What does make haste slowly mean?

Festina lente is a Latin phrase. It means “hurry slowly” or “hasten slowly.” It tells you to act with a proper balance of urgency and carefulness. You should move toward your goals but do so in a thoughtful way.

Origins of the Phrase

The phrase comes from ancient Rome. The first known use is by the Roman poet Horace. In 23 BC, Horace wrote a poem with this advice. Augustus, the Roman Emperor, later adopted “festina lente” as one of his mottos.

Over time, many other people have quoted this wise saying. The Roman historian Suetonius wrote about it. Philosophers like Erasmus later talked about “festina lente” too. Even William Shakespeare used the phrase in one of his plays.

Meaning of “Festina Lente”

“Festina lente” means you should work toward your goals. But you must also be careful and thoughtful as you do so. If you hurry too quickly, you might make mistakes. If you go too slowly, you will not get much done.

A good balance between speed and diligence is needed. Acting with urgency can be beneficial, yielding results and progress. However, acting with caution is also smart, reducing errors and problems.

Wise people since ancient times have understood this balance. That is why the phrase “festina lente” has lasted so long. It expresses an important idea in a clear, memorable way.

Examples of “Festina Lente”

There are many situations where “festina lente” is good advice:

In School or Learning

When studying hard material, start slowly. Focus on understanding basic concepts. Review what you do not understand. Then, speed up. Hurrying to learn everything quickly can lead to poor understanding.

In Work Projects

At the start of a big project, plan your approach carefully. Set a steady pace, but do not rush. Trying to do too much too soon can lead to sloppy work, which must then be fixed later.

As the deadline approaches, you can speed up, putting in extra effort and hours as needed. However, the focused work done earlier makes this possible and provides a solid foundation on which to build.

In Making Decisions

Some choices require us to act fast. The opportunity might not last long. But for many major decisions, we should go slowly. Think about the options. Consider different points of view. Imagine possible outcomes.

Rushing to a decision can backfire. You might overlook key facts, and important perspectives could be ignored. Going a bit slower leads to a more careful choice.

In Personal Growth

Most people want to improve themselves quickly. They are anxious to reach big goals. But meaningful change is often gradual. It requires consistent effort over time.

Trying to transform yourself overnight is unrealistic. You will likely become frustrated and want to quit. It is better to make steady, step-by-step progress. Small changes add up to huge results over months and years.

Historical Examples

In history, rushing too fast has often caused problems:

In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia. His huge army moved quickly across the country. But they were not prepared for the coming winter. Most of his forces died in the cold. The hasty invasion became a disaster.

In 1929, many people were racing to get rich in the stock market. Prices kept going up, but few stopped to consider the underlying risks. When the market crashed, fortunes were lost. A lack of caution proved very costly.

In 1986, NASA was pressured to launch the Space Shuttle Challenger. To stay on schedule, they hurried through safety checks. Tragically, the shuttle exploded after takeoff. Rushing the launch led to a terrible outcome.

In 2017, Samsung rushed its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone to market, hoping to beat its competitors. However, battery problems caused some phones to catch on fire, indicating that a slower, more careful design process was needed.

All of these show what can go wrong by moving too fast. Taking the time to prepare and prevent mistakes is crucial. Hurrying slowly, as “festina lente” advises, is often the wiser path.

Benefits of “Festina Lente”

Following “festina lente” has many benefits:

Higher Quality Work

By not rushing, you can focus on doing the job right. You are able to pay attention to details. You can check your work carefully. The final result is then much better.

Less Stress and Pressure

Trying to hurry all the time can be stressful. You are always under pressure to move faster, which can be exhausting and demoralizing.

A slower, steadier pace is less hectic. You can breathe and think more easily. You can enjoy the process and not just the end goal.

Fewer Mistakes

Rushing leads to errors, oversights, and poor choices. You do not take the time to consider everything and important things are missed.

By going slower, you can catch and fix mistakes. You can see problems before they get bigger. The path may take longer, but it has fewer stumbling blocks.

Deeper Understanding

To learn something well, you must take time to grasp it fully. Rushing through material leads to a superficial understanding.

By going slowly, you can explore ideas in depth. You can see how things fit together. You gain richer knowledge that lasts longer.