--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is while you are patiently toiling at…" description: "\"It is while you are patiently toiling at the little tasks of life that the meaning and shape of the great whole of life dawn on you.\" — Phillips Brooks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/phillips-brooks-2696_dawn_it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at_268191.png" --- # It is while you are patiently toiling at the little tasks… ![“It is while you are patiently toiling at the little tasks of life that the meaning and shape of the great whole of life dawn on you.” quote by Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/phillips-brooks-2696_dawn_it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at_268191.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/phillips-brooks-2696_dawn_it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at_268191.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/phillips-brooks-2696_dawn_it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at_268191.png) > “It is while you are patiently toiling at the little tasks of life that the meaning and shape of the great whole of life dawn on you.” [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Patience in small tasks reveals the larger purpose of life. **In simple terms:** Small tasks show life's bigger picture. Key Takeaway Pay attention to daily duties for insight. Themes patience purpose mindfulness Mood contemplative inspirational Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - workplace - home life - education - volunteering Key Concepts spiritual growth holistic view Questions to Reflect On - What daily task teaches you about your larger goals? - Do you see patterns in routine? A Different Perspective May overlook sudden, unexpected opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Great life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) ## Related quotes > [The life that the dawn brings us is the only life we have. Life is in the here and now, not in the there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vimala-thakar/the-life-that-the-dawn-brings-us-is-the-only-life-we-have-life-is-in/) [Vimala Thakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vimala-thakar/) > [Beauty is like life itself: a dawn mist the sun burns off. It gives no peace, no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-orr/beauty-is-like-life-itself-a-dawn-mist-the-sun-burns-off-it-gives-no/) [Gregory Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-orr/) > [Yoga means we take responsibility for the tasks in our life. Whatever we are supposed to have karmically, life gives us. The question is:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/yoga-means-we-take-responsibility-for-the-tasks-in-our-life-whatever/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Getting to know ourselves and learning to control ourselves are the two great tasks of life. Don't make up strange and exotic 'penances.' Simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/getting-to-know-ourselves-and-learning-to-control-ourselves-are-the/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“Advantages of the Double Life Layout: ​Can separate work and personal projects while keeping both visible ​Simple to create and read ​Accommodates more appointments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rutell/advantages-of-the-double-life-layout-can-separate-work-and-personal/) Megan Rutell > [One of the greatest tasks of my life has been to teach the colored man he can be anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-micheaux/one-of-the-greatest-tasks-of-my-life-has-been-to-teach-the-colored/) [Oscar Micheaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-micheaux/) > [There was never yet philosopher that could endure the toothache patiently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/there-was-never-yet-philosopher-that-could-endure-the-toothache/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“I can wait patiently for many things, but the sun might set before you finish a thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-berry/i-can-wait-patiently-for-many-things-but-the-sun-might-set-before-you/) [Julie Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-berry/) > [The longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think, and the more anxiously I inquire, the less I seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-longer-i-live-the-more-i-read-the-more-patiently-i-think-and-the-2/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Truth is, I don't ever wanna get hurt again so I've been patiently waiting for the perfect girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truth-is-i-don-t-ever-wanna-get-hurt-again-so-i-ve-been-patiently/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The power of positive thinking had made me better and always solves my problems patiently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-power-of-positive-thinking-had-made-me-better-and-always-solves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God waits patiently for me to wake up, grow up, come to the awareness that great works take time, that nothing truly worthwhile can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-royer/god-waits-patiently-for-me-to-wake-up-grow-up-come-to-the-awareness/) Jean Royer > [Being wise is not about how fast you can find a solution but how patiently you react to the problem itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-wise-is-not-about-how-fast-you-can-find-a-solution-but-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/i-do-know-that-waiting-on-god-requires-the-willingness-to-bear/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for Him. In Hebrew, "Be silent in God, and let Him mould thee." Keep still, and He will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/rest-in-the-lord-wait-patiently-for-him-in-hebrew-be-silent-in-god/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## More by Phillips Brooks > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [Christmas day is a day of joy and charity. May God make you very rich in both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/christmas-day-is-a-day-of-joy-and-charity-may-god-make-you-very-rich/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [Preaching is truth through personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/preaching-is-truth-through-personality/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/nothing-lies-beyond-the-reach-of-prayer-except-that-which-lies/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [Everywhere the flower of obedience is intelligence. Obey a man with cordial loyalty and you will understand him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/everywhere-the-flower-of-obedience-is-intelligence-obey-a-man-with/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [O, do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/o-do-not-pray-for-easy-lives-pray-to-be-stronger-men-do-not-pray-for/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [So shall we join the disciples of our Lord, keeping faith in Him in spite of the crucifixion, and making ready, by our loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/so-shall-we-join-the-disciples-of-our-lord-keeping-faith-in-him-in/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [The trouble is that I'm in a hurry, but God isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/the-trouble-is-that-i-m-in-a-hurry-but-god-isn-t/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his best energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/the-truest-help-we-can-render-an-afflicted-man-is-not-to-take-his/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [“The danger facing all of us--let me say it again, for one feels it tremendously--is not that we shall make an absolute failure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/the-danger-facing-all-of-us-let-me-say-it-again-for-one-feels-it/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [There is a necessary limit to our achievement, but none to our attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/there-is-a-necessary-limit-to-our-achievement-but-none-to-our-attempt/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [Character - Some day, you will be wrestling with the great temptation, or trembling under the great sorrow of your life. But the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/character-some-day-you-will-be-wrestling-with-the-great-temptation-or/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [The essential tendency of life is toward happiness . . . . Optimism is the only true condition for a reasonable man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/the-essential-tendency-of-life-is-toward-happiness-optimism-is-the/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [To find his place and fill it is success for a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/to-find-his-place-and-fill-it-is-success-for-a-man/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [It is God's world still. It has been given to man not absolutely, but in trust, that man may work out in it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/it-is-god-s-world-still-it-has-been-given-to-man-not-absolutely-but/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) [Explore all 153 Phillips Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) ## More Dawn quotes > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Those nights lying alone are not discontinuous with this cold hectic dawn. 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Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [May dawn, as the proverb goes, bring happy tidings coming from her mother night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/may-dawn-as-the-proverb-goes-bring-happy-tidings-coming-from-her/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Slow buds the pink dawn like a rose From out night's gray and cloudy sheath; Softly and still it grows and grows, Petal by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/slow-buds-the-pink-dawn-like-a-rose-from-out-night-s-gray-and-cloudy/) [Sarah Chauncey Woolsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/) > [“Another dawn flung itself across the river; a belated taxi hurried along the street, its lamps still shining like burning eyes in a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/another-dawn-flung-itself-across-the-river-a-belated-taxi-hurried/) [F. 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When I wasn't pitching hay, hauling corn or running a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-feller/my-father-kept-me-busy-from-dawn-to-dusk-when-i-was-a-kid-when-i-wasn/) [Bob Feller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-feller/) > [Don't you know that day dawns after night, showers displace drought, and spring and summer follow winter? Then, have hope! Hope forever, for God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/don-t-you-know-that-day-dawns-after-night-showers-displace-drought/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [In the beginning, people prayed to the Creatress of Life, the Mistress of Heaven. 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Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-j-beckwith/) [Browse all 1,500 Dawn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is while you are patiently toiling at the little tasks of life that the meaning and shape of the great whole of life dawn on you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Phillips Brooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at-the-little-tasks-of-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dawn" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at-the-little-tasks-of-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/phillips-brooks-2696_dawn_it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at_268191.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/phillips-brooks-2696_dawn_it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at_268191.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/phillips-brooks-2696_dawn_it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at_268191.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is while you are patiently toiling at the little tasks of life that the meaning and shape of the great…” — Phillips Brooks", "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": "Phillips Brooks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is while you are patiently...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at-the-little-tasks-of-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/it-is-while-you-are-patiently-toiling-at-the-little-tasks-of-life/#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 } } ] } ```