“If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.” -Betty Reese
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Jason co-founded 37signals back in 1999. He also co-authored REWORK, the New York Times bestselling book on running a "right-sized" business. Co-founded, co-authored... Can he do anything on his own?Read all of Jason Fried’s posts, and follow Jason Fried on Twitter.
Jason Fried wrote this on Feb 27 2008 There are 18 comments.
GeeIWonder 27 Feb 08
That’s dirty. And weird.
Travis 27 Feb 08
I’m going nuts right now chasing a tiny little mouse around my house. He’s disrupted my schedule many a times over the past couple weeks. I can completely relate to that quote. :)
Robert Hoekman, Jr. 27 Feb 08
Actually, that quote is a paraphrasing of an old African proverb:
“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.”
In fact, that proverb is what inspired me to create my company, Miskeeto. We focus on web design, social networking, training, microfundraising, and more for socially-conscious organizations.
Robin Hood 27 Feb 08
This reminds me of something I heard at the Getting Real conference a couple years ago. It went something like this:
“Each additional person added to a company makes it that much more difficult to remain focused”.
I’m sure it was said with more elegance, but that is what I walked away with. I think this statement is spot on.
Vicky 27 Feb 08
@GeelWonder: Do you think the mosquito was invited? That could be dirty if you let your mind run with it. I mean even if the mosquito was great and quite experienced, it’s lifespan is way to short for any lasting relationship. :) :)
Jeff W 27 Feb 08
Isn’t there a similar proverb about a pebble in your shoe?
Ed Knittel 27 Feb 08
“If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with me.” – Ed Knittel
Alright, giggity-giggity.
By the way it’s totally not true. No matter what you hear. Seriously, quit pointing and laughing.
Aditya Kothadiya 27 Feb 08
It’s a nice quote, but we should understand the difference.
Mosquito is small and effective, but equally bugging one. We want to be small and effective, but NOT the bugging one. :o)
Alexander 28 Feb 08
I thought the quote was from Ghandi?
Loic 28 Feb 08
I heard it was from the Daila Lama. Maybe someone is laughing quietly somewhere…
Matthew Moore 28 Feb 08
Well we’ve narrowed it down to a human being is the originator of this quote…
GeeIWonder 28 Feb 08
Does anyone else feel the world getting dumber by the second?
Welcome to the era of consensus history (or lack thereof). Thank you Wikipedia.
john 29 Feb 08
I use to tell my kung fu students that. It’s amazing to see a small agile person force larger opponents to the ground with simplicity of movements.
Hmm, book idea “The Kung Fu of Design.” There are many parallels. Size and strength can not compete against economy of movement, flexibility, and skill.
Bill Nones 01 Mar 08
GeeIWonder,
Consciencious Distroy, indeed. My thoughts exactly. Strengthening a claim with “it’s what Wikipedia told me” is inherently unreliable, and at a reasonably high risk of holding less true authoritative gavitas than “it’s what my dry cleaner told me.”
Anyone accustomed with the immense weight of evidentiary support knows that Chuck Norris is responsible for the prose.
daniel 02 Mar 08
This my new msn sentence. :D
Josh A. 02 Mar 08
Good quote, perhaps it would be more elegant if it was slightly rephrased :). About Wikipedia (which is off-topic, by the way), it’s probably not as bad as you think.
Anonymous Coward 02 Mar 08
@Aditya Sure, but the reverse is true too (good point though :D)
Tamlyn 04 Mar 08
But mosquitoes are only good at being annoying (and spreading plagues). Name a small thing that, on its own, is effective at doing good. Destroying is easy, building is hard.
This discussion is closed.