Have you ever attended a firearms training course? Maybe you're learning to hunt, and someone's teaching you about the art of finding your sight picture for your shot?
If so, you might hear the instructor say "aim small, miss small" when giving you advice on how to form your sight picture through the site posts or the scope of the rifle or pistol.
"Aim small, miss small" is a common saying, and it has global use in sports shooting, self-defense, and QCB situations. This post unpacks everything you need to know about this idiomatic phrase's meaning, origin, and use in conversation.
Aim Small Miss Small Meaning
"Aim small, miss small" is a term used in firearms training. It refers to aiming at a small part of the target, such as the bullseye, instead of the entire target. So, if you miss with your shot, you will not fall far from the intended target instead of missing it completely.
The advice has a dual purpose. If you're shooting a paper, steel, or clay target, aim for the center of the target instead of using the entire target in your sight picture. This advice is critical for hunting, where a stray shot may injure the animal you're shooting without killing it, leading to a maimed life for the beast.
By focusing on a smaller target in your sight picture, there is less chance of the projectile straying from your intended shot.
Aim Small Miss Small Example Usage
"When focusing on the target, aim small, miss small."
"Jim, you need to aim small, miss small with your project goals."
"Aim small, miss small, focus on achieving your top priorities."
"If you want to achieve your goal, aim small, miss small."
Aim Small Miss Small Origin
"Aim small, miss small" is a shooting term used in training military operators. The first recorded use of the term in media comes from the 2000 film, "The Patriot," starring Mel Gibson and the late Heath Ledger.
The film is a rendition of the American Civil War. It follows the tale of a father and his children fighting for their country. The phrase appears in the film when Gibson teaches his kids how to fire a musket.
While many people think that the phrase originates from the movie itself, the reality is that it comes from one of the firearms instructors hired for the film. Mark Baker was the first to coin the term on the movie set. During his training, he gave the actors the advice of "aim small, miss small."
The line sounded attractive, and the writers added it to the movie script, where it found its way onto the screen and into modern language. Today, many firearms instructors and military operators use it when instructing students or soldiers on the art of focusing on a target.
Phrases Similar to Aim Small Miss Small
- Laser-focus.
- Narrow your thinking.
Phrases Opposite to Aim Small Miss Small
- Take a broad stroke.
- Take a macro outlook.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Aim small, miss small.
Ways People May Say Aim Small Miss Small Incorrectly
Some people may use the phrase incorrectly. The saying refers to focusing on the important part of a task or goal. Therefore, using it to tell someone to scale back on their efforts would be the incorrect use of the phrase.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Aim Small Miss Small
You can use "aim small, miss small" in social and professional situations. Apart from the shooting world, the phrase also suits when you're telling someone to laser in on a goal or objective in their life or at work.