Diligence is the mother of good fortune.

Hear the solemn wisdom of Benjamin Disraeli, statesman and orator, who declared: “Diligence is the mother of good fortune.” These words, though simple in form, carry the weight of ancient truth. For they proclaim that what the world calls fortune is not born of chance or luck, but of labor, perseverance, and steady devotion. Good fortune is not the gift of the gods tossed at random upon the earth, but the child of effort, the offspring of patient toil.

The first truth lies in diligence. To be diligent is to rise early, to labor faithfully, to tend the small things with care as one tends the roots of a tree. Diligence is not haste, nor is it idleness; it is constancy, the steady hand that does not tire though the road be long. Where others grow weary, the diligent endure; where others despair, the diligent continue. Thus diligence becomes the womb of destiny, out of which good fortune is born.

Disraeli calls it the mother of good fortune. This is no careless metaphor, but one chosen with care. A mother nourishes, protects, and patiently waits until the child is ready to be born. So too with diligence: it is not a single act, but the continuous nurture of labor, care, and discipline, until at last good fortune arrives. Without the mother, the child cannot live. Without diligence, fortune remains barren and empty.

History offers shining examples of this truth. Consider the life of Christopher Columbus. Many believed his dream of sailing westward to reach the Indies was folly. Yet through years of rejection, delay, and hardship, he pursued his vision with diligence. When at last he secured ships and men, his voyage gave birth to discoveries that reshaped the world. To some, it seemed fortune smiled upon him; yet in truth, it was diligence that gave him fortune as a mother gives birth to a child.

So too with Thomas Edison, who labored through thousands of failed attempts before perfecting the electric light. When asked about his failures, he said he had not failed, but discovered thousands of ways that would not work. His diligence made possible the gift of light that shines in every corner of the modern world. Others called it luck, but in truth, it was the fruit of tireless labor. Fortune bowed to him only because diligence had prepared the way.

The lesson for us is clear: if you seek good fortune, do not chase it as though it were a wandering spirit. Instead, embrace diligence. Work faithfully, endure patiently, and attend even to the smallest tasks with devotion. In time, fortune will come to you, as a child comes to the arms of its mother. Those who wait for luck may wait forever; those who labor with diligence will find that fortune cannot help but be born from their efforts.

Practical wisdom follows: begin each day with diligence. Set clear tasks, and complete them with care. Do not abandon your efforts because results are slow, for even a seed buried in the ground takes time to break forth. Guard against idleness, which is the enemy of fortune. Instead, cultivate steady effort, for in this lies the secret power of destiny.

Thus remember always Disraeli’s teaching: “Diligence is the mother of good fortune.” Let it be a banner before you in times of weariness and doubt. For fortune is not blind, nor is it random—it is the child of your constancy, the reward of your perseverance. Be diligent, and you will not need to chase fortune, for fortune itself will come to dwell in your house.