Slow and Steady wins the race

Slow and Steady wins the race

This proverb is a reference the well-known fable of the hare and the tortoise. While the hare, over-confident of success, took things too easy, the slow-moving tortoise plodded steadily on and managed to win the race.

We should not be discouraged by the size of the task we have to do. If we do it little by little and steadily, we can achieve success.

Take the case of a student who labours ‘eighteen hours’ a day near the examination. He cannot ensure brilliant results that could have been certain even by ‘six hours’ a day study.

Anything done in a hurry cannot have solid, deep and firm foundations. It is the slow and constant labour that brings results.

On the contrary haste and rashness are almost always negative and destructive. They reflect an unplanned attitude. A man in haste is practically a half-blinded man, often impulsive and headstrong. Such a person is sure to lose in the marathon race of life that can be only won slowly and steadily. For as the Latin proverb says,’ if haste is at all to be made, it should be made slowly’.

For example, a businessman should be patient and calm-minded. He should look in all directions before striking a bargain. If he is in a hurry, chances are that he may not consider all aspects fully and thus stand to lose.

‘Hurry’, a Russian proverb says,’ is only good for catching flies’. The work done coolly, calmly with a balanced mind often last longer and proves fruitful than that done by working against the clock.

Thus while doing anything we must not forget that nothing worthwhile can be achieved in a single day or overnight and that every achievement takes time. Patient and persistent effort will beat the labours of a spasmodic (irregular) Hercules.

The following quotation of the Greek philosopher Ovid sums up the ideas: ” What is harder than rock or softer than water? Yet soft water hollows out hard rock. Only persevere.”