--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't build a chimney from the top…" description: "\"You can't build a chimney from the top, you know.\" — Marian Anderson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/marian-anderson-20831_build_you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-y_1644140.png" --- # You can't build a chimney from the top, you know. ![“You can't build a chimney from the top, you know.” quote by Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/marian-anderson-20831_build_you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-y_1644140.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/marian-anderson-20831_build_you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-y_1644140.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/marian-anderson-20831_build_you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-y_1644140.png) > “You can't build a chimney from the top, you know.” [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting a task from the end without groundwork is impossible. **In simple terms:** You need a foundation before building. Key Takeaway Start with basics before tackling complex goals. Themes planning foundation process Mood pragmatic reflective Type advice instructional When to use this quote - construction projects - software development - learning new skills - event planning Key Concepts systems thinking sequential logic Questions to Reflect On - What foundational steps are you missing? - How does starting at the top hinder success? A Different Perspective It ignores the need for iterative progress and adaptation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) [Build Chimney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-chimney-593708/) [Chimney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chimney/) [Chimney Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chimney-know-593709/) [Chimneys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chimneys/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“That's crazy. Are Witches the one who help the big fat man get down the chimney too?" "You know it, girl.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandy-nacole/that-s-crazy-are-witches-the-one-who-help-the-big-fat-man-get-down/) [Brandy Nacole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandy-nacole/) > [I'd like to start with the chimney jokes - I've got a stack of them. The first one is on the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/i-d-like-to-start-with-the-chimney-jokes-i-ve-got-a-stack-of-them-the/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [A Mocking Bird regularly resorts to the south angle of a chimney top and salutes us with sweetest notes from the rising of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/a-mocking-bird-regularly-resorts-to-the-south-angle-of-a-chimney-top/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [The chimney is to some extent an independent structure, standing on the ground, and rising through the house to the heavens; evenafter the house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-chimney-is-to-some-extent-an-independent-structure-standing-on/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [If a man will kick a fact out of the window, when he comes back he finds it again in the chimney corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-a-man-will-kick-a-fact-out-of-the-window-when-he-comes-back-he/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [It's understandable that people are keeping one eye on the pot and another up the chimney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-keegan/it-s-understandable-that-people-are-keeping-one-eye-on-the-pot-and/) [Kevin Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-keegan/) > [I got a flue shot and now my chimney works perfectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-got-a-flue-shot-and-now-my-chimney-works-perfectly/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [It is this refrain that we hear repeated by everyone: you are not at home, this is not a sanatorium, the only exit is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/primo-levi/it-is-this-refrain-that-we-hear-repeated-by-everyone-you-are-not-at/) [Primo Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/primo-levi/) > [Make the doors upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the casement; shut that, and 'twill out at the key-hole; stop that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/make-the-doors-upon-a-woman-s-wit-and-it-will-out-at-the-casement/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Every year, dads will dress up as Santa and try to surprise their kids by coming down the chimney, and every year, a dad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-dunnigan/every-year-dads-will-dress-up-as-santa-and-try-to-surprise-their-kids/) [Kyle Dunnigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-dunnigan/) > [And so there would always be more to remember that could no longer be seen...our history is always returning to a little patch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/and-so-there-would-always-be-more-to-remember-that-could-no-longer-be/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Golden lads and girls all must as chimney sweepers come to dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/golden-lads-and-girls-all-must-as-chimney-sweepers-come-to-dust/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Where you thinke there is bacon, there is no Chimney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/where-you-thinke-there-is-bacon-there-is-no-chimney/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [There's no way the new chimney will fall down, Lu. Not with you in charge. It wouldn't dare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-sage/there-s-no-way-the-new-chimney-will-fall-down-lu-not-with-you-in/) [Angie Sage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-sage/) > [Silkes and Satins put out the fire in the chimney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/silkes-and-satins-put-out-the-fire-in-the-chimney/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) ## More by Marian Anderson > [The minute a person whose word means a great deal dares to take the open-hearted and courageous way, many others follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/the-minute-a-person-whose-word-means-a-great-deal-dares-to-take-the/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [“Sometimes racial prejudice is like a hair across your cheek. You can't see it, you can't find it with your fingers, but you keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/sometimes-racial-prejudice-is-like-a-hair-across-your-cheek-you-can-t/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/leadership-should-be-born-out-of-the-understanding-of-the-needs-of/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [Fear is a disease that eats away at logic and makes man inhuman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/fear-is-a-disease-that-eats-away-at-logic-and-makes-man-inhuman/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [I forgave the DAR many years ago. You lose a lot of time hating people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/i-forgave-the-dar-many-years-ago-you-lose-a-lot-of-time-hating-people/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [None of us is responsible for the...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/none-of-us-is-responsible-for-the/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [Prejudice: Sometimes it's like a hair across your cheek. You can't see it, you can't find it with your fingers, but you keep brushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/prejudice-sometimes-it-s-like-a-hair-across-your-cheek-you-can-t-see/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [I have a great belief in the future of my people and my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/i-have-a-great-belief-in-the-future-of-my-people-and-my-country/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [None of us is responsible for the complexion of his skin. This fact of nature offers no clue to the character or quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/none-of-us-is-responsible-for-the-complexion-of-his-skin-this-fact-of/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [When you stop having dreams and ideals - well, you might as well stop altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/when-you-stop-having-dreams-and-ideals-well-you-might-as-well-stop/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [Sometimes you're overwhelmed when a thing comes, and you do not realize the magnitude of the affair at that moment. When you get away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/sometimes-you-re-overwhelmed-when-a-thing-comes-and-you-do-not/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [The minute a person whose word means a great deal to others dare to take the open-hearted and courageous way, many others follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/the-minute-a-person-whose-word-means-a-great-deal-to-others-dare-to/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [There are many persons ready to do what is right because in their hearts they know it is right. But they hesitate, waiting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/there-are-many-persons-ready-to-do-what-is-right-because-in-their/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [Prayer begins where human capacity ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/prayer-begins-where-human-capacity-ends/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) > [Everyone has a gift for something, even if it is the gift of being a good friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/everyone-has-a-gift-for-something-even-if-it-is-the-gift-of-being-a/) [Marian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) [Explore all 30 Marian Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/) ## More Build quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [I build on Christ, the rock of ages; on his sure mercies described in his word, and on his promises, all which I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-build-on-christ-the-rock-of-ages-on-his-sure-mercies-described-in/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [The way you get wickets is, you've got to build pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-arthur/the-way-you-get-wickets-is-you-ve-got-to-build-pressure/) [Mickey Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-arthur/) > [For rich children, it'd be very easy and convenient never to take any steps to build an identity outside of your association with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-johnson/for-rich-children-it-d-be-very-easy-and-convenient-never-to-take-any/) [Jamie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-johnson/) > [The millennials were raised in a cocoon, their anxious parents afraid to let them go out in the park to play. So should we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-millennials-were-raised-in-a-cocoon-their-anxious-parents-afraid/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [You have to build what the market needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-s-miller/you-have-to-build-what-the-market-needs/) [Jamie S. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-s-miller/) > [I oppose any proposal for the federal government to build and operate a nationwide 5G network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/i-oppose-any-proposal-for-the-federal-government-to-build-and-operate/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Since, however, it is immaterial whether the work is done by assistants or a machine, I decided to build a machine equivalent to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-however-it-is-immaterial-whether-the-work-is-done-by-assistants/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For 'Inhuman,' it's a 'chess game' series. You have a lot of pieces moving different ways at once, and it's about what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-soule/for-inhuman-it-s-a-chess-game-series-you-have-a-lot-of-pieces-moving/) [Charles Soule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-soule/) > [What we need to make sure we do as a team is build the quickest car on the grid - if we have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valtteri-bottas/what-we-need-to-make-sure-we-do-as-a-team-is-build-the-quickest-car/) [Valtteri Bottas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valtteri-bottas/) > [Always build. If you start at fever pitch, there's nowhere to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goldman/always-build-if-you-start-at-fever-pitch-there-s-nowhere-to-go/) [Jane Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goldman/) > [I have spent my career helping to build and grow businesses, and if I've learned one thing, it's that being pro-business and pro-consumer are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/i-have-spent-my-career-helping-to-build-and-grow-businesses-and-if-i/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [If you can build it, you can unbuild it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-pitts/if-you-can-build-it-you-can-unbuild-it/) [Jake Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-pitts/) > [You don't build your character by doing what everybody else is doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ghosn/you-don-t-build-your-character-by-doing-what-everybody-else-is-doing/) [Carlos Ghosn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ghosn/) [Browse all 1,564 Build quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't build a chimney from the top, you know.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marian Anderson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-you-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Build" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-you-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/marian-anderson-20831_build_you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-y_1644140.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/marian-anderson-20831_build_you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-y_1644140.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/marian-anderson-20831_build_you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-y_1644140.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't build a chimney from the top, you know.” — Marian Anderson", "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": "Marian Anderson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-anderson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't build a chimney from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-you-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-anderson/you-can-t-build-a-chimney-from-the-top-you-know/#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 } } ] } ```