When it comes to reaching goals, people tend to fall into four main groups based on how differently they take action.
Here is a simple diagram of what the four groups are.
- Slow and Steady
- Slow and Sporadic
- Fast and Sporadic
- Fast and Steady
The majority of people who fail to achieve a goal, are often those who belong to group B and C. That is, the “sporadic” bunch.
You will see very few people in group D (fast and steady), either because the goal may be too easy or small, or those people are truly great goal achievers.
For those who do get to accomplish something worthwhile, especially a long-term goal, they usually belong to group A, the “slow and steady” group.
Indeed, slow and steady wins the race. That is often true for pursuing our big goals. When you go slow and steady, it’s a much more sustainable strategy over the long run, and it’s very unlikely you will burn out. Because you take slow but steady action, you will often see more progress over a long period of time. You will have time on your side, working for you, not against you.
Your working on something at a slow and steady pace, often reveals whether you have true passion for it or not. You can hardly do something you don’t feel passionately about in a slow and steady manner.
What’s more, this strategy can work for everyone, regardless of the talent, time, or various constraints in life. Because everyone can go slow, and everyone can go steady, if we choose to.
This article was written by Harry Che, creator and founder of GoalsOnTrack, an online goal tracking and personal development software system that can help you keep your goals on track and achieve more by doing less.