It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop
Meaning: Progress at any pace is still progress; what matters is persisting, not speed.
Origin: Widely posted as a saying of Confucius, but it does not appear in the Analects or other classical texts. It resembles a later Chinese saying, bù pà màn, jiù pà zhàn — don't fear being slow, fear only standing still.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Peu importe la lenteur, pourvu qu'on ne s'arrête pas (literally: It doesn't matter how slowly, as long as one doesn't stop)
- Spanish: No importa lo lento que avances, siempre que no te detengas (literally: It doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as you don't stop)
- Japanese: どれほどゆっくりでも前進すれば、止まるよりはましだ (Dore hodo yukkuri demo zenshin sureba, tomaru yori wa mashi da) (literally: Even slow progress is better than stopping)
- German: Beharrlichkeit führt zum Ziel (literally: Perseverance leads to the goal)
More proverbs about Perseverance
- Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance — Long-term persistence is more powerful than raw ability or brute force.
- You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great — Greatness is not a prerequisite for beginning; beginning is the path to greatness.
- He who limps is still walking — Even imperfect progress is still progress; do not let imperfection stop you.
- Stars cannot shine without darkness — Hardship and struggle are what allow our greatest qualities to become visible.
- Even the tallest tower began with a single brick — Every great achievement starts with one humble first step.
- He conquers who endures — Persistence and endurance are the ultimate keys to victory.