Getting Started

Every big thing a kid will ever do — learning to read, making a friend, trying out for the team, speaking up in class — starts the same way: with a first step. Not a perfect step. Not a big step. Just a step. This week's quotes span 2,500 years, from an ancient Chinese sage to a modern shoe ad. The lesson is the same: you don't have to be ready, you just have to begin.

Lao Tzu

> A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Ancient Chinese philosopher, ~6th century BCE

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Confucius

> It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.

Chinese teacher and philosopher, 551–479 BCE

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Amelia Earhart

> The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.

First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, 1897–1937

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Maya Angelou

> Nothing will work unless you do.

American poet and civil rights leader, 1928–2014

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Nelson Mandela

> It always seems impossible until it's done.

South African president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1918–2013

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Bonus: Nike

> Just do it!

The iconic 1988 ad slogan that turned three words into a global call to action

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Try This at Home or in the Classroom

Ask a young person: "What's one thing you've been putting off starting?" Read them Lao Tzu's line. Then ask them to name one single step they could take today — not the whole journey, just the first step. Watch what happens.

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