You don't look at the big problem all together, because I think

Sunita Williams, voyager of the stars, spoke with humility and strength when she said: “You don’t look at the big problem all together, because I think it’s a little intimidating. So you just take it one day at a time, meet the people who are going to meet with you, for you, and who you’re going to work for, and really try to do the best job that you can. That’s all teamwork, and that’s what space travel is about.” Though her words rise from the context of the heavens, their wisdom descends to earth, speaking to every soul who struggles with challenges that seem too vast to conquer.

The first truth here is about the nature of big problems. When seen all at once, they loom like towering mountains, casting shadows that paralyze the will. To face them head-on in their entirety is to invite despair. But Williams teaches the ancient way: divide the mountain into steps, the burden into daily labors. This wisdom is not new, but eternal. The builders of pyramids, the masons of cathedrals, the voyagers who crossed oceans—all knew the secret. Greatness is not achieved in one act, but in many small, faithful deeds strung together like stars in the night.

The second truth lies in the power of teamwork. Williams reminds us that no one travels to the stars alone. Each day, one must walk with others, depend on their hands, their knowledge, their loyalty. This too the ancients understood. When Rome built its mighty roads, when armies defended their nations, when scholars preserved the wisdom of ages, it was not the work of one, but of many moving as one. The lone hero may inspire, but the united fellowship builds what endures.

History offers a shining example: the Apollo 11 mission. When Neil Armstrong stepped upon the moon, the world saw one man’s footprint in the dust. But behind him stood thousands: engineers, scientists, seamstresses who stitched space suits, technicians who tested machines, and families who endured sacrifice. The triumph of Apollo was the triumph of teamwork, just as Williams declares. And like her, those pioneers did not conquer the immensity of space by staring at the whole, but by solving each problem in its time—fuel, trajectory, landing, return. One day at a time, one task at a time, until the impossible was made real.

The third truth is about courage. To admit that the big problem is intimidating is not weakness, but wisdom. For the brave are not those who feel no fear, but those who refuse to be ruled by it. Williams teaches that courage is found in daily faithfulness: in showing up, in doing the work, in serving the team. The intimidating vastness of space becomes manageable when broken into human steps. So too the intimidating struggles of life—illness, loss, injustice, dreams that seem beyond reach—can be faced if we walk them steadily, one day at a time.

The lesson is clear: do not allow yourself to be crushed by the weight of the whole. Break your burdens into parts. Work faithfully with others. Value each day’s task, however small, for it is a stone in the temple of your greater purpose. Whether your challenge is to raise a family, to build a craft, to seek justice, or to journey into the unknown, the same wisdom applies: look not at the whole mountain, but at the next step; look not at your fears alone, but at your companions by your side.

Therefore, O traveler of life, take Williams’ words into your heart. When the big problem rises like a storm, do not despair. Take it one day at a time. Meet your companions, honor them, trust in their strength as they trust in yours. Do the best you can in the task before you, and let the tasks weave together into triumph. This is the way of teamwork, and whether on the earth or among the stars, it is the way by which humanity rises to its greatest heights.