How to Read “Great difficulties in the world always start from easy things”
Tenka no nanji wa kanarazu yasuki yori tsukuru
Meaning of “Great difficulties in the world always start from easy things”
This proverb teaches that no matter how difficult or large a task may be, you should always begin with simple things and progress step by step.
Even challenges that shake the world don’t require tackling the hardest parts first. Instead, start with the easiest aspects and you’ll make steady progress.
People use this proverb when someone feels overwhelmed by a big goal. It reminds them not to rush, but to build a solid foundation first.
You can also use it to encourage yourself when facing difficult challenges. It helps you calm down and find the courage to take that first step.
Modern society often demands quick results and efficiency. But truly valuable achievements require steady, gradual effort.
This proverb continues to remind us today of the importance of consistent, patient work.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb likely comes from the ancient Chinese text “Tao Te Ching” by Laozi. Chapter 63 contains the phrase “Great difficulties in the world always start from easy things, great affairs in the world always start from small things.”
This teaching spread to Japan and became deeply rooted in the culture.
Laozi was a Chinese philosopher from around the 6th century BCE. He is considered the founder of Taoism.
His philosophy emphasized “non-action and naturalness.” He taught the importance of not fighting against the natural flow of things and starting with small steps.
China during Laozi’s time was an era of warfare. People tried to solve problems through great power and military force.
Against this backdrop, Laozi argued that truly great achievements require starting with small, steady steps at your feet.
This teaching reached Japan and influenced both samurai ethics and merchant principles. The value of steady effort over seeking instant success became deeply embedded in Japanese values.
Along with similar proverbs like “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” it continues to convey the importance of approaching things steadily.
Usage Examples
- Let’s approach this new project with the spirit of “Great difficulties in the world always start from easy things” and begin with small experiments first
- If you’re thinking about starting a business, following “Great difficulties in the world always start from easy things,” trying it as a side job first is one option
Universal Wisdom
Humans have a tendency to dream big dreams, yet freeze when facing the path to making them real.
When we stand before a mountain whose peak seems impossibly far away, we feel overwhelmed. Sometimes we even give up entirely.
This proverb has been passed down for thousands of years because it addresses this human weakness and shows us how to overcome it.
What’s fascinating is that the proverb doesn’t command “start with easy things.” Instead, it declares “great difficulties always start from easy things.”
This isn’t mere advice. It’s a truth about the fundamental nature of reality.
Our ancestors understood that any great achievement is actually just an accumulation of small steps.
People seeking perfection try to aim for the finished product from the very beginning. But this goes against the natural order of things.
Just as a seed sprouts, grows a stem, develops leaves, and eventually blooms, all growth follows a sequence.
This proverb teaches us to follow nature’s order when dealing with human emotions like impatience and anxiety.
This is timeless wisdom for living life well, unchanged across the ages.
When AI Hears This
Complexity science mathematically proves that tiny differences in a system’s initial state expand exponentially over time.
In weather models, for example, a temperature difference of 0.000001 degrees can create the difference between a typhoon forming or not forming just weeks later.
This happens because of “nonlinearity.” In systems where cause and effect aren’t proportional, small changes can grow unpredictably large.
What’s remarkable about this proverb is that it recognizes exactly this nonlinearity. Great difficulties don’t suddenly appear fully formed.
They always emerge from trivial elements. Emergence means large, unexpected phenomena arise from interactions between small components.
A single match flame, an “easy thing,” can become a massive forest fire, a “great difficulty,” depending on conditions.
What’s interesting is that this change is deterministic yet unpredictable. If we could perfectly know initial conditions, we could theoretically predict outcomes.
But in reality, a 0.01 percent measurement error completely changes the result.
Ancient people intuitively grasped this fundamental property of the universe without science. They understood that small causes produce uncontrollable consequences.
Lessons for Today
Modern society demands instant results from you. On social media, people become famous overnight. You hear stories of startup companies growing huge in short periods.
In such times, this proverb’s teaching shines even brighter.
Truly valuable things take time to cultivate. If you have big dreams now but don’t know where to start, take one small step today.
Want to learn a language? Start with five minutes of study daily. Want to get healthy? Begin with morning stretches. Want to start a business? Try a small weekend side project.
The key is not to dismiss that small step. Starting with easy things isn’t a compromise. It’s a strategy for making certain progress.
Small successes build confidence for the next challenge. Eventually, they’ll lead you to your big goals.
Don’t rush, but be steady. The stairway to your dreams begins with today’s small step.
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