--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To make the quickest progress, you don't…" description: "\"To make the quickest progress, you don't have to take huge leaps. You just have to take baby steps-and keep on taking them. In Japan, they call this ap..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/marci-shimoff-10463_approach_to-make-the-quickest-progress-you-don-t_1908280.png" --- # To make the quickest progress, you don't have to take huge… ![“To make the quickest progress, you don't have to take huge leaps. You just have to take baby steps-and keep on taking them. In Japan, they call this approach kaizen, which literally translates as 'continual improvement.' Using kaizen, great and lasting success is achieved through small, consistent…” quote by Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/marci-shimoff-10463_approach_to-make-the-quickest-progress-you-don-t_1908280.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/marci-shimoff-10463_approach_to-make-the-quickest-progress-you-don-t_1908280.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/marci-shimoff-10463_approach_to-make-the-quickest-progress-you-don-t_1908280.png) > “To make the quickest progress, you don't have to take huge leaps. You just have to take baby steps-and keep on taking them. In Japan, they call this approach kaizen, which literally translates as 'continual improvement.' Using kaizen, great and lasting success is achieved through small, consistent steps. It turns out that slow and steady is the best way to overcome your resistance to change.” [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) ## 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 create lasting change more effectively than large, infrequent efforts. **In simple terms:** Steady tiny steps lead to big results. Key Takeaway Focus on daily incremental improvement. Themes progress habit formation resilience Mood motivational steady Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - personal development - workplace improvement - fitness training - learning new skills - budgeting Key Concepts Kaizen incrementalism behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - What tiny habit can you start today? - How does consistency outweigh intensity? A Different Perspective Large sudden changes can cause burnout or resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby/) [Baby steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby-steps/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Continual improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continual-improvement/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) [Kaizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kaizen/) [Leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leap/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Resistance to change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance-to-change/) [Slow and steady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow-and-steady/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [A robust internal auditing program shows its presence both at the beginning and end of continual improvement projects. In the beginning, internal audits identify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-novak/a-robust-internal-auditing-program-shows-its-presence-both-at-the/) [John Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-novak/) > [When you're pitching, you always have to make continual improvements. You always have to better yourself throughout your career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-lidge/when-you-re-pitching-you-always-have-to-make-continual-improvements/) [Brad Lidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-lidge/) > [Don't let the fear of statistics keep you from launching a continual improvement program. The statistics hurdle is easily overcome, going out of business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-novak/don-t-let-the-fear-of-statistics-keep-you-from-launching-a-continual/) [John Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-novak/) > [You want continual improvement? Then I challenge every employee in an organization to discard the status quo and ask themselves everyday, How can I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-novak/you-want-continual-improvement-then-i-challenge-every-employee-in-an/) [John Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-novak/) > [Although the devil be the father of lies, he seems, like other great inventors, to have lost much of his reputation by the continual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/although-the-devil-be-the-father-of-lies-he-seems-like-other-great/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [When it comes to continual improvement programs, the biggest mistake is a failure to launch, the biggest hurdle is culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-novak/when-it-comes-to-continual-improvement-programs-the-biggest-mistake/) [John Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-novak/) > [Without change, there is no innovation, creativity or incentive for improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pollard/without-change-there-is-no-innovation-creativity-or-incentive-for-2/) [William Pollard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pollard/) > [There's always room for improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-always-room-for-improvement/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Continual improvement involves an appreciation that there is always a better way to do things irrespective of how much you have achieved or how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-farr-jones/continual-improvement-involves-an-appreciation-that-there-is-always-a/) Nick Farr-Jones > [Continual improvement is an unending journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-dobyns/continual-improvement-is-an-unending-journey/) Lloyd Dobyns > [“Continual Improvement” is the IT mantra in the digital era.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/continual-improvement-is-the-it-mantra-in-the-digital-era/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [In a world where routine production is footloose...competitive advantage lies not in one-time breakthroughs but in continual improvements. Stable technologies get away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/in-a-world-where-routine-production-is-footloose-competitive/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [Why not make the work easier and more interesting so that people do not have to sweat? The Toyota style is not to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliyahu-m-goldratt/why-not-make-the-work-easier-and-more-interesting-so-that-people-do/) [Eliyahu M. Goldratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliyahu-m-goldratt/) > [Many good American companies have respect for individuals, and practice Kaizen and other TPS {Toyota Production System} tools. But what is important is having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/many-good-american-companies-have-respect-for-individuals-and/) [Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) > [Small actions are at the heart of kaizen. By taking steps so tiny that they seem trivial or even laughable, you'll sail calmly past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-maurer/small-actions-are-at-the-heart-of-kaizen-by-taking-steps-so-tiny-that/) Robert D. Maurer ## More by Marci Shimoff > [Taking ownership of your happiness has two aspects: Accepting that being happy is up to you and that you have the ability and power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/taking-ownership-of-your-happiness-has-two-aspects-accepting-that/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [Go for the sense of inner joy, of inner peace, of inner vision first and then all the other things from the outside appear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/go-for-the-sense-of-inner-joy-of-inner-peace-of-inner-vision-first/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [What would our lives be like if we could all be happy no matter what?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/what-would-our-lives-be-like-if-we-could-all-be-happy-no-matter-what/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [When people are deeply happy they bring a sense of purpose with them wherever they go, whatever circumstances they are in. So if they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/when-people-are-deeply-happy-they-bring-a-sense-of-purpose-with-them/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [Once you begin to understand and truly master your thoughts and feelings, that's when you see how you create your own reality. That's where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/once-you-begin-to-understand-and-truly-master-your-thoughts-and/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [I did some more soul searching. I asked myself, "What do I want more than happiness?" and there was only one answer - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/i-did-some-more-soul-searching-i-asked-myself-what-do-i-want-more/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [When you're happy for no reason, you're unconditionally happy. It's not that your life always looks perfect - it's just that however it looks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/when-you-re-happy-for-no-reason-you-re-unconditionally-happy-it-s-not/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [Like your weight set-point, which keeps the scale hovering around the same number, your happiness set-point will remain the same unless you make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/like-your-weight-set-point-which-keeps-the-scale-hovering-around-the/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [Jonas' music is inspiring, energizing, and spiritually uplifting. A brilliant songwriter, he writes music that reaches deep into the soul and awakens the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/jonas-music-is-inspiring-energizing-and-spiritually-uplifting-a/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [I believe love is why we're here on the planet and that ultimately it's our purpose for life. They say people who've had near-death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/i-believe-love-is-why-we-re-here-on-the-planet-and-that-ultimately-it/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [The first doorway (or chakra) is what I call in the book, the Doorway of Safety. This doorway relates to feeling safe in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/the-first-doorway-or-chakra-is-what-i-call-in-the-book-the-doorway-of/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [Gratitude is absolutely the way to bring more into your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/gratitude-is-absolutely-the-way-to-bring-more-into-your-life/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [The fifth doorway to experiencing Love for No Reason is the Doorway of Communication, which corresponds to the energy center located in the throat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/the-fifth-doorway-to-experiencing-love-for-no-reason-is-the-doorway/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [“According to Chinese medicine, each of our organs relates to a specific emotion—the liver relates to anger, the kidneys to fear, the lungs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/according-to-chinese-medicine-each-of-our-organs-relates-to-a/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [But i couldn't. Was nowhere near ready for a committed relationship, and it wouldn't be fair. I needed time - to become the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/but-i-couldn-t-was-nowhere-near-ready-for-a-committed-relationship/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) [Explore all 65 Marci Shimoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) ## More Approach quotes > [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/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [What begins as a Utopian vision, always - always - ends in bloodshed. Because you have to force a utopia on a free people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/what-begins-as-a-utopian-vision-always-always-ends-in-bloodshed/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) [Browse all 3,949 Approach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To make the quickest progress, you don't have to take huge leaps. You just have to take baby steps-and keep on taking them. In Japan, they call this approach kaizen, which literally translates as 'continual improvement.' 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