“If small things have the power to disturb you, then who you think you are is exactly that: small.”
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Eckhart Tolle251
German writer 1948Related quotes
“If you think you are too small to make a difference, you have never been in bed with a mosquito”
Tenzin Gyatso (1935) spiritual leader of Tibet
The earliest known example of this quote comes from a January 1993 article in Time magazine, where it is associated with British businesswoman Anita Roddick:: "Even Body Shop trucks are employed as rolling billboards for pithy slogans. Roddick's current favorite, taken from the side of one of her company's lorries: IF YOU THINK YOU'RE TOO SMALL TO HAVE AN IMPACT, TRY GOING TO BED WITH A MOSQUITO". <br class="br">IN the 21st century, it was cited as an "African proverb". Earliest attribution to Dalai Lama is from 2004. <br class="br">Disputed <br class="br">Source: Philip Elmer-DeWitt, "Anita the Agitator" https://books.google.com/books?id=Cm7uAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22anita+roddick%22+mosquito&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=mosquito, Time, 1993-01-25 <br class="br">Source: https://indianinthemachine.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/if-you-think-youre-too-small-to-make-a-difference-try-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-a-mosquito-african-proverb/ <br class="br">Source: https://books.google.com/books?id=K8Q53xW1ie8C&pg=PA1&dq=%22too+small+to+make+a+difference%22+mosquito+lama&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjxrTbkbnJAhVHLYgKHVfdB84Q6AEIIjAB#v=onepage&q=%22too%20small%20to%20make%20a%20difference%22%20mosquito%20lama&f=false
James A. Garfield (1831–1881) American politician, 20th President of the United States (in office in 1881)
"Elements of Success", as published in President Garfield and education: Hiram college memorial https://archive.org/details/presidentgarfiel00hinsuoft (1882), compiled by B. A. Hinsdale, p. 327
Sarah Zettel (1966) American writer
Source: Bitter Angels (2009), Chapter 11 (p. 144)
“Freedom is taking so much for granted, when you don't appreciate the small things that you have.”
Cameron Duncan (1986–2003) New Zealand filmmaker
DFK6498

“You may think I’m small, but I have a universe inside my mind.”
Yoko Ono (1933) Japanese artist, author, and peace activist
“You would not think any duty small,
If you yourself were great.”
George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish journalist, novelist
Willie's Question
The Disciple and Other Poems (1867)
Jane Rogers book The Testament of Jessie Lamb
Source: The Testament of Jessie Lamb (2011), Chapter 18 (p. 137)