The Tortoise and the Hare

You’ve probably heard the story of the tortoise and the hare. Engaged in a race, the hare believes that he can dilly-dally and use his superior speed to catch the tortoise. He winds up waiting too late to start and the tortoise, though slow and methodical, wins the race.

The same can happen with our paint contracting business. We can put off doing the things that are necessary to succeed, believing that a mad dash at the end will suffice. In the meantime, the contractor who consistently does the right things, slowly and methodically, gradually moves forward step-by-step.

It can often be easy to put off mundane tasks. It can often be easy to feel overwhelmed and refuse to start a project because its immensity makes it seem impossible to finish. While starting a project will not guarantee its successful completion, failing to start will insure that it is never completed.

A cross-country road trip is not a small adventure. It involves lots of boring driving. It also involves periodic sights and experiences filled with excitement and grandeur. But if we never start we will not have those experiences, and we certainly won’t reach our destination.

The speed with which we get to our goals is far less important than accomplishing them. Sometimes it is much more effective in the long-term to be a tortoise rather than a hare.

© BEP Enterprises Incorporated 2008