--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the big stuff to work credibly…" description: "\"For the big stuff to work credibly, you've got to get the little stuff absolutely right.\" — Philip Gerard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/philip-gerard-34098_big-stuff_for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-v_1111170.jpg" --- # For the big stuff to work credibly, you've got to get the… ![“For the big stuff to work credibly, you've got to get the little stuff absolutely right.” quote by Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/philip-gerard-34098_big-stuff_for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-v_1111170.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/philip-gerard-34098_big-stuff_for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-v_1111170.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/philip-gerard-34098_big-stuff_for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-v_1111170.jpg) > “For the big stuff to work credibly, you've got to get the little stuff absolutely right.” [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Big successes rely on flawless execution of small details **In simple terms:** Large goals need tiny tasks done perfectly Key Takeaway Focus on details to ensure overall credibility Themes detail credibility execution Mood analytical pragmatic Type advice process When to use this quote - project management - product design - customer service - process improvement Key Concepts systems thinking quality control Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance detail with momentum? - When is it okay to accept minor imperfections? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on minutiae can stall progress ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-stuff/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Little Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-stuff-1575848/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Stuff Absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-absolutely-2960545/) [Stuff Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-work-369567/) [Work Credibly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-credibly-2960544/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I don't sweat the little stuff anymore. The little worries, I just don't have time for them anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/i-don-t-sweat-the-little-stuff-anymore-the-little-worries-i-just-don/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [You're trying to do big things and you ain't mastered the little stuff!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/you-re-trying-to-do-big-things-and-you-ain-t-mastered-the-little-stuff/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [I try to put as little stuff into my hair as I can, which tends to be the best for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-britton/i-try-to-put-as-little-stuff-into-my-hair-as-i-can-which-tends-to-be/) [Connie Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-britton/) > [There’s always stuff to work on. You’re never there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/there-s-always-stuff-to-work-on-you-re-never-there/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [I used to say... 'Don't sweat the small stuff -- not even the big stuff.' At the end of the day, none of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-applegate/i-used-to-say-don-t-sweat-the-small-stuff-not-even-the-big-stuff-at/) [Christina Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-applegate/) > [If you want to see the big stuff that God has, you've got to take some risk and trust only in the Gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/if-you-want-to-see-the-big-stuff-that-god-has-you-ve-got-to-take-some/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [The heavy subject matter is the most fun stuff to work with. It's the meaty things, it's the things that you get to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stark/the-heavy-subject-matter-is-the-most-fun-stuff-to-work-with-it-s-the/) [Oliver Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stark/) > [I hate when actors call stuff they're in their 'work.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-sisto/i-hate-when-actors-call-stuff-they-re-in-their-work/) [Jeremy Sisto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-sisto/) > [“We’re all doing the same thing — getting stuff done. We work together to make it happen, and we jump back and forth between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-shore/we-re-all-doing-the-same-thing-getting-stuff-done-we-work-together-to/) [James Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-shore/) > [Cheaters are people who have a lot of stuff to work out, and they're working it out on your time and with your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/cheaters-are-people-who-have-a-lot-of-stuff-to-work-out-and-they-re/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [I've always been able to let stuff go when I'm done with work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyra-sedgwick/i-ve-always-been-able-to-let-stuff-go-when-i-m-done-with-work/) [Kyra Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyra-sedgwick/) > [“All the world complain now a days of a press of trivial duties & engagements which prevents their employing themselves on some higher ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-the-world-complain-now-a-days-of-a-press-of-trivial-duties/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You're going to spend a long time with the stuff you work on; you might as well like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/you-re-going-to-spend-a-long-time-with-the-stuff-you-work-on-you/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [There's always so much stuff to do. I work best when my diary just says 'MNEK, MNEK, MNEK.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/there-s-always-so-much-stuff-to-do-i-work-best-when-my-diary-just/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [The coaches that I have have done an incredible job with me, obviously the stuff we work on on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-isner/the-coaches-that-i-have-have-done-an-incredible-job-with-me-obviously/) [John Isner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-isner/) ## More by Philip Gerard > [It's not enough simply to record the way people actually talk. The dialogue must be concentrated, shaped, dramatically moving, in a way that real-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/it-s-not-enough-simply-to-record-the-way-people-actually-talk-the/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [The habits of craft, developed day in and day out over a working lifetime, create moments of astonishment, sublime and magical effects, precisely because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/the-habits-of-craft-developed-day-in-and-day-out-over-a-working/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [Storytelling is the art of unfolding knowledge in a way that makes each piece contribute to a larger truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/storytelling-is-the-art-of-unfolding-knowledge-in-a-way-that-makes/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [But a writing project begins not just in doubt but also in faith-that if your passion is genuine, if you have mastered the elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/but-a-writing-project-begins-not-just-in-doubt-but-also-in-faith-that/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [Voice is one of the most elusive qualities in any story. We recognize it when we hear it, but it's hard consciously to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/voice-is-one-of-the-most-elusive-qualities-in-any-story-we-recognize/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [“Nobody writes a book. What you write every day is a piece of a book, a fragment, a scene.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/nobody-writes-a-book-what-you-write-every-day-is-a-piece-of-a-book-a/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [Voice really depends on the answer to the question, Who is telling this story? . . . That will color your diction-and determine your metaphors, your sensibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/voice-really-depends-on-the-answer-to-the-question-who-is-telling/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [You will not read voice on the page; you will hear it in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/you-will-not-read-voice-on-the-page-you-will-hear-it-in-your-head/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [We create an interior 'movie' in the reader's head through words on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/we-create-an-interior-movie-in-the-reader-s-head-through-words-on-the/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [You have to roll up your sleeves and be a stonecutter before you can become a sculptor - command of craft always precedes art:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/you-have-to-roll-up-your-sleeves-and-be-a-stonecutter-before-you-can/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [The simplest tool of the writer is repetition. . . . The simplest tool of the writer is repetition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/the-simplest-tool-of-the-writer-is-repetition-the-simplest-tool-of/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [The only way to write a novel is to proceed as if you had all the time in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/the-only-way-to-write-a-novel-is-to-proceed-as-if-you-had-all-the/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) > [“The fastest way to write is to pretend you have all the time in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/the-fastest-way-to-write-is-to-pretend-you-have-all-the-time-in-the/) [Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) [Explore all 14 Philip Gerard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/) ## More Big stuff quotes > [If you want to see the big stuff that God has, you've got to take some risk and trust only in the Gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/if-you-want-to-see-the-big-stuff-that-god-has-you-ve-got-to-take-some/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [I used to say... 'Don't sweat the small stuff -- not even the big stuff.' At the end of the day, none of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-applegate/i-used-to-say-don-t-sweat-the-small-stuff-not-even-the-big-stuff-at/) [Christina Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-applegate/) > [ We've figured out our roles: I wanted someone to take care of the male roles - the big stuff - and Laird \[Hamilton\] does… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/we-ve-figured-out-our-roles-i-wanted-someone-to-take-care-of-the-male/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [When you have a big heart and big stuff, anything is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-rodriguez/when-you-have-a-big-heart-and-big-stuff-anything-is-possible/) [Francisco Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-rodriguez/) > [People come and go around you, but you're never the one getting the big stuff. I like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-spade/people-come-and-go-around-you-but-you-re-never-the-one-getting-the/) [David Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-spade/) > [Twitter is fun - I'm a tech guy, I love anything new, I'm big on all that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitan/twitter-is-fun-i-m-a-tech-guy-i-love-anything-new-i-m-big-on-all-that/) [Steven Levitan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitan/) > [Everyone can get a little sloppy with cash and it's smart to notice. But what's squeezing you is the big stuff you ladle onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-bryant-quinn/everyone-can-get-a-little-sloppy-with-cash-and-it-s-smart-to-notice/) [Jane Bryant Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-bryant-quinn/) > [There's a lot of dark horror, and a lot of sci-fi fantasy that's great, but what gets hyped a lot the big stuff. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-englund/there-s-a-lot-of-dark-horror-and-a-lot-of-sci-fi-fantasy-that-s-great/) [Robert Englund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-englund/) > [I'm thankful for the big stuff of course-my family, health, human kindness. But I'm also thankful that I don't have to work for Hollywood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-m-thankful-for-the-big-stuff-of-course-my-family-health-human/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [I don't really need new stuff anyway. I like to make big stuff, and it's too expensive to travel with. So I have my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/z-ev/i-don-t-really-need-new-stuff-anyway-i-like-to-make-big-stuff-and-it/) [Z'EV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/z-ev/) > [When the world needs someone to do the really big stuff, you need an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/when-the-world-needs-someone-to-do-the-really-big-stuff-you-need-an/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [What I try to encourage individuals to do is don't sweat the small stuff, sweat the big stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-giller/what-i-try-to-encourage-individuals-to-do-is-don-t-sweat-the-small/) [Chip Giller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-giller/) > [I often say that I don't worry about the meaning of life-I can't handle that big stuff. What concerns me is the meaning in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/i-often-say-that-i-don-t-worry-about-the-meaning-of-life-i-can-t/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [A lot of African wildlife is very big. If you're protecting the big stuff, you're usually protecting the small stuff, too. One of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/a-lot-of-african-wildlife-is-very-big-if-you-re-protecting-the-big/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [A lot of African wildlife is very big. If you're protecting the big stuff, you're usually protecting the small stuff, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/a-lot-of-african-wildlife-is-very-big-if-you-re-protecting-the-big-2/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) [Browse all 19 Big stuff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-stuff/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For the big stuff to work credibly, you've got to get the little stuff absolutely right.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Gerard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-ve-got-to-get-the-little-stuff/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big stuff" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-ve-got-to-get-the-little-stuff/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/philip-gerard-34098_big-stuff_for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-v_1111170.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/philip-gerard-34098_big-stuff_for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-v_1111170.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/philip-gerard-34098_big-stuff_for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-v_1111170.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For the big stuff to work credibly, you've got to get the little stuff absolutely right.” — Philip Gerard", "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": "Philip Gerard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For the big stuff to work...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-ve-got-to-get-the-little-stuff/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/for-the-big-stuff-to-work-credibly-you-ve-got-to-get-the-little-stuff/#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 } } ] } ```