Student Article / Others

Better Late Than Never

Better Late Than Never

Anubha Das

10 Apr, 2017

This proverb “Better late than never” is an ancient proverb with a deep hidden meaning. It has been used for many years and in many cultures. "Better late than never" is a saying we have all come across. This is a phrase that is more trite, but how many times do we stop to think of what this means in our own lives? Interestingly, four words can maintain an ocean of truth and wisdom.

It is often expressed with a degree of irony, it seems like saying something positive but in fact simply remarking on someone's lateness. Time and again all of us are told to complete the tasks assigned to us on time and being lazy most of us fail to do an assigned work on time. The result is either we fully avoid the work or stop doing it further.

It is better to do a thing even if it after the scheduled time to do that thing so that we don’t regret of not even trying. Many times in life we either don’t get the opportunity or we miss the opportunity. During such times we should not worry about the lost opportunities but instead we should try to continue doing the job. Even though we don’t finish the work on time, we do get the contentment of at least completing it.

Thus, this tells us that no should ever think of failure, even when they are doing something after the planned time. Though it is late when he acts, he can still reap the success because time is not a blockade for a talented man.

Staying on Course

The better late than never expansion of idea pertains to tenacity, the quality of sticking to one's goals no matter how long that may take, rather than giving up too soon. Before we realise it, the very tasks we had set out to do in life get diverted by obstacles, sidetracks, and unplanned detours.

Then again, those who rise above the challenges and continue marching forward, even when it seems there is no way out of the dark tunnel, are the ones who finally succeed, feel happy, and prosper.

They are conscious of the reality that progress is often haphazard, with many stop-and-go movements. They know that what really matters is to always go forward and not give up, no matter whether you are right or not.

Another wise person said, "It's not how many times you fall, but how many times you stand up." The thing that makes you succeed is not giving up and persisting in what you stand for. Now and then, it may be necessary to postpone tasks to a later date to achieve successful results.

Challenging Perfectionism

Of course, being flexible and getting rid of the perfectionism along the lines are also characteristics of the better late than never expansion of idea.

There is a great culture in our community that emphasises doing things expeditiously and adequately. We have conditioned ourselves to believe that anything less than perfect is unacceptable.


The problem is that this is not how such procedures are performed. But even a very carefully made plan can fail when unexpected events or sudden priorities appear. Ultimately, success is reached by individuals who do not give up when things are rough and can flex with the punches instead of standing on the on the same ground for every small hill.

The bravery to announce “better late than never” means that life has ups and downs, is chaotic, and it is not always possible to accomplish things we want and desire. It means letting the goals snap, rather than holding on unrealistically, and seeing the larger picture, which is more simple: whatever the road looks like, if in the end we’ve made it, then we’ll get there.

This kind of attitude can be helpful with one's own development and growth in any area. There is an unspoken placing of pressure on many of us to fix or upgrade specific areas by a particular time.

Sadly, straight roads are rarely the real and long-lasting way to the necessary transformation. Usually, the individuals who are willing to maintain that improvement is a continuous and recurrent process are the ones who attain the most significant progress because they consider failures as a path to success.

Rediscovering Your Strength

The time that is lost, the rescheduled events, or missed deadlines can make us feel helpless, as can the lost chance or opportunity. Nevertheless, the world lies in your hands at any given time. Anything is possible, provided that you are breathing.

If you ever feel like your goal is too far away, try looking at it from a completely different angle. Instead of being hard on yourself for the time you've "wasted," show yourself some love by recognising that you struggle, but you're still trying. You should be aware that you can always restart to continue an abandoned task, begin a later goal, or revive a long-suppressed dream.

Even though it might take you a long time to reach your goal, it is much worse than abandoning it. Others may state that "the only real failure is the failure to try"—whether you move slowly or fast, just as long as you do not stop moving, you will definitely arrive. We should not overlook that.


Conquering Fear And Guilt
 We have sentiments like humiliations, disappointments, remorse, and mourning over past missteps. Here the "better late than never" model frequently comes in handy.

We have a propensity to drown ourselves in self-condemnation when we entertain our previous blunders, missed chances, or ways we let ourselves or others down. This type of negative inner monologue becomes smothering and makes us stay in the past instead of moving forward to embrace the future.

The truth, however, is that we cannot reverse the past, regardless of how much we may want to. Nothing that happened in the past can be altered; we only have the present, where we make our choices. What we do here and now has a higher chance of rewriting what has already been written than us being drowned in feelings of shame and regret.

The postponement approach is good for this type of situation. Instead of being hard on ourselves for things we did not do, we can try to look at the failures as a chance for improvement and a new beginning.

Perhaps we will analyse our previous mistakes, learn from them, and eventually go on to live the life of our dreams. Thus, you can decide to swim upstream, make amends, or even give another try.

Thus, this does not mean that the approach is a simple affair. Unconsciously eating away the deeply rooted feelings of guilt and regret is quite difficult to overcome. It demands a lot of empathy, strength, and perseverance. The reward may be something completely worthwhile. The power to release the past and focus on the present and what lies ahead increases our chances of obtaining every future purposeful fulfilment and advancement.

Exploring Unanticipated Routes

Along with the "better late than never" mentality, the notion that it's better to be flexible and to be open to altering one's route and destination and thus embracing deviations and unexpected detours is another key element.

Goal-oriented action primarily drives our present society, causing its members to become attached to their ideal outcome or strive for speedy completion.

The result of such conditioning is that our society sticks to established standards and often ignores the unpredicted occurrences that cannot be easily explained within the known system of cause and effect.

We may draw up a very well-thought-out plan, but sometimes it might end up badly, so that we start to feel down and out and decide to quit.

The "better late than never" idea of being adaptable and flexible can be a handy process while facing the problem. It would be better to view the changing circumstances as sources of our personal growth and be prepared to face situations we have no control over.

Those unknown twists and turns can bring us to places we have never even imagined going. These unexpected road trips can sometimes be far more thrilling and significant than the journey you initially had in mind.

There might be a new hobby, weird connections, and opportunities laying in front of us if we release our conventional judgements and stay open to all the possibilities.

During the journey of Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, one thing becomes obvious: no one gets even a little bit closer to life’s lesson if he or she doesn’t rerun the race.

At 65 years old, the average person is getting ready to embark on their next chapter rather than welcoming a huge new business project. But for Sanders, the now-iconic restaurant that people are forming a line to eat at was in fact his first business endeavour.
He had the chance to enter the restaurant business after struggling with various kinds of employment, including blacksmithing, selling insurance, and steamboat driving. However, it wasn’t until he had to begin all over again (and this time the highway diverted directly past his restaurant) that he discovered the formula of his legendary fried chicken and the pressure cooker method.

Had he continued to lose trust or decide to surrender when his goal was diverted, he would probably never have found what had to be his greatest accomplishment. With that unusual turn of events, he transformed his loss into the inception stages of world dominance, simply because he exhibited efficiency, zeal, and receptiveness.

Although in our private lives we have more chances to reflect on whether we need something more than material things to feel satisfied, How many of us can tell a story in which, after charting a new path or abandoning a formerly set goal, we found that better things awaited us on the way?

It is only when we get rid of the fear of “better late than never expansion of idea " and instead choose "new experience, curiosity, and faith in the world" that we can force ourselves to take a new journey.

A journey in which we can trust that the world will show us the way it should be, even if we don't know it in the first place.

Long-term Influence and Consequences

Indeed, the "better late than never" mindset is quite powerful, which may start a domino effect in our lives, influencing not only ourselves but the lives of people surrounding us as well.

Despite the challenges that life throws at us, a strong message is sent that perseverance, resolve, and the belief that change is possible at any time of an individual’s life are possible.

What is important here, especially for the next generation, is that this can also be a great influence.

How many of us have felt inspired by the stories of lots of good old people who have been facing various challenges?

These people had shown great determination and power to follow their passions or even achieving success in the last years of their lives.  Experiencing this kind of story can teach young people that making mistakes is natural. Besides, there is never an exact time to find your piece of paradise on Earth.

In extension, the people around us may learn a lot of lessons from us by merely being responsible for our actions, recognising our mistakes, and then trying again.

This shows that falling is okay, making errors is acceptable, and you can always pick yourself up again. As such, this will have consequences that obviously cannot be anticipated.

An Eternal Voyage

Nevertheless, this method is not exclusive to "me, myself, and I." After all, it is a rather more inclusive attitude.

This comes in as a collective effort towards setting up an atmosphere that allows people to interact and help one another in the process of self-improvement.

We can build a society with such values that depict the aspiration towards a world that is open and promising in terms of the human community.

Life comes to an end due to the fact that mankind is its perpetuity. The person that fits perfectly with this ideology is the one that is blown away by the wind but maintains a positive mental attitude. He is ready for new challenges and eager to celebrate the little successes of their journey.

The next time you convince yourself that the world is not against you, when you realise that it has taken a longer time than was expected to do something, maintain this state and try to see the good in everyone around you.

 Make a firm assumption that you will have (and will always have) a chance to restart, to find other options, or to redefine your task.

In the process of development, never stop; do not remain a resolute rock; and move forward, step by step. First off, when you decide to stop, you are setting yourself up for a guarantee of failure because that is the most convenient path to walk.

Even though retro walking is more useful of the two, do not forget that walking forward is more advantageous than no walking at all.



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