Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.
Alfred A. Montapert
MEANING OF THIS QUOTE
In a world obsessed with multitasking and output, we are often guilty of confusing being busy with being productive. In the pursuit of our goals, it might often feel like we are putting in the hard yards, and yet our goal is no closer than it was, say, a day ago. This is because most of us confuse motion, or constant activity, with growth. Mindlessly pursuing a goal, without a set action plan, isn’t just antithetical to progress, but even detrimental to our chances of accomplishing the goal itself.
MOTION VS. PROGRESS
Motion isn’t synonymous with progress. A rocking horse keeps moving, but makes no progress. Likewise, working hard without a clear action plan may give you a false sense of satisfaction, but it won’t get you any closer to your goals. In fact, such pointless efforts are extremely frustrating. To make matters worse, most people don’t even seem to realize that all the heavy-lifting they did was futile, instead cursing their fate or concluding that they were probably aiming a bit too high. This is why it is important both to come up with and follow a solid strategy and periodically follow up on the progress one has made.
CONCLUSION
Nothing is more disappointing than failing despite our “best” attempts. Yet we often fail to realize that these attempts may have been misplaced or misguided, tricking us into a false sense of progress. On the other hand, people who plan everything beforehand and work strategically toward their goals not only save themselves all the extra effort, but also boost their chances of success.
Alfred Montapert was an American author and motivational speaker. Montapert gained worldwide recognition for his 1969 self-help book, The Law of Success. Montapert was also renowned for his motivational life quotes. One of his more famous quotes concern the rocking horse: “Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.”