How to Read “To go far, one must start from near”
とおきにゆくにかならずちかきよりす
Meaning of “To go far, one must start from near”
This proverb teaches that to achieve big goals, you should start steadily with things close at hand.
It takes the obvious fact that to reach a distant place, you must move forward step by step from nearby, and applies this to achieving life goals.
This saying is used when telling people with big dreams or ambitions not to rush, but to build a solid foundation starting from where they are.
It also encourages those who feel overwhelmed by high goals and don’t know where to start to begin with what’s within reach.
In today’s world, social media makes others’ success highly visible. This creates pressure to seek instant results.
That’s why this proverb’s message is more important than ever. It reminds us that every great achievement began with a small first step.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is believed to come from a passage in the ancient Chinese classic “Shijing” (Book of Songs).
The Shijing is China’s oldest poetry collection, compiled between the 11th and 6th centuries BCE.
In the section called “Daya,” there appears an expression meaning “to go far, one must start from near.”
The character “邇” (chikaki) is rarely used today. It’s an old word meaning “near” or “close at hand.”
This character was chosen not just to mean “near,” but to convey the concrete image of “within reach” or “at one’s feet.”
In ancient China, people recognized an obvious fact about long journeys. You must first step out of your own gate to begin.
This simple truth became a profound insight about achieving life’s great goals.
This philosophy connects deeply with Confucian teachings. It relates to the saying “cultivate yourself, regulate your family, govern the state, bring peace to the world.”
This means even the grand goal of governing the world must begin with cultivating yourself.
The proverb came to Japan long ago. During the Edo period, it appeared in educational texts.
It became established as a saying that teaches the importance of proceeding steadily with tasks.
Usage Examples
- If you want to become a professional, remember “to go far, one must start from near” and value daily basic practice first
- Even the big dream of starting a business follows “to go far, one must start from near,” so I’ll begin by building skills in my current job
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down for thousands of years because it addresses a universal human weakness.
When facing big goals, we humans swing between two opposing emotions. One is the impatience of “I want results now.”
The other is the resignation of “such a distant goal is impossible.”
Between these two extremes, many people freeze. Impatience leads to reckless action, while resignation stops action entirely.
Both are mental traps that prevent goal achievement.
Our ancestors understood this human nature deeply. And they realized a truth.
Even distant goals are nothing more than countless small steps accumulated. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Ten thousand books must be read starting from one page. This obvious fact is the most important wisdom people tend to forget.
This proverb gives a clear answer to an eternal human conflict. The conflict between “longing for leaps” and “resistance to steady effort.”
It teaches a simple but easily forgotten truth. Great achievements never happen by magic.
They result from continuously taking the certain step right in front of you.
When AI Hears This
When searching for the shortest route to a distant location, computers never jump directly to the destination to calculate.
They always check the neighboring point, then the next neighboring point, in order. This is the core of Dijkstra’s algorithm.
It’s actually an absolute law proven mathematically.
Why can’t you skip steps? Consider finding the shortest route from Tokyo to Osaka.
If the route through Nagoya is shortest, then the Tokyo-to-Nagoya segment must also be the shortest route at that point.
You can understand this through proof by contradiction. If a shorter alternative route to Nagoya existed, using it would make the entire Tokyo-Osaka journey shorter too.
This creates a contradiction. Therefore, the shortest path must always include the shortest path to the point just before.
This property is called “optimal substructure.” Google Maps, car navigation systems, and AI learning processes all operate on this principle.
When moving toward a distant goal, no logical method exists except accumulating small adjacent steps.
This isn’t about spiritual values or the virtue of effort. It’s an inescapable mathematical truth derived from the structure of the universe itself.
It comes from how information connects.
Lessons for Today
In modern society, information overflows and others’ success is constantly visible.
Every time you see someone’s brilliant achievement on social media, don’t you feel pressure to produce results quickly?
This proverb reminds us of something important.
Where you are now and what you can do now hold the door to your future.
Want to speak English? Start with ten minutes of daily study. Want to be healthy? Begin with today’s one meal.
Want better relationships? Start with greeting the person in front of you.
No matter how big the change, it can only happen through small choices you make today, accumulated over time.
What matters is not dismissing small steps. That step may be small, but it’s not meaningless.
It’s an essential foundation. Don’t rush, but proceed surely. Value what you can do today.
That attitude is the only path that will carry you to distant goals.
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