Slow and steady wins the race
Meaning: Consistency and patience lead to success.
Origin: From Aesop's fable of the tortoise and the hare, in which the boastful hare naps mid-race and the plodding tortoise wins. The exact wording comes from Robert Lloyd's poem "The Hare and the Tortoise" (1762), which ends: "Slow and steady wins the race."
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Qui va lentement va sûrement (literally: Who goes slowly goes surely)
- Spanish: Lento pero seguro (literally: Slow but sure)
- Japanese: 急がば回れ (Isogaba maware) (literally: If in a hurry, take a detour)
- German: Eile mit Weile (literally: Hurry with leisure)
More proverbs about Perseverance
- Good things come to those who wait — Patience is rewarded.
- In for a penny, in for a pound — Once committed to something, go all the way with it.
- Every dog has its day — Everyone will have their moment of success or good fortune.
- A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step — Great accomplishments start with small beginnings.
- If at first you don't succeed, try, try again — Persistence is essential to success.
- Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today — Avoid procrastination.
From our compliments & insults
- Du hast ein Händchen dafür — You have a real knack — a natural gift that makes difficult things look easy.
- Du hast Köpfchen — You're sharp and clever — you use your brain well.
- Du bist klasse — You're brilliant — excellent, impressive, top-notch.