--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My friend the philosopher and martial…" description: "\"“My friend the philosopher and martial artist Daniele Bolelli once gave me a helpful metaphor. He explained that training was like sweeping the floor. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/ryan-holiday-514_art_my-friend-the-philosopher-and-martial-ar_3133838.jpg" --- # My friend the philosopher and martial artist Daniele… ![“My friend the philosopher and martial artist Daniele Bolelli once gave me a helpful metaphor. He explained that training was like sweeping the floor. Just because we’ve done it once, doesn’t mean the floor is clean forever. Every day the dust comes back. Every day we must sweep.” quote by Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/ryan-holiday-514_art_my-friend-the-philosopher-and-martial-ar_3133838.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/ryan-holiday-514_art_my-friend-the-philosopher-and-martial-ar_3133838.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/ryan-holiday-514_art_my-friend-the-philosopher-and-martial-ar_3133838.jpg) > ““My friend the philosopher and martial artist Daniele Bolelli once gave me a helpful metaphor. He explained that training was like sweeping the floor. Just because we’ve done it once, doesn’t mean the floor is clean forever. Every day the dust comes back. Every day we must sweep.”” [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Consistent effort is required; success; one-time actions are insufficient because decay returns. **In simple terms:** You must keep working, not just once. Key Takeaway Practice daily, maintain standards. Themes discipline consistency effort maintenance growth Mood motivational pragmatic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - fitness - learning - skill development - cleaning routines Key Concepts habit formation continuous improvement Questions to Reflect On - How do you sustain daily habits? - What tasks do you neglect? A Different Perspective One-time effort fades; ongoing work needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Clean Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean-forever-5554407/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Floor Clean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/floor-clean-484050/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Like Sweeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-sweeping-235966/) [Martial Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martial-art/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Sweeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweeping/) [Sweeping Floor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweeping-floor-1452966/) ## Related quotes > [Just like sweeping the streets, sweep the unnecessary things from your mind too; keep your mind clean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/just-like-sweeping-the-streets-sweep-the-unnecessary-things-from-your/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“As for sweeping the floor, polishing the windows, dusting, and general drudgery of that sort … well, if women’s work was never done, why trouble about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/as-for-sweeping-the-floor-polishing-the-windows-dusting-and-general/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“There is 'my-ness' everywhere you see! One only does not keep 'my-ness' while 'sweeping the floor'!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/there-is-my-ness-everywhere-you-see-one-only-does-not-keep-my-ness/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [They say if u wanna get married and someone is sweeping the floor and they sweep ur feet on a accident u may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-say-if-u-wanna-get-married-and-someone-is-sweeping-the-floor-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But,” Jedrick added, his voice teasing, “I think I will be sure to be back on time this night; the kitchen floor is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brazytis/but-jedrick-added-his-voice-teasing-i-think-i-will-be-sure-to-be-back/) [Sarah Brazytis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brazytis/) > [My mom knows what it's like to keep a dirt floor clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-jimmy-mellado/my-mom-knows-what-it-s-like-to-keep-a-dirt-floor-clean/) [Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-jimmy-mellado/) > [MY one and true best freind said that I wouldn't make it but here \*Iam\* working high-class but there is my so-called best freind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thinkpinkbarbii/my-one-and-true-best-freind-said-that-i-wouldn-t-make-it-but-here-iam/) [Thinkpinkbarbii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thinkpinkbarbii/) > [Growing up sweeping the floor at my dad's hardware store and cleaning the bathroom at my mom's dance studio, I never could have imagined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/growing-up-sweeping-the-floor-at-my-dad-s-hardware-store-and-cleaning/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [“Andrew Carnegie famously put it. There’s nothing shameful about sweeping. It’s just another opportunity to excel—and to learn. But you, you’re so busy thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/andrew-carnegie-famously-put-it-there-s-nothing-shameful-about/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The clatter of a changing world is not pleasant, and those who have enjoyed the comforts and protection of the old order may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-clatter-of-a-changing-world-is-not-pleasant-and-those-who-have/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [What business needs now is exactly what women are able to provide, and at the very time when women are surging into the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-helgesen/what-business-needs-now-is-exactly-what-women-are-able-to-provide-and/) [Sally Helgesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-helgesen/) > [“That’s a bit sweeping. Sometimes it takes a while to find out how good or bad something has been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-page/that-s-a-bit-sweeping-sometimes-it-takes-a-while-to-find-out-how-good/) [Sophie Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-page/) > [“for a split second before sweeping”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-james-krebs/for-a-split-second-before-sweeping/) [Harry James Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-james-krebs/) > [The Warmth of Other Suns is a sweeping and yet deeply personal tale of America's hidden 20th century history - the long and difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/the-warmth-of-other-suns-is-a-sweeping-and-yet-deeply-personal-tale/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [My mind shrank from the menace sweeping down on us, as children's do from belief in death and misfortune, vainly clinging to the fancy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-pankhurst/my-mind-shrank-from-the-menace-sweeping-down-on-us-as-children-s-do/) [Sylvia Pankhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-pankhurst/) ## More by Ryan Holiday > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The areas of great interest to the Stoics all make an appearance here: virtue, mortality, emotions, self-awareness, fortitude, right action, problem solving, acceptance, mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-areas-of-great-interest-to-the-stoics-all-make-an-appearance-here/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“With a business, we take most failures less personally and understand they’re part of the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/with-a-business-we-take-most-failures-less-personally-and-understand/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Many creatives want to be just the creator, or only “the idea guy.” They like that because it’s sexy and because that’s what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/many-creatives-want-to-be-just-the-creator-or-only-the-idea-guy-they/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. 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We don't always get what is rightfully ours, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-often-learn-the-hard-way-that-our-world-is-ruled-by-external/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“From Rusticus … I learned to read carefully and not be satisfied with a rough understanding of the whole, and not to agree too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/from-rusticus-i-learned-to-read-carefully-and-not-be-satisfied-with-a/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I wholeheartedly agree that many media 'standards' can feel disingenuous or, in fact, be a cover for less-than-honest behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/i-wholeheartedly-agree-that-many-media-standards-can-feel/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Remember: even what we get for free has a cost, if only in what we pay to store it—in our garages and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/remember-even-what-we-get-for-free-has-a-cost-if-only-in-what-we-pay/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [It's your job to find a release and an outlet for the stress and the feelings. Never forget: the crazy stays at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/it-s-your-job-to-find-a-release-and-an-outlet-for-the-stress-and-the/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Where the head goes, the body follows. Perception precedes action. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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