The famous saying, ‘slow and steady wins the race’, emphasizes the problems of over hastiness. This is the moral of the tortoise and hare story from Aesop’s fable. You can read the story here.
Its meaning: It means that “even a person with average talent can achieve success through persistent efforts.” In other words, one can overcome the barriers of difficulties and achieve success through constant efforts in the right direction.
It is better to act slow and consistently then acting faster in a hasty manner. Ceaseless efforts, even at a slow pace, will bring good results. On the other hand, occasional efforts, even at a faster pace, will seldom bring great results.
This proverb states that a person who is consistent and steady in his approach can achieve massive success even if he is slow. Such person walks slowly but doesn’t look backwards. They look before they leap. This ensures that every step that they take is put in the right direction. On the other hand, a person who is rushing and running out of steam will be left behind, if his approach is not correct.
Explanation: We often see a person with exceptional talent fail, while a man of ordinary merit succeeds. The difference lies in the way two people have worked. The man of intelligence and abilities took his work lightly and did it by fits and starts. He depended on his merit and failed. The other man worked steadily day in and day out and became successful.
There is no shortcut for success and there is no alternative for hard work. There are many instances in history where ordinary men rose to high fame through patient toil of many years. History also tells us of many brilliant men meeting with failures for want of patience and perseverance. Demosthenes was a stammered but he became the greatest orator of ancient Greece with persistent efforts. Thus, steady and patient labor brings success to man.
So, though we may seem slow at first, our steady pace will mean that we end up ahead. Below, you can see some examples of the importance of this proverb in daily life.
- Work. At work, it can be better to complete tasks at a steady pace.
- Study. Pace yourself and you will finish your studies with ease.
- Athletics. Do not overdo your training.
- Relationships. Be patient and wait and your love will become apparent.
- Saving money. Keep on at a steady pace. Do not over exert yourself and you will build up plenty of savings.
In the tortoise and hare story, the hare was quick and fast-moving against the tortoise who was very slow-moving. However, the tortoise won the race because of its tireless efforts. Hence, it is true that “slow and steady wins the race”.