The Hare and the Tortise - Who Wins Today?

I am currently reading a book entitled" Mindsets- the new psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck. In one of the chapters, she asks readers to evaluate the famous fable of the hare and the tortise. Is the adage of "Slow & Steady Wins the Race" applicable in today's world?

We live in an age of instant gratification...where people want actions and results almost fast...where tempers and patience are short. Where a split second is measured by that moment in time when the traffic light turns green, and the car behind honks at you.When even a 4-minute interval wait between MRT trains feel like an eternity.

The hare's downfall was because it was arrogant and complacent...It had the talent, it had the aptitude. While we applaud and respect the plodding tortise...who really wants to be the tortise ... today?

We all wish that the hare had been a little less impulsive in making decisions. We know that had the race been one of a certain short distance, the hare would have won hands down. Would the tortise stand a chance in a 100m dash to the finish?

What do I want to be?
I think a mixture of both...I will need the speed and agility of the hare...and the sheer persistence and resilience of the tortise...Effort counts too.
The celebrated genuises of the world did not make it on talent nor skill alone. Ours is such a complex, fast-paced world; and adaptability, and the ability of respond to changes that come our way are things which will put us in good stead today.

Life will always be filled with challenges...and nothing stays status quo. It will then mean that we need to constantly keep on learning, and building our on our experiences. The hare needs to learn maybe how to outhop and outjump other animals like monkeys and birds...for his competitors will never be the tortise only. And the tortise...perhaps, may need to find the 'correct race' to take part in...where his strength will be recognised and rewarded.

The art of becoming...lies in how and why we learn. It is not always about being the best; getting the straight As all the time, and outperforming everyone else. We all study, and go through experiences to learn...and to enjoy the learning process. Sometimes failing in tests or exams...do not make us a failure in life.

Both the tortise and the hare must be able to make their own choices, and see value in themselves. The new race that the tortise and the hare embark...starts with the race against self. They need to keep pace with things that are happening around them, and at the same time, think, plan and strategise how they can keep on moving forward and succeed.

No one wins all the time...and no one loses all the time either.
The important thing is that we never just give up on ourselves...and to keep on improving.