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general::
Phrase(s): He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom.
Prov. If you want to gain high status, you must start with low status and slowly work upwards. • Although Thomas hoped to become a famous journalist, he didn’t mind working for a small-town newspaper at first. "He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom," he said.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs