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title: The Mountain & The Pebbles
created: 2025-12-25T08:50:59
modified: 2025-12-25T16:17:20
---

> _“It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.” — Muhammad Ali_

* You can’t conquer the mountain in your path until you remove the pebble in your shoes.
* What truly exhausts us isn’t always the big, obvious obstacle — it’s the small, nagging issue we ignore/overlook.
* The real threat to progress often comes from within or from things we deem too minor to fix. It’s like trying to run a marathon while ignoring a blister.
* How it applies in life:
	* A student might fail not because the coursework is too hard, but because they keep doubting their intelligence.
	* A relationship might crumble not from a huge fight, but from years of minor miscommunications or unspoken resentment.
	* A project might stall not from lack of skill, but from procrastination or perfectionism.