearn-10164_ants_all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-th_1758690.png) > “All good work is done the way ants do things: Little by little.” [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Consistent, incremental effort leads to successful outcomes, mirroring ants' diligent work. **In simple terms:** Small steady actions achieve big results. Key Takeaway Embrace gradual progress. Themes perseverance patience productivity nature Mood inspirational calm Type motivational practical When to use this quote - project management - learning new skills - fitness training - financial saving Key Concepts incrementalism collective effort habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What tiny habit can you start today? - How do you stay motivated during slow growth? A Different Perspective Slow progress can feel unrewarding and may be outpaced by rapid competitors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ants/) [Ants Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ants-things-1673040/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Good work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Little by little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-by-little/) [Little things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-things/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Things Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-little/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Ants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-ants-1673041/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-way/) ## Related quotes > [There is no real elevation of mind in a contempt of little things; it is, on the contrary, from too narrow views that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/there-is-no-real-elevation-of-mind-in-a-contempt-of-little-things-it/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [I take things a little too seriously sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-michael-smith/i-take-things-a-little-too-seriously-sometimes/) [Cory Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-michael-smith/) > [Never get tired of doing little things for others , sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/never-get-tired-of-doing-little-things-for-others-sometimes-those/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Sometimes '24' can seem a little grand. Sometimes these things can seem a little outlandish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-hawkins/sometimes-24-can-seem-a-little-grand-sometimes-these-things-can-seem/) [Corey Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-hawkins/) > [We can not do great things we can only do little things with great love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/komal/we-can-not-do-great-things-we-can-only-do-little-things-with-great/) [Komal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/komal/) > [We try to stress the little things because little things lead to big things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-alford/we-try-to-stress-the-little-things-because-little-things-lead-to-big/) [Steve Alford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-alford/) > [There are no little things. "Little things," so called, are the hinges of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-fern/there-are-no-little-things-little-things-so-called-are-the-hinges-of/) [Fanny Fern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-fern/) > [Things seem more when you’re little. They seem bigger, and distances seem farther.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/things-seem-more-when-you-re-little-they-seem-bigger-and-distances/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [I've said some things that are a little bit off the wall, but I don't run away and hide from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-boeheim/i-ve-said-some-things-that-are-a-little-bit-off-the-wall-but-i-don-t/) [Jim Boeheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-boeheim/) > [Never stop doing little things for others. Sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-stop-doing-little-things-for-others-sometimes-those-little/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The little things? The little moments? They aren't little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/the-little-things-the-little-moments-they-aren-t-little/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Never Get Tired Of Doing Little Good Things For Others. Sometimes, Those Little Good Things Occupy The Biggest Part Of Their Hearts...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/never-get-tired-of-doing-little-good-things-for-others-sometimes/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [The only things that are a little bit newer are the CD burners, but we hid them under the table, so basically we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-white/the-only-things-that-are-a-little-bit-newer-are-the-cd-burners-but-we/) [Meg White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-white/) > [Some of the most beautiful and fulfilling things in life are often things that we have very little understanding of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-of-the-most-beautiful-and-fulfilling-things-in-life-are-often/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The game of baseball is made up of many little things. If we do all the little things right, then we'll never have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-sr/the-game-of-baseball-is-made-up-of-many-little-things-if-we-do-all/) [Cal Ripken, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-sr/) ## More by Lafcadio Hearn > [“Ere morning the storm had passed; and day broke through a cloudless east. Even if the sleeve of Aoyagi hid from her lover's eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/ere-morning-the-storm-had-passed-and-day-broke-through-a-cloudless/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [At last, in 1611, was made, under the auspices of King James, the famous King James version; and this is the great literary monument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/at-last-in-1611-was-made-under-the-auspices-of-king-james-the-famous/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [“Let those who want to hatch hatch their own eggs. ----Martinique proverb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/let-those-who-want-to-hatch-hatch-their-own-eggs-martinique-proverb/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [There was very little suicide among the men of the North, because every man considered it his duty to get killed, not to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/there-was-very-little-suicide-among-the-men-of-the-north-because/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [But every great scripture, whether Hebrew, Indian, Persian, or Chinese, apart from its religious value will be found to have some rare and special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/but-every-great-scripture-whether-hebrew-indian-persian-or-chinese/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [“It may remain for us to learn… that our task is only beginning, and that there will never be given to us even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/it-may-remain-for-us-to-learn-that-our-task-is-only-beginning-and/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [“Then a scream of steam, a mighty jolt; and the thunder-rattle recommences, and the train again begins to rock in mad storms of dust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/then-a-scream-of-steam-a-mighty-jolt-and-the-thunder-rattle/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [Some persons have ventured to say that it is only since Englishmen ceased to believe in the Bible that they began to discover how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/some-persons-have-ventured-to-say-that-it-is-only-since-englishmen/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [There is one type of ideal woman very seldom described in poetry - the old maid, the woman whom sorrow or misfortune prevents from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/there-is-one-type-of-ideal-woman-very-seldom-described-in-poetry-the/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [A proof of really great art is that it is generally true - it seldom falls into the misapprehensions to which minor art is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/a-proof-of-really-great-art-is-that-it-is-generally-true-it-seldom/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [“Našao je zemlju izlazećeg sunca pa je pšenično zrno, koje je neplodno, bacakano vetrom, najzad naišlo na grudu zemlje koja će ga primiti da…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/na-ao-je-zemlju-izlaze-eg-sunca-pa-je-p-eni-no-zrno-koje-je-neplodno/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [But what is after all the happiness of mere power? There is a greater happiness possible than to be lord of heaven and earth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/but-what-is-after-all-the-happiness-of-mere-power-there-is-a-greater/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [The fact, however, to which I want to call attention is that the master of Judo never relies upon his own strength. He scarcely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/the-fact-however-to-which-i-want-to-call-attention-is-that-the-master/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [Times are not good here. The city is crumbling into ashes. It has been buried under taxes and frauds and maladministrations so that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/times-are-not-good-here-the-city-is-crumbling-into-ashes-it-has-been/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [Woo the muse of the odd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/woo-the-muse-of-the-odd/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) [Explore all 67 Lafcadio Hearn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) ## More Ants quotes > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [Great God of the Ants, thou hast granted victory to thy servants. I appoint thee honorary Colonel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/great-god-of-the-ants-thou-hast-granted-victory-to-thy-servants-i/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [People are like ants: Just a few of them give all the orders. And most of them spend their lives getting squashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/people-are-like-ants-just-a-few-of-them-give-all-the-orders-and-most/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [There's a good case to be made that having fun is a key evolutionary advantage right next to opposable thumbs in terms of importance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raph-koster/there-s-a-good-case-to-be-made-that-having-fun-is-a-key-evolutionary/) [Raph Koster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raph-koster/) > [“THE FIGHTERS ARE TINY. INSECTS, REALLY. BUT ANTS CAN SLAY AN ELEPHANT, IF THERE ARE ENOUGH OF THEM. ESPECIALLY ANTS ARMED WITH HIGH-YIELD EXPLOSIVES…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amie-kaufman/the-fighters-are-tiny-insects-really-but-ants-can-slay-an-elephant-if/) [Amie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amie-kaufman/) > [We know of no behavior in ants or any other social insects that can be construed as play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-holldobler/we-know-of-no-behavior-in-ants-or-any-other-social-insects-that-can/) [Bert Holldobler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-holldobler/) > [Oh, ants, my sisters, good old honeydew-seekers! From close up you are sticky and shiny and gristly; and your nymphs have parasitic red mites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/oh-ants-my-sisters-good-old-honeydew-seekers-from-close-up-you-are/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [Albert and I would spend hours and hours looking at them. Cleo had this big magnifying glass on his desk, and we'd find centipedes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/albert-and-i-would-spend-hours-and-hours-looking-at-them-cleo-had/) [Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/) > [When someone criticizes or disagrees with you, a small ant of hatred and antagonism is born in your heart. If you do not squash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/when-someone-criticizes-or-disagrees-with-you-a-small-ant-of-hatred/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Lies are like ants; there's never just one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ash/lies-are-like-ants-there-s-never-just-one/) [Julia Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ash/) > [There's a scientific hypothesis that every person's name is a primary suggestive command that contains the entire script of their life in highly concentrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-pelevin/there-s-a-scientific-hypothesis-that-every-person-s-name-is-a-primary/) [Victor Pelevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-pelevin/) > [When I was little, I would burn ants with a magnifying glass. But now that I'm older, I'm more of a cat guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/when-i-was-little-i-would-burn-ants-with-a-magnifying-glass-but-now/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [If ants were the size of humans, they would be able to run twice as fast as a Lamborghini.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-ants-were-the-size-of-humans-they-would-be-able-to-run-twice-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 499 Ants quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ants/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All good work is done the way ants do things: Little by little.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lafcadio Hearn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-things-little-by-little/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ants" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-things-little-by-little/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/lafcadio-hearn-10164_ants_all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-th_1758690.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/lafcadio-hearn-10164_ants_all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-th_1758690.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a2/lafcadio-hearn-10164_ants_all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-th_1758690.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All good work is done the way ants do things: Little by little.” — Lafcadio Hearn", "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": "Lafcadio Hearn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All good work is done the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-things-little-by-little/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/all-good-work-is-done-the-way-ants-do-things-little-by-little/#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 } } ] } ```