Success in the majority of circumstances depends on knowing how

Hear the words of the philosopher Montesquieu, who declared: “Success in the majority of circumstances depends on knowing how long it takes to succeed.” This is not merely a counsel on patience, but a profound revelation of time’s secret power. For success is not only in talent, nor in ambition, nor in labor alone—it is also in the wisdom to discern the season, the endurance to wait, and the foresight to understand that triumph ripens like fruit, never before its hour.

The heart of the teaching is this: many fail not because they lack strength, but because they misjudge the length of the journey. Some abandon their quest too early, thinking the road too long; others exhaust themselves too quickly, racing when they should endure. But the wise, says Montesquieu, are those who know how long it takes, and who pace themselves accordingly. For to succeed is not only to act, but to endure until the appointed moment when effort bears fruit.

Consider the tale of Thomas Edison, who sought the light that would conquer darkness. Thousands of times his experiments failed. By the measure of the impatient, he should have abandoned the quest. But Edison understood, as Montesquieu taught, how long the road to success might be. He endured the long span of trial, and at last, light was born, changing the world forever. His genius lay not merely in invention, but in the patience to know that success takes time.

So too with the voyage of Christopher Columbus. He set sail into seas uncharted, with sailors near mutiny, and weeks stretched into despair. Many thought the journey too long, the dream too distant. Yet Columbus held fast, understanding that discovery demands endurance. At last, land rose on the horizon, and history was reshaped. The lesson is not that his voyage was swift, but that he knew how long the risk must last before hope could be rewarded.

The wisdom also applies to the spirit. The success of character, the building of virtue, is not achieved in a single day. To master patience, humility, or courage requires years of trial, setbacks, and slow progress. The wise soul accepts this, while the foolish grow weary and abandon the climb. Montesquieu speaks to remind us that the crown is not won by those who hurry, but by those who endure with understanding of the time required.

The lesson for us is plain: do not measure your life by the short race, but by the long pilgrimage. Know that every great endeavor has its appointed season. Do not despair when fruit does not appear at once, for the tree must first be rooted before it blossoms. Let your heart be steady, your hand persistent, and your eyes fixed not on the swiftness of the path but on the certainty of the destination.

Practical action lies before you. When you set a goal, ask not only what you must do, but how long you must endure. Prepare your spirit for delay, for resistance, for the slow unfolding of results. Mark small victories, for they are milestones along the way, and let them renew your strength. And above all, remember: the one who understands the time required for success is already halfway to victory, for patience is itself a form of triumph.

Thus, the teaching of Montesquieu endures: that success is not only action, nor talent, but the wisdom of time. He who knows how long it takes shall not falter, but shall endure until the day when the long effort blossoms into glory. Carry this truth in your heart, and you shall never mistake delay for defeat, nor endurance for failure, but see in patience the very path to greatness.