Slow and steady wins the race is a proverb with roots in ancient times. We will examine the meaning of the proverb slow and steady wins the race, where the expression came from, and some examples of its use in sentences.
Slow and steady wins the race means that methodical work that involves careful planning and steady, consistent progress will result in success more quickly than a scattershot, quixotic approach that involves fits and starts and mistakes that must be corrected. The expression slow and steady wins the race comes directly from a fable written by Aesop in the 500s B.C. The fable, The Tortoise and the Hare, tells the story of a race between the two animals. The hare starts off quickly and is soon so far ahead that he stops to take a nap before he finishes the race. While the hare sleeps, the tortoise continues to diligently plod toward the finish line. Though the hare has more talent suited to racing, the tortoise wins the race because of his unwavering progress toward his goal.
Examples
For entrepreneurs, slow and steady wins the race (Arabian Business)
Then there is the anecdote I turned to as a child whenever I felt overwhelmed — “ slow and steady wins the race” — which helped me overcome many an obstacle. (Maui Magazine)
For Mitsubishi, slow and steady wins the race as it debuts the redesigned Eclipse Cross (Globe & Mail)