slow and steady wins the race
Meaning
Consistent, careful progress is more likely to succeed than rushing or acting hastily.
Origin
Commonly traced to Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and the Hare,” where the slow, persistent tortoise defeats the overconfident, fast hare through steady progress.
Notes
Often used as a proverb to encourage patience and persistence in long-term goals (study, training, projects). It’s a fixed, motivational saying rather than a literal race comment.
Examples
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I wanted to rush through my training, but my coach reminded me that slow and steady wins the race.
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She paid off her student loans by making small extra payments every month—slow and steady wins the race.
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The team kept improving their product week by week; slow and steady wins the race.
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Even if you can’t run fast yet, keep showing up and building stamina—slow and steady wins the race.
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He stopped trying to learn everything overnight and focused on daily practice, because slow and steady wins the race.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Set proverb form: “Slow and steady wins the race.” You may vary tense for context (e.g., “Slow and steady will win the race”), but the wording is typically kept as the fixed saying.
Synonyms
- steady wins the race
- slow and steady
- keep plugging away
- take it one step at a time
Antonyms
- haste makes waste (opposite lesson)
- live fast
- rush in