"The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail"
About this Quote
Greatness, Swindoll suggests, isn’t a thunderclap of talent but a slow accumulation of care. “Attention to detail” sounds like the kind of workplace mantra you’d find on a laminated card, yet coming from a clergyman it carries a different charge: a moral claim disguised as a practical one. This isn’t merely about craft; it’s about character. Details are where intention becomes visible. Anyone can gesturally aim at “good,” but the small decisions - the extra phone call, the careful wording, the unnoticed act of preparation - reveal whether you’re serving ego, obligation, or something larger.
The line works because it subtly demotes inspiration and elevates discipline without sounding punitive. It flatters the listener: greatness isn’t reserved for the gifted; it’s available to the attentive. That egalitarian promise is central to pastoral rhetoric, which often translates lofty ideals into daily practice. The subtext is accountability: you don’t get to claim noble motives if your follow-through is sloppy.
Context matters too. Swindoll’s career has lived in the world of sermons, counseling, and institutional leadership - arenas where outcomes hinge on what people overlook. A congregation’s trust can be strengthened or shattered by minor choices: a careless confidentiality breach, an imprecise apology, a neglected person on the margins. In that light, “detail” isn’t micromanagement; it’s neighbor-love operationalized. The quote is a quiet argument that holiness, like excellence, shows up in the footnotes.
The line works because it subtly demotes inspiration and elevates discipline without sounding punitive. It flatters the listener: greatness isn’t reserved for the gifted; it’s available to the attentive. That egalitarian promise is central to pastoral rhetoric, which often translates lofty ideals into daily practice. The subtext is accountability: you don’t get to claim noble motives if your follow-through is sloppy.
Context matters too. Swindoll’s career has lived in the world of sermons, counseling, and institutional leadership - arenas where outcomes hinge on what people overlook. A congregation’s trust can be strengthened or shattered by minor choices: a careless confidentiality breach, an imprecise apology, a neglected person on the margins. In that light, “detail” isn’t micromanagement; it’s neighbor-love operationalized. The quote is a quiet argument that holiness, like excellence, shows up in the footnotes.
Quote Details
| Topic | Success |
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