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I'd look at one of my stonecutters hammering away at the rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet, at the hundred and first blow it would split in two, and I knew it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.
Jacob Riis
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Persistence and effort lead to success, even if progress seems invisible initially.

This quote emphasizes the importance of perseverance. It illustrates how continuous effort, even when results are not immediately visible, ultimately leads to breakthrough moments. The act of hammering away represents the cumulative effort that builds towards success, suggesting that every small action contributes to a larger result, even when the progress is not apparent.

Themes

PersistenceEffortSuccessBreakthroughPatience

In practice

Example use cases

During a motivational speech at a conference to inspire entrepreneurs.

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