Steady Wins the Race

Remember the fable about the race between the tortoise and the hare? The hare sped way out in front, then decided to stop for a bite to eat. The tortoise plodded along, slowly and surely, never wavering. When the hare saw the tortoise gaining on him, he took off again, far outdistancing the tortoise. He got so far ahead, in fact, that he decided he had time for a nap. Meanwhile, the tortoise plodded along, slowly and surely, never wavering. You know what happened—eventually, the tortoise passed the hare, who was otherwise engaged and won the race.

We are told that the moral of the fable is: "Slow and steady wins the race." But that's not exactly correct. The rabbit didn't lose because he was fast . . . he lost because he stopped to take a nap in the middle of a race! And the turtle won, not because she was slow, but because she didn’t quit—she never stopped but kept going until she reached the end of the course. The speediest contestant could have easily won if they had remained consistent in their efforts. So, a more accurate moral is simply:

“Steady wins the race.”

The Power of the Fable

This fable teaches a key lesson that goes beyond the traditional moral. Your reason for doing (or not doing) something doesn’t change the consequence. In the quest to reach your full potential and embrace your Excelerated Life?, everything counts. Not just the stuff you want to count—everything.

Imagine you are the rabbit racing toward your goal. Suddenly, you decide to stop and take a nap. Maybe you want to show off—you’re so far ahead, you can nap and still win the race. Maybe you’re so out of shape that running has left you winded and exhausted . . . you need a nap to continue. Maybe you stayed up watching the Late Late Late Show or were reading a mystery you just couldn’t put down. Or maybe you’re bored with the whole rabbit race thing.

Here’s the point: it doesn’t matter why you stopped to nap. The results—the consequences—are the same. The turtle wins.

Actions and Consequences

You are free to choose your actions, but you must live with the consequences of those actions, regardless of why you chose them.

Stephen Covey puts it perfectly:

"Our behavior is governed by principles. Living in harmony with them brings positive consequences; violating them brings negative consequences. We are free to choose our response in any situation, but in doing so, we choose the attendant consequence. 'When we pick up one end of the stick, we pick up the other.'" [Covey]

This principle applies to many areas of life:

You want to get in better shape, but your back hurts, or you’ve injured your leg, or you need that extra sleep in the morning, or your exercise clothes are in the wash, or it's too cold, too hot, too windy, too rainy. Whatever the reason, the consequences of not exercising remain the same. Pick up one end of the stick and you pick up the other.

You want to eat a healthy diet, but you don't have time to pack your lunch, or you're out of the stuff you like, or vegetables make you vomit. Whatever the reason, the consequences are the same. Pick up one end of the stick and you pick up the other.

You want to get your spending under control and start to save some money, but there's a great sale on at the mall, or you really need that new _____, or you've outgrown all your clothes and have absolutely nothing to wear, or you've been working really hard and deserve a treat. Whatever the reason, the consequences are the same. Pick up one end of the stick . . .

The Simple (But Not Easy) Solution

You can achieve almost any goal that’s meaningful to you. The solution is simple, though not necessarily easy:

1. Choose the consequences you want.

2. Perform the actions that lead to those consequences.

Whether you go slow and steady or move at a rapid pace, the key is consistency. Be clear about the actions you choose and the reasons behind them. That’s how you win the race.

Gain Clarity with These Questions

To help you move forward with clarity, ask yourself these questions:

1. What is one thing you can change to improve your health, happiness, or relationships?

• What could you start doing?
• What could you stop doing?
• What could you do more or less of?

Select the one thing that could make the most difference.

2. What is one small step you could take to make this change?

• Break it down into a step so small you can do it every day.

3. Take the step today.

• Start as soon as possible.

4. Commit to consistency.

• Schedule it in your calendar or take other steps to ensure you follow through every day.

Excelerate at Your Best Speed

Nothing says you have to go slowly on your journey. Remember, the hare could have easily won if he’d been consistent. Each of us has our own optimal speed:

• Some of us can take big leaps in growth and self-development.
• Many of us need small, incremental steps to stay consistent.

Choose the speed that works for you, but above all, be consistent. Steady wins the race. That is embracing your Excelerated Life?!

_________

Resources:

Covey, Stephen R. The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989.

You can have the Excelerated Life? newsletter delivered to your inbox every Thursday.

Receive a free e-book, Excelerate! Living the Excelerated Life 1 Day At A Time, when you sign up today!