Slow and steady

slow and steady ow

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."

Confucius

Most of the time, when we want something to happen, we want it to happen quickly.

There are days when progress feels minimal, and at times, we may even feel completely stuck and frustrated. In the same time, we live in a fast-paced era, instant gratification is everywhere. This shortens our patience and raises our expectations to an extreme level.

Over the years, cultures across the world have created countless phrases that highlight the power of slow and steady change. Through various proverbs and folk tales, this idea has been passed down and reinforced time and time again.

Piano piano

Real change, significant progress, and true growth are all part of a long process, could be even life long process. The small steps we take every day toward our goals are incredibly meaningful in the long run. This small steps, are actually the sustainable way for us to make a progress.

These small steps we take, the little decisions we make every day, shape our habits. And in the end of the day, we are creatures of habit.

We repeat the same things over and over to save ourselves from unnecessary choices. It’s less thinking - our natural tendency is to think less whenever possible. That’s why the things that require the least effort and thought are usually the ones that end up happening most of the time.

So the logical step is to take the things we want to change and make the choices that leads to them, more accessible than the alternatives. By doing this, we can gradually steer our choices toward the goals we’ve set for ourselves, one step closer each time.

James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, explains exactly how and why it works, and provides plenty of examples that illustrate how these tendencies shape our lives.

So don’t get discouraged when things take longer, it’s all part of the process! Achieving one goal can teach you valuable lessons along the way, even in unexpected areas, and that’s one of the true benefits of gradual change.