In Order to Be Big, You Must First Learn How to Be Small
“You may think I’m small, but I have a universe inside my mind.” ― Yoko Ono, Japanese Musician.
We live in a world that celebrates being big. Be successful. Be important. Be strong. Be seen. Be exceptional. From an early age, many of us are taught to chase greatness. We want to be admired, respected, and recognized. Yet life has a curious way of teaching us that before we can become truly “big,” we must first learn how to be “small.” This is not about becoming insignificant or thinking less of yourself. It is about developing the humility, patience, and courage to begin where you are.
Every great tree begins as a tiny seed buried beneath the ground. Before it reaches toward the sky, it must first spend time in darkness, growing roots. Without those roots, the tree cannot survive the storms that inevitably come. Human beings are no different. Before we can lead, we must learn to follow. Before we can teach, we must learn. Before we can speak with wisdom, we must first listen. And before we can stand tall, we must first be willing to stumble and fall. Being small means allowing yourself to be a beginner. It means accepting that you will not be good at everything immediately. It means asking questions, making mistakes, and learning without shame. This can be difficult because many of us are afraid of feeling small. We associate smallness with weakness, rejection, or failure. For some people, especially those who experienced criticism, neglect, or trauma in childhood, feeling small can feel unsafe. As children, they may have felt powerless, unheard, or invisible. As adults, they may constantly strive to be successful, important, or in control to never feel that vulnerability again.
But healing teaches us something different. The goal is not to avoid smallness. The goal is to become comfortable with it. To say- I do not know. To ask for help. To admit mistakes. And to begin again. In many ways, maturity is the ability to remain humble even as your accomplishments grow. True greatness does not need to prove itself. It does not dominate or seek constant validation. It is grounded, curious, and open to learning.
Nature reminds us of this truth everywhere. Rivers become powerful because they begin as small streams. Mountains are shaped grain by grain. Even the human body develops one cell at a time. Growth is rarely dramatic. More often, it is slow, quiet, and almost invisible. Ironically, the people who become truly big in life are often those who are most comfortable being small. They remain students. They remain curious. They remain humble. Because they understand that greatness is not built in giant leaps. It is built in small moments, honoured consistently over time.
“Winter's cityside
Crystal bits of snowflakes
All around my head and in the wind.
I had no illusions
That I'd ever find a glimpse
Of summer's heatwaves in your eyes.
You did what you did to me
Now it's history, I see
Here's my comeback on the road again.
Things will happen while they can
I will wait here for my man tonight,
It's easy when you're big in Japan
Oh, when you're big in Japan, tonight
Big in Japan, be tight
Big in Japan, ooh, the eastern sea's so blue.
Big in Japan, alright
Pay, then I'll sleep by your side.
Things are easy when you're big in Japan
Oh, when you're big in Japan.”
“Big in Japan” song by Alphaville released in 1984.
