--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So close, I thought. A shorter fence, a…" description: "\"“So close, I thought. A shorter fence, a fatter dog, and everything would be different. But wasn't that always the way. It's never something huge that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/sarah-dessen-110_big-picture_so-close-i-thought-a-shorter-fence-a-fat_2496954.png" --- # So close, I thought. A shorter fence, a fatter dog, and… ![“So close, I thought. A shorter fence, a fatter dog, and everything would be different. But wasn't that always the way. It's never something huge that changes everything, but instead the tiniest of details, irrevocably tweaking the balance of the universe while you're busy focusing on the big…” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/sarah-dessen-110_big-picture_so-close-i-thought-a-shorter-fence-a-fat_2496954.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/sarah-dessen-110_big-picture_so-close-i-thought-a-shorter-fence-a-fat_2496954.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/sarah-dessen-110_big-picture_so-close-i-thought-a-shorter-fence-a-fat_2496954.png) > ““So close, I thought. A shorter fence, a fatter dog, and everything would be different. But wasn't that always the way. It's never something huge that changes everything, but instead the tiniest of details, irrevocably tweaking the balance of the universe while you're busy focusing on the big picture.”” [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Minor details can shift outcomes more than grand gestures; focus on small actions. **In simple terms:** Small details reshape life. Key Takeaway Pay attention to tiny changes. Themes detail impact balance focus Mood thoughtful insightful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - relationships - project management - personal development Key Concepts systems thinking butterfly effect Questions to Reflect On - Which small habit could change your life? - Do you overlook details when planning? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on big plans can miss crucial subtleties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-picture/) ## Related quotes > [“So close, I thought. A shorter fence, a fatter dog, and everything would be different.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/so-close-i-thought-a-shorter-fence-a-fatter-dog-and-everything-would-2/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [The longer and the deeper the thought, the shorter the sentence of wisdom will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-longer-and-the-deeper-the-thought-the-shorter-the-sentence-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Too close, I thought. There was nothing wrong with fire… as long as you didn't stand too close. Something to keep in mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/too-close-i-thought-there-was-nothing-wrong-with-fire-as-long-as-you/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [No matter how close thought sticks to the actual, it follows its own rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/no-matter-how-close-thought-sticks-to-the-actual-it-follows-its-own/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“We peep out, but what do we see, really? Mirror reflections of our own selves, our bloodless, feeble countenances, devoted to nothing in particular,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/we-peep-out-but-what-do-we-see-really-mirror-reflections-of-our-own/) [Philip K. 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It's never something huge that changes everything, but instead the tiniest of details, irrevocably tweaking the balance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-wasn-t-that-always-the-way-it-s-never-something-huge-that-changes/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Sarah Dessen > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. 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The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. 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I learned to focus on the long-term big picture from my father. His sense of humor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/my-mom-taught-me-the-power-of-love-i-learned-to-focus-on-the-long/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) > [Sometimes we find ourselves stumbling over obstacles we face today but always see the big picture and keep moving forward. 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That you will be able to focus on what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-busche/i-would-love-to-tell-you-that-being-a-content-manager-is-easy/) [Laura Busche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-busche/) [Browse all 423 Big picture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-picture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So close, I thought. A shorter fence, a fatter dog, and everything would be different. But wasn't that always the way. 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