--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great things do not just happen by…" description: "\"Great things do not just happen by impulse, but as a succession of small things linked together.\" — Vincent Van Gogh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/vincent-van-gogh-486_great-things_great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impul_2689165.jpg" --- # Great things do not just happen by impulse, but as a… ![“Great things do not just happen by impulse, but as a succession of small things linked together.” quote by Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/vincent-van-gogh-486_great-things_great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impul_2689165.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/vincent-van-gogh-486_great-things_great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impul_2689165.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/vincent-van-gogh-486_great-things_great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impul_2689165.jpg) > “Great things do not just happen by impulse, but as a succession of small things linked together.” [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claims that significant achievements arise from many linked small actions. **In simple terms:** Small actions build great results. Key Takeaway Focus on consistent, incremental effort. Themes achievement process incremental perseverance Mood hopeful determined Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - project management - skill learning - entrepreneurship - health goals Key Concepts productivity habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What small habit could you start today? - How do you link daily actions to big goals? A Different Perspective Large breakthroughs also need bold, singular ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Small things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-things/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Succession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succession/) ## Related quotes > [For great things do not done just happen by impulse but are a succession of small things linked together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/for-great-things-do-not-done-just-happen-by-impulse-but-are-a/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Do not let the endless succession of small things crowd great ideals out of sight and out of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mason/do-not-let-the-endless-succession-of-small-things-crowd-great-ideals/) [Charlotte Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mason/) > [For me, the only things of interest are those linked to the heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin/for-me-the-only-things-of-interest-are-those-linked-to-the-heart/) [Kevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin/) > [“happened over a short period of time, things that were linked to the past and were to have considerable impact on the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-cooper/happened-over-a-short-period-of-time-things-that-were-linked-to-the/) Jasper Cooper > [For the great doesn't happen through impulse alone, and is a succession of little things that are brought together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/for-the-great-doesn-t-happen-through-impulse-alone-and-is-a/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I guess sometimes things just fit and other times they don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-bent/i-guess-sometimes-things-just-fit-and-other-times-they-don-t/) [Darren Bent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-bent/) > [“People do things just 'cause everyone else does and then they wonder why they feel empty all the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-sturm/people-do-things-just-cause-everyone-else-does-and-then-they-wonder/) [Lacey Sturm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-sturm/) > [Some things are just never meant to be, no matter how much we wish they were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-things-are-just-never-meant-to-be-no-matter-how-much-we-wish/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-mathematics-you-don-t-understand-things-you-just-get-used-to-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Suddenly I realized we must take care of things just because they exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maura-o-halloran/suddenly-i-realized-we-must-take-care-of-things-just-because-they/) Maura O'Halloran > [Just because I'm presented life in a certain way doesn't mean I do all these things. It's just something I choose to express.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/just-because-i-m-presented-life-in-a-certain-way-doesn-t-mean-i-do/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [A lot of storytelling... you're a bit hypnotized by it, and things just come out in certain ways, and you look at it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-king/a-lot-of-storytelling-you-re-a-bit-hypnotized-by-it-and-things-just/) [Owen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-king/) > [“People do horrible things in the name of keeping things just the way they are.” “Where”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/people-do-horrible-things-in-the-name-of-keeping-things-just-the-way/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [There isn't a way things should be. There's just what happens, and what we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-isn-t-a-way-things-should-be-there-s-just-what-happens-and-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Everything comes with a price. Everything. Some things just cost more than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brom/everything-comes-with-a-price-everything-some-things-just-cost-more/) [Brom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brom/) ## More by Vincent Van Gogh > [What am I in most people's eyes? A nonentity or an eccentric and disagreeable man... I should want my work to show what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-am-i-in-most-people-s-eyes-a-nonentity-or-an-eccentric-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-heart-of-man-is-very-much-like-the-sea-it-has-its-storms-it-has/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“I take great care of myself by carefully shutting myself away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-take-great-care-of-myself-by-carefully-shutting-myself-away/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [There certainly is an affinity between a person and his work, but it is not easy to define what this affinity is, and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/there-certainly-is-an-affinity-between-a-person-and-his-work-but-it/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I confess I do not know why, but looking at the stars always makes me dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-confess-i-do-not-know-why-but-looking-at-the-stars-always-makes-me/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah, Manet has come very, very close to it and Courbet - the marrying of form and colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-manet-has-come-very-very-close-to-it-and-courbet-the-marrying-of/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [We must not judge God from this world. It's just a study that didn't come off. It's only a master who could make such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/we-must-not-judge-god-from-this-world-it-s-just-a-study-that-didn-t/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/our-goals-can-only-be-reached-through-a-vehicle-of-a-plan-in-which-we/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [One can never study nature too much and too hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/one-can-never-study-nature-too-much-and-too-hard/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [But by fighting the difficulties in which one finds oneself, an inner strength develops from within our heart, which improves in life's fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/but-by-fighting-the-difficulties-in-which-one-finds-oneself-an-inner/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah! My dear friend painting is to us what the music of Berlioz and Wagner was before us - a consolatory art for sore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-my-dear-friend-painting-is-to-us-what-the-music-of-berlioz-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Painting demands an intelligent model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/painting-demands-an-intelligent-model/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [That this awareness of my own fallibility will prevent me from making many mistakes doesn't alter the fact that I'm bound to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/that-this-awareness-of-my-own-fallibility-will-prevent-me-from-making/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [What is drawing? It is working oneself through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-is-drawing-it-is-working-oneself-through-an-invisible-iron-wall/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [You will say that everyone has seen landscapes and figures from childhood on. The question is: Has everybody also been reflexive as a child?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/you-will-say-that-everyone-has-seen-landscapes-and-figures-from/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) [Explore all 508 Vincent Van Gogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## More Great things quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [No matter how many great things you say about Jacques Pepin, there's always more. Through his books and videos, he taught me the importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-kenji-lopez-alt/no-matter-how-many-great-things-you-say-about-jacques-pepin-there-s/) [J. Kenji Lopez-Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenji-lopez-alt/) > [Great things that can happen when you're doing a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/great-things-that-can-happen-when-you-re-doing-a-movie/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“Second letter from Mom: So! What if you colored the world? This still does not seem a great thing. In fact it seems very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-d-calin/second-letter-from-mom-so-what-if-you-colored-the-world-this-still/) [Elena D. Calin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-d-calin/) > [I have so much respect for the country, I don't like blanket indictments. There's a lot of really great things about this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/i-have-so-much-respect-for-the-country-i-don-t-like-blanket/) [Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The great thing about the arts, and especially popular music, is that it really does cut across genres and races and classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/the-great-thing-about-the-arts-and-especially-popular-music-is-that/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [I don’t know, I don’t know that I’m missing anything. I just think too much sometimes. Sometimes I’m even happy because I’m so engaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-buckley/i-don-t-know-i-don-t-know-that-i-m-missing-anything-i-just-think-too/) [Jeff Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-buckley/) > [The great thing about an independent film is that you're too busy working, and you're too busy hoping to God to get it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-dowd/the-great-thing-about-an-independent-film-is-that-you-re-too-busy/) [Ann Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-dowd/) > [Every great thing starts with an idea, followed by a doubt and finally a resolve to abandon or pursue. Victory is a treacherous journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/every-great-thing-starts-with-an-idea-followed-by-a-doubt-and-finally/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [I have a large watch collection, and classic watches are especially important to me. I had a silver Rolex, and I actually gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-have-a-large-watch-collection-and-classic-watches-are-especially/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [That is one of the great things about Test cricket, the ball. Sometimes it swings conventionally, sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it reverses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/that-is-one-of-the-great-things-about-test-cricket-the-ball-sometimes/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [In the end things must be as they are and have always been--the great things remain for the great, the abysses for the profound,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-the-end-things-must-be-as-they-are-and-have-always-been-the-great/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Great men undertake great things because they are great; fools, because they think them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/great-men-undertake-great-things-because-they-are-great-fools-because/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) [Browse all 1,881 Great things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Great things do not just happen by impulse, but as a succession of small things linked together.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vincent Van Gogh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impulse-but-as-a-succession-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great things" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impulse-but-as-a-succession-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/vincent-van-gogh-486_great-things_great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impul_2689165.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/vincent-van-gogh-486_great-things_great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impul_2689165.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/vincent-van-gogh-486_great-things_great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impul_2689165.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Great things do not just happen by impulse, but as a succession of small things linked together.” — Vincent Van Gogh", "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": "Vincent Van Gogh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Great things do not just happen...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impulse-but-as-a-succession-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/great-things-do-not-just-happen-by-impulse-but-as-a-succession-of/#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 } } ] } ```