idiom
the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
the JER-nee uv ah THOU-zund MYLZ beh-GINZ with a SIN-gul STEP
ðə ˈdʒɜːrni əv ə ˈθaʊzənd maɪlz bɪˈɡɪnz wɪð ə ˈsɪŋɡəl stɛpListen
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Syllable breakdown
thejourneyofathousandmilesbeginswithasinglestep
Dictionary meaning
even the longest and most daunting undertaking must begin somewhere, and the most important act is simply to start; derived from the Tao Te Ching attributed to the Chinese philosopher Laozi, the proverb is used to encourage people who are overwhelmed by the scale of a challenge to focus on taking the first concrete action rather than being paralysed by the enormity of the whole
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