The Man Who Hesitates Is Lost Essay.Hesitation, or the want of firmness of mind to take proper action at the right moment, stands in the way of progress and brings about failure and ruin in life. This is what is implied by the proverb. The reason why hesitation is so fatal to success is not far to seek. Opportunities come but once in a lifetime. If an opportunity presents itself to one, and one hesitates to utilise it, one loses it for ever, for time and opportunity once lost can never, be recalled.
The lost opportunity may be such as to spoil the man's future career and bring ruin upon him, for there is no knowing what misfortune may lie hidden beneath the opportunities that come to a man. It was for this that Napoleon the Great was always fond of saying that "Every minute lost gives an opportunity for misfortune- Besides opportunities, every man may expect critical times to come upon him some time or the other during his lifetime. If on such occasions he does not take prompt action but waits to consider what should be done, the danger overpowers him and he is lost.Life in this world is a constant struggle.
Every man tries to outstrip his fellows in the race of life. He who is active and has the capacity to act with promptness comes out successful, but the who wavers is left far behind and wakes to find himself hopelessly, beaten, like the hare in the story of "The Hare and the Tortoise. A hesitating man is never successful in life. While he deliberates as to the proper course to adopt, the opportunity for action comes and goes.
When perhaps he has finished his deliberation, he finds that either the favourable chance has slipped by, or someone else more alert and active has taken advantage of it. There is no room for idleness or calm and leisurely deliberation. We must " take time by the forelock- and never allow a favourable moment pass away for want of decision. The inability to settle at once the plan of action when called upon to do so causes much suffering and misery and spoils many a bright career.
However gifted a man might be, if he does not possess firmness of mind and the capacity of immediate action, he can never hope to be victorious in the hard struggle for existence. The dangers of hesitation are also evident in the commonplace affairs of life. If the farmer hesitates to plough his land or sow his seeds when it is time for sowing or ploughing and allows the opportune moment to pass away, he cannot reap any harvest and will be compelled to face starvation.
The business man who hesitates to transact business when the market is favourable suffers great losses. To whatever sphere of life we turn, we notice that hesitation leads to nothing but disaster, while prompt action to success. How dangerous hesitation is in the practical affairs of life, not only where individuals are concerned, but also where nations are in question, will be clear from the following illustrations. In the Peninsular War, Marshal Soult had reduced the British troops to the point of yielding.
One determined attack by him at this moment would have completely routed the British army and as he was about to do so, the Duke of Wellington, the English general, arrived on the field of battle. At the sight of their general the English soldiers raised loud cheers of joy. Hearing these shouts, Marshal Soult hesitated to attack and this hesitation on his part deprived him of the chance of defeating the English army, which was almost a settled fact.
Hesitation is nothing but weakness in men who do not possess a strong mind. This is a defect which can easily be remedied, if one wills it. If one subjects oneself to a mental training and educates one's mind to have firmness and resolution, this serious drawback can be overcome. A man who is wanting in the power of decision finds himself at the mercy of every cireumstance in life.
The lost opportunity may be such as to spoil the man's future career and bring ruin upon him, for there is no knowing what misfortune may lie hidden beneath the opportunities that come to a man. It was for this that Napoleon the Great was always fond of saying that "Every minute lost gives an opportunity for misfortune- Besides opportunities, every man may expect critical times to come upon him some time or the other during his lifetime. If on such occasions he does not take prompt action but waits to consider what should be done, the danger overpowers him and he is lost.Life in this world is a constant struggle.
Every man tries to outstrip his fellows in the race of life. He who is active and has the capacity to act with promptness comes out successful, but the who wavers is left far behind and wakes to find himself hopelessly, beaten, like the hare in the story of "The Hare and the Tortoise. A hesitating man is never successful in life. While he deliberates as to the proper course to adopt, the opportunity for action comes and goes.
When perhaps he has finished his deliberation, he finds that either the favourable chance has slipped by, or someone else more alert and active has taken advantage of it. There is no room for idleness or calm and leisurely deliberation. We must " take time by the forelock- and never allow a favourable moment pass away for want of decision. The inability to settle at once the plan of action when called upon to do so causes much suffering and misery and spoils many a bright career.
However gifted a man might be, if he does not possess firmness of mind and the capacity of immediate action, he can never hope to be victorious in the hard struggle for existence. The dangers of hesitation are also evident in the commonplace affairs of life. If the farmer hesitates to plough his land or sow his seeds when it is time for sowing or ploughing and allows the opportune moment to pass away, he cannot reap any harvest and will be compelled to face starvation.
The business man who hesitates to transact business when the market is favourable suffers great losses. To whatever sphere of life we turn, we notice that hesitation leads to nothing but disaster, while prompt action to success. How dangerous hesitation is in the practical affairs of life, not only where individuals are concerned, but also where nations are in question, will be clear from the following illustrations. In the Peninsular War, Marshal Soult had reduced the British troops to the point of yielding.
One determined attack by him at this moment would have completely routed the British army and as he was about to do so, the Duke of Wellington, the English general, arrived on the field of battle. At the sight of their general the English soldiers raised loud cheers of joy. Hearing these shouts, Marshal Soult hesitated to attack and this hesitation on his part deprived him of the chance of defeating the English army, which was almost a settled fact.
Hesitation is nothing but weakness in men who do not possess a strong mind. This is a defect which can easily be remedied, if one wills it. If one subjects oneself to a mental training and educates one's mind to have firmness and resolution, this serious drawback can be overcome. A man who is wanting in the power of decision finds himself at the mercy of every cireumstance in life.
It has been proved that hesitation is one of the greatest obstacles standing in the way of progress. It subjects one to failures and disappointments and in many cases brings utter ruin. It should, therefore, be the aim of all to overcome this weakness if they happen to have it. If they succeed, they will find that life is, after all, not so bad as they thought it to be, for strength of mind will bring success and prosperity to them.
