--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The beginning is the most important part…" description: "\"The beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing; for that is the time at which the character i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/plato-103_beginning_the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part_3115663.jpg" --- # The beginning is the most important part of any work… ![“The beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing; for that is the time at which the character is being formed and the desired impression is more readily taken.” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/plato-103_beginning_the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part_3115663.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/plato-103_beginning_the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part_3115663.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/plato-103_beginning_the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part_3115663.jpg) > “The beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing; for that is the time at which the character is being formed and the desired impression is more readily taken.” [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The initial phase of any creation shapes its character and influences how it is perceived. **In simple terms:** First impressions shape lasting impact. Key Takeaway Focus on strong foundations. Themes creation character impression development Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing - product design - teaching - branding Key Concepts philosophy psychology formation Questions to Reflect On - How do early choices affect long-term perception? - What can be done to reinforce positive first impressions? A Different Perspective Neglecting later refinement can undermine early strengths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [New beginnings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-beginnings/) ## Related quotes > [The beginning is the most important part...for that is the time character is being formed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part-for-that-is-the-time/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [The beginning is the most important part of the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part-of-the-work/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The beginning is the most important part of any work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part-of-any-work/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“You know that the beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-know-that-the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part-of-any-work/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [The beginning is the most important part, especially when dealing with anything young and tender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part-especially-when-dealing-with/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“It should be so simple. You do what you can while he is awake, and then once he is asleep, you do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/it-should-be-so-simple-you-do-what-you-can-while-he-is-awake-and-then/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [Character is formed, not by laws, commands, and decrees, but by quiet influence, unconscious suggestion and personal guidance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-leroy-burton/character-is-formed-not-by-laws-commands-and-decrees-but-by-quiet/) Marion LeRoy Burton > [Talent is nurtured in solitude; character is formed in the stormy billows of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/talent-is-nurtured-in-solitude-character-is-formed-in-the-stormy-2/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Character is both formed and revealed by how one deals with everyday situations as well as extraordinary pressures and temptations. Like a well-made tower,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/character-is-both-formed-and-revealed-by-how-one-deals-with-everyday/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/good-character-is-not-formed-in-a-week-or-a-month-it-is-created/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Talent is nurtured in solitude; character is formed in the stormy billows of the world. \[Ger., Es bildet ein talent sich in der Stille,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/talent-is-nurtured-in-solitude-character-is-formed-in-the-stormy/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Character is formed in the stormy billows of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/character-is-formed-in-the-stormy-billows-of-the-world/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > […I'm sorry, and a little dissatisfied as well. Miss Stacy told me long ago that by the time I was twenty my character would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-sorry-and-a-little-dissatisfied-as-well-miss-stacy-told-me-long/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My kinfolks thought more about character than about culture. They said culture could be acquired but character had to be formed. Character had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-robertson/my-kinfolks-thought-more-about-character-than-about-culture-they-said/) [Ben Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-robertson/) > [“A man's character is only formed after the impressions of childhood and early youth have become blended with the indefinable and hidden influences both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikl-s-b-nffy/a-man-s-character-is-only-formed-after-the-impressions-of-childhood/) [Miklós Bánffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikl-s-b-nffy/) ## More by Plato > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-may-be-sure-dear-crito-that-inaccurate-language-is-not-only-in/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/if-men-learn-this-it-will-implant-forgetfulness-in-their-souls-they/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better-man-be-harmed-by-a-worse/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-as-nobody-may-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-love-of-man-to-woman-is-a-thing-common-and-of-course-and-at-first/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught in falsehood's school, and the one man that dares to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/strange-times-are-these-in-which-we-live-when-old-and-young-are/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“He was a wise man who invented God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-was-a-wise-man-who-invented-god/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [For let me tell you, that the more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-let-me-tell-you-that-the-more-the-pleasures-of-the-body-fade-away/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“What shall we say about those spectators, then, who can see a plurality of beautiful things, but not beauty itself, and who are incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/what-shall-we-say-about-those-spectators-then-who-can-see-a-plurality/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-that-nobody-will-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We must, if we are to be consistent, and if we re to have a real pedigree herd, mate the best of our men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-must-if-we-are-to-be-consistent-and-if-we-re-to-have-a-real/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) [Explore all 1,278 Plato quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More Beginning quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) Adam Imad > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The only vocal training I had was playing with a tape recorder as a kid, and you know, doing the beginning of the 'Lone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/the-only-vocal-training-i-had-was-playing-with-a-tape-recorder-as-a/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [January is the beginning of a new year for us in the Western world. Let us give to God what belongs to him: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/january-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-year-for-us-in-the-western-world/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [In the beginning, if you look at those early label albums of the Chicks, we didn't write all that much. We had an A&R…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/in-the-beginning-if-you-look-at-those-early-label-albums-of-the/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-white/when-there-is-a-mission-before-you-you-see-it-from-its-beginning-to/) [Jesse White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-white/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) Manae Poet Of Carisis > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [In the very beginning, Yelp started as a service where we really didn't think people would write reviews for fun. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/in-the-very-beginning-yelp-started-as-a-service-where-we-really-didn/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [Some projects feel like the stars are aligning for them from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-smith/some-projects-feel-like-the-stars-are-aligning-for-them-from-the-very/) [Gregory Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-smith/) > [Do not judge me by my beginning, Only by my end, Nor by the path I took, But where it led me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacklyn-h-lucas/do-not-judge-me-by-my-beginning-only-by-my-end-nor-by-the-path-i-took/) Jacklyn H Lucas [Browse all 3,566 Beginning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing; for that is the time at which the character is being formed and the desired impression is more readily taken.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plato" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part-of-any-work-especially-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beginning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part-of-any-work-especially-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/plato-103_beginning_the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part_3115663.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/plato-103_beginning_the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part_3115663.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bde/plato-103_beginning_the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part_3115663.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing…” — Plato", "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": "Plato", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The beginning is the most important...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part-of-any-work-especially-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-beginning-is-the-most-important-part-of-any-work-especially-in/#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 } } ] } ```