Extraordinary Quote by Shunryu Suzuki
“After you have practiced for a while, you will realize that it is not possible to make rapid, extraordinary progress. Even though you try very hard, the progress you make is always little by little.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, 1970
Progress in practice is incremental; rapid breakthroughs are unrealistic despite effort.
In simple terms: Improvement comes slowly with steady practice.
Key Takeaway
Accept gradual growth.
Themes
mindfulness
practice
patience
growth
Mood
calm
reflective
Type
spiritual
inspirational
When to use this quote
- Daily meditation
- learning a new skill
- physical training
- creative projects
Key Concepts
Zen philosophy
skill acquisition
incremental learning
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you stay motivated during slow progress?
- What habits support steady improvement?
A Different Perspective
Expecting instant results can cause frustration.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
