When eating an elephant take one bite at a time.

Creighton Abrams, a soldier and leader seasoned in the trials of war, once declared: “When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.” Though the image is strange, even humorous, within it lies a profound teaching about the nature of overwhelming tasks and the discipline required to face them. For the elephant is the symbol of enormity—vast undertakings, immense burdens, the challenges that seem impossible to overcome. And the bite is the symbol of patience, persistence, and the wisdom of small steps.

The meaning of this saying is clear: no great task is accomplished in a single stroke. To gaze upon the vastness of the challenge may paralyze the heart with fear. But to focus on one small part, one single effort at a time, is to make the impossible possible. The great mountain is climbed by single steps; the mighty book is written by single words; the overwhelming elephant is consumed one bite at a time. Thus, the secret of triumph is not to be crushed by the whole, but to break it down into what the will can bear.

History bears witness to this wisdom. Consider the construction of the Great Wall of China, stretching thousands of miles across mountains and plains. To behold it as a vision might seem madness. Yet it was not raised in a day, nor by one man—it was built stone by stone, carried by countless hands across centuries. Each stone was a bite, each day a small victory, until at last the wall became one of the greatest works of man. What seemed impossible became reality because patience ruled over fear.

Or reflect on the life of Helen Keller, born into silence and darkness. To learn language seemed beyond reach. But her teacher, Anne Sullivan, did not seek to overwhelm her with the whole, but taught her one word at a time, one gesture, one lesson, each a bite of the great elephant of knowledge. Step by step, Keller grew into a voice of power and wisdom for the world. Her life is testimony that even the most daunting obstacles yield when faced with persistence and steady labor.

The lesson for us is that despair is born from looking at the whole burden, while hope is born from focusing on the next step. If you are faced with a task too great for your strength, do not surrender. Instead, ask yourself: what small action can I take today? What part can I manage now? Do not measure progress by leaps, but by the steady rhythm of effort. In this way, the insurmountable becomes attainable, and the elephant of life is overcome.

In practice, this means dividing your work into small, achievable goals. If you seek knowledge, begin with one page each day. If you desire health, begin with one habit each week. If you dream of building, create one brick at a time. And above all, be patient with yourself. For persistence is greater than brilliance, and steady labor accomplishes what frantic haste cannot.

Therefore, children of tomorrow, take to heart Abrams’ wisdom: the great challenges of life are not swallowed whole, but conquered one bite at a time. Do not tremble before the size of your task, nor despair at the weight of your burden. Begin, endure, and continue. Each step, each effort, each small victory will carry you forward until the day comes when the great elephant lies behind you, and you will know that what once seemed impossible was overcome by the power of patience and persistence.