Tortoise and the Hare

There are a number of analogies and metaphors for playing the long game. Perhaps the most famous, and also the most common, is the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. To refresh the minds of everyone, the story involves a Tortoise and a Hare racing each other in a foot race. The Tortoise, known for moving very slowly is laughed at by the Hare, known for their quick feet, for even considering that they had a chance to win the race. As the race begins, the Hare jumps out to a large lead. With a huge lead, the Hare decided to take a nap. The Tortoise kept on, slow and steady, and passed the sleeping Hare to win the race. The underlying message to the story is it is not how you start, it is how you finish. It is a story of consistency and running your own race. From putting one foot in front of the other and continuing on. The Hare decided to sprint ahead, become comfortable, and fade away. The Tortoise knew it had to be consistent to have any sort of chance, a chance they did not squander. Step by step, moment by moment, the Tortoise inched closer to the Hare until ultimately they passed their sleeping and content counterpart. With the long game of life, it is important to view it like the Tortoise, one step at a time will get you there.

The fable of the Tortoise and the Hare is one children are told but the underlying message seems to become more prominent as we age. With any goal or pursuit we want to achieve, if we jump out to one month of strong work, but taper off because we think we are doing well, we will undoubtedly fail. On the other hand, if we are gradual and consistent by stacking repeatable performances, we will be able to compound and overachieve in the long run. Life is not about how you start, it is about how you do each and every day. Life is not the result of any singular effort or small amount of time period. Life is about the sustainment of drive and determination that leads to success and achievement years from now. The most successful and notable people are generally not the “one-hit” wonder people. They are the people that focus day in and day out with an obsession to improve. The Tortoise had an obsession and internal belief in not only their ability but also their process, both were proved right as the Tortoise kept on walking. Life is long, play the long game, just like the Tortoise.