An Ant on the Move Does More Than a Dozing Ox – Lao Tzu
Created at: May 1, 2025
An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox. — Lao Tzu
The Power of Action Over Potential
Lao Tzu’s proverb highlights how small, consistent action outweighs idle potential. In Aesop’s fable 'The Tortoise and the Hare,' the slow but steady tortoise ultimately wins the race, demonstrating that perseverance can triumph over latent ability.
Value of Diligence
The ant represents diligence: though small, its tireless work achieves results. In contrast, the ox—a symbol of strength—achieves nothing while resting. Similar themes appear in Ben Franklin’s 'Poor Richard's Almanack' (1732), which extols industriousness: “Little strokes fell great oaks.”
The Importance of Initiative
This saying encourages taking initiative, however modest, over waiting for perfect conditions. For example, the Wright brothers, despite limited resources, revolutionized flight through active experimentation, while better-funded competitors hesitated to act.
Humility and Achievement
It suggests humble effort leads to achievement, touching on the Taoist virtue of humility. In Lao Tzu’s *Tao Te Ching*, he often praises the meek and unassuming, observing how 'soft and weak overcome the hard and strong.'
Avoiding Complacency
By contrasting the moving ant with the sleeping ox, the quote also serves as a warning against complacency. The rise and fall of Kodak shows this: despite technological power, they lost their dominance by failing to adapt, while smaller competitors moved ahead.