--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't have time for the small…" description: "\"If you don't have time for the small things, you won't have time for the big things\" — Richard Branson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/richard-branson-256_big-things_if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-thi_122056.jpg" --- # If you don't have time for the small things, you won't… ![“If you don't have time for the small things, you won't have time for the big things” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/richard-branson-256_big-things_if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-thi_122056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/richard-branson-256_big-things_if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-thi_122056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/richard-branson-256_big-things_if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-thi_122056.jpg) > “If you don't have time for the small things, you won't have time for the big things” [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement suggests that neglecting minor tasks erodes the capacity to handle larger responsibilities, emphasizing the importance of disciplined attention to detail. **In simple terms:** Ignoring small tasks undermines ability to manage big ones. Key Takeaway Attention to detail builds capacity for larger goals. Themes productivity time management discipline efficiency Mood pragmatic motivational Type business self‑help When to use this quote - project planning - daily routines - startup operations Key Concepts habit formation Practical Applications - Create checklists for minor tasks - Allocate specific time blocks for details Questions to Reflect On - How can one balance detail orientation with big‑picture thinking? - What strategies prevent small tasks from becoming overwhelming? A Different Perspective Obsessing over minutiae can cause analysis paralysis and stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-things/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Small things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-things/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I wish for a world where people understand that life is short. So today's the time to do big things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/i-wish-for-a-world-where-people-understand-that-life-is-short-so/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [“The problem with people is that they forget that, most of the time, it's the small things that count.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-problem-with-people-is-that-they-forget-that-most-of-the-time-it/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [There is a time for some things, and a time for all things; a time for great things, and a time for small things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-time-for-some-things-and-a-time-for-all-things-a-time-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't take on big things. What I do, pretty much, is make the big things small and the small things big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-david/i-don-t-take-on-big-things-what-i-do-pretty-much-is-make-the-big/) [Larry David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-david/) > [I find that very appealing: the blurring of the lines between what's funny and what's tragic. And what's ordinary and what's not - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/i-find-that-very-appealing-the-blurring-of-the-lines-between-what-s/) [Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [And the air was full of Thoughts and Things to Say. But at times like these, only the Small Things are ever said. Big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/and-the-air-was-full-of-thoughts-and-things-to-say-but-at-times-like/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [We have time, there's no big rush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/we-have-time-there-s-no-big-rush/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [Oh, look at the time…The big hand says F\*\*k, and the little hand says Off…Good thing there's not a second hand. I'm goin' in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-moody/oh-look-at-the-time-the-big-hand-says-f-k-and-the-little-hand-says/) [Hank Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-moody/) > [I can move, I'm very shifty and at the same time I'm big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-sanu/i-can-move-i-m-very-shifty-and-at-the-same-time-i-m-big/) [Mohamed Sanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-sanu/) > [“It’s time to go big or go home. I want everyone to know you’re mine, Taryn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-reber/it-s-time-to-go-big-or-go-home-i-want-everyone-to-know-you-re-mine/) [Tina Reber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-reber/) > [To me, being in the big time is not that big of a deal. I've been there; I know what it is. It's exciting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/to-me-being-in-the-big-time-is-not-that-big-of-a-deal-i-ve-been-there/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) > [It's time to be a big girl now, and big girls big girls don't cry <3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley/it-s-time-to-be-a-big-girl-now-and-big-girls-big-girls-don-t-cry-3/) [Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley/) > [I wish you could go back twenty years when the world was in your fist And really when I was in prison in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/i-wish-you-could-go-back-twenty-years-when-the-world-was-in-your-fist/) Mak\_786 ## More by Richard Branson > [Lavish praise on people and people will flourish; criticize people and they'll shrivel up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/lavish-praise-on-people-and-people-will-flourish-criticize-people-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Fantasizing about the future is one of my favorite pastimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/fantasizing-about-the-future-is-one-of-my-favorite-pastimes/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I will work day and night to avoid failure, but if I can't, I'll pick myself up the next day. The most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-will-work-day-and-night-to-avoid-failure-but-if-i-can-t-i-ll-pick/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Tough times are inevitable in life and in business. But how you compose yourself during those times defines your spirit and will define your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/tough-times-are-inevitable-in-life-and-in-business-but-how-you/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [All successful people - not just entrepreneurs - have got things wrong over and over again before finding the right solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/all-successful-people-not-just-entrepreneurs-have-got-things-wrong/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [We have the enormous opportunity in our hands to make a positive difference for business, people, and the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/we-have-the-enormous-opportunity-in-our-hands-to-make-a-positive/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I'm a great believer in life to saying yes and not saying no, and hopefully making people smile and just having fun in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-m-a-great-believer-in-life-to-saying-yes-and-not-saying-no-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Money is a poor indicator of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/money-is-a-poor-indicator-of-success/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Business leaders take things far too seriously, and forget that most of the time people spend in their lives is at work, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/business-leaders-take-things-far-too-seriously-and-forget-that-most/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I love the freedom of movement that my phone gives me. That has definitely transformed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-love-the-freedom-of-movement-that-my-phone-gives-me-that-has/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Everything in your business can be outsourced... if you're not emotionally attached to doing it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/everything-in-your-business-can-be-outsourced-if-you-re-not/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [People have to decide on priorities if they want to get anywhere. The best lessons I learned was to just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/people-have-to-decide-on-priorities-if-they-want-to-get-anywhere-the/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [There isn't a flight goes by when I don't stare out of the window and thank my stars for what I'm seeing and feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/there-isn-t-a-flight-goes-by-when-i-don-t-stare-out-of-the-window-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) [Explore all 805 Richard Branson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) ## More Big things quotes > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [I want my squad to be confident, ambitious. They have to believe in big things and we have to set targets internally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-howe/i-want-my-squad-to-be-confident-ambitious-they-have-to-believe-in-big/) [Eddie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-howe/) > [Little things make the difference. Everyone is well prepared in the big things, but only the winners perfect the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/little-things-make-the-difference-everyone-is-well-prepared-in-the/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [I would not have lasted a minute, literally a minute, on this Earth without God and angels by my side, because I was born.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-would-not-have-lasted-a-minute-literally-a-minute-on-this-earth/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [It's silly to have as one's sole object in life just making money, accumulating wealth. I work because I enjoy what I'm doing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/it-s-silly-to-have-as-one-s-sole-object-in-life-just-making-money/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-dale-bell/show-me-a-man-who-cannot-bother-to-do-little-things-and-i-ll-show-you/) Lawrence Dale Bell > [ITS FUNNY HOW YOU CAN MAKE SILENT HAPPINESS TO OTHER PEOPLE OUT OF YOUR NONE SENSE ACTIONS. BECAUSE SOMETHINGS IT MAYBE LITTLE AS WE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-voice/its-funny-how-you-can-make-silent-happiness-to-other-people-out-of/) NO VOICE > [The little things, I can obey. But the big things - how we think, what we value - those you must choose yourself. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/the-little-things-i-can-obey-but-the-big-things-how-we-think-what-we/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [The little things are being early to meetings and lifts, stretching and warming up - doing all these things consistently, the walk-throughs that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-herbert/the-little-things-are-being-early-to-meetings-and-lifts-stretching/) [Justin Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-herbert/) > [I promise you this: at the end of your days, you will discover that the things you now perceive to be the big things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/i-promise-you-this-at-the-end-of-your-days-you-will-discover-that-the/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [“He wanted me to understand two big things: First, that nobody, no group, is above others. Public servants are obliged to level with everybody,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/he-wanted-me-to-understand-two-big-things-first-that-nobody-no-group/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“When it comes to big things in life, there are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/when-it-comes-to-big-things-in-life-there-are-no-accidents-everything/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [President Barack Obama is a doer. And we in America will do big things with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hunt/president-barack-obama-is-a-doer-and-we-in-america-will-do-big-things/) [Jim Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hunt/) > [There are experts in little things but there are no experts in big things. There are experts in this fact and that fact but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ustinov/there-are-experts-in-little-things-but-there-are-no-experts-in-big/) [Peter Ustinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ustinov/) [Browse all 748 Big things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you don't have time for the small things, you won't have time for the big things", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Branson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-things-you-won-t-have-time-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big things" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-things-you-won-t-have-time-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/richard-branson-256_big-things_if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-thi_122056.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/richard-branson-256_big-things_if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-thi_122056.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/richard-branson-256_big-things_if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-thi_122056.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you don't have time for the small things, you won't have time for the big things” — Richard Branson", "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": "Richard Branson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you don't have time for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-things-you-won-t-have-time-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/if-you-don-t-have-time-for-the-small-things-you-won-t-have-time-for/#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 } } ] } ```