Success in Consistency
“Success lies in consistency” is a meaningful saying that reflects a profound truth—and history affirms it time and again. Life always unfolds through uneven paths. Every individual must face difficult and unfavourable conditions. That is why it is necessary to emphasise that, despite hardships, a person must continue their journey. This spirit of steady, unwavering movement is called consistency. And the one who remains consistent is the one who ultimately reaches the destination of success in this world. The more consistent the effort, the greater the success.
This is a law of nature. Anyone who observes life with attention will find signs of this reality everywhere—reminders that consistency is the secret to lasting achievement.
Once, a man stood by a river, gazing at a rock. As he looked closely, he noticed how the continuous flow of water had gradually worn away the stone. He remarked, “Look, rock is a hard thing, and water is a soft thing. But if even something soft keeps at it with consistency, it can break something as hard as rock into particles.”
Indeed, the countless grains of sand found along seashores across the world are the result of waves repeatedly striking rocky coasts over time.
Maulana Ismail Meerathi, a reformist writer and poet, expressed this idea beautifully in one of his verses:
“Jo pathar par paani pare mutasil,
To ghis jaaye be shuba pathar ki sil.”
If water keeps falling steadily on a rock, it will surely wear it down.
A modern and inspiring example of this is the story of Dr. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1910–1995). Since childhood, he was deeply interested in mathematics and astronomy. He began researching the formation and end of stars. In January 1935, he presented the results of his research at a meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society in London. Many prominent scientists were present.
After his presentation, the well-known British scientist Sir Arthur Eddington stood up and openly ridiculed him, tearing apart his theory in front of the audience.
Chandrasekhar later attempted to publish his paper in the Astrophysical Journal, but it was rejected. Deeply disappointed, he returned to India, hoping to find an academic position. But even in his own country, he was unable to secure employment.
Despite rejection both abroad and at home, Chandrasekhar did not give up. He went to Chicago, USA, where he found a more favourable environment. There, he resumed his research. Gradually, his theory began gaining recognition. His work was eventually published in major scientific journals. In time, his theory became well-known and was named the “Chandrasekhar Limit.” In 1983, at the age of 73, Dr. Chandrasekhar was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
History is full of such powerful stories. Every person who has achieved lasting success in this world has done so through consistency and continuous effort. There is no shortcut to success.
A wise thinker once said, “If you want to achieve success, develop the power to wait.”
Success always arrives after a long period of patience. The need to wait arises because every journey involves obstacles—barriers that seem to delay the goal. In such moments, one must not give up. With patience and resilience, one must continue the effort, never letting the waiting period come to an end through despair.
This is a final truth—we have no alternative. We must accept the laws of nature. Human beings cannot change them. We can only succeed by aligning ourselves with the natural order.
In such a situation, wisdom lies in neither complaining nor becoming hopeless. A person should not waste time in protest or discouragement. Instead, by adopting a realistic approach, they should continue their work with consistency. After that, success is as certain as the sun rising again after every sunset. Continuous effort will surely lead a person to their desired goal.
It takes nature only a few months to grow an ordinary tree. But to grow a chinar tree takes a hundred years, even for nature. So why should it be any different when it comes to human beings?
If you do not accept the principle of long-term effort, then you must also accept that you will never achieve any great success in life. Because consistent effort over time is the essential price of greatness. A person who is not willing to pay this price should not expect to achieve anything significant in life.
All India Radio, New Delhi,
28 September 1995.
