To be prepared is half the victory.

Hear the voice of Miguel de Cervantes, soldier, prisoner, and author of Don Quixote, who declared with wisdom: “To be prepared is half the victory.” These words, forged in a life of hardship and struggle, rise like a banner for all who face battles—whether upon fields of war, in halls of learning, or in the secret struggles of the heart. Cervantes knew well the chaos of life, yet he saw that fortune smiles most upon those who are ready. Preparation does not guarantee triumph, but it secures the foundation upon which triumph may be built.

The first wisdom lies in the power of preparation. A soldier who sharpens his sword before battle enters with confidence, while the one who neglects his armor stands exposed. A student who studies diligently meets the test not with fear, but with calm. Preparation is not the victory itself, but it makes the victory possible. It is the hidden labor that bears fruit when the moment of trial arrives. Without it, even the strongest falter; with it, even the weakest may prevail.

Cervantes spoke not from theory but from life. He was wounded at the Battle of Lepanto, captured by pirates, enslaved in Algiers, and later thrown into prison. Yet through these trials, he prepared himself—learning patience, sharpening his mind, deepening his vision. When at last he wrote Don Quixote, it was not the work of a man unready, but of one whose long years of hardship had prepared him to create a masterpiece that would outlive centuries. In his words, we hear the echo of a life shaped by readiness, where every trial became training for greatness.

History offers further proof. Think of George Washington, who led a ragged army against the might of Britain. At Valley Forge, his soldiers suffered hunger, cold, and despair. Yet Washington prepared them—drilling, disciplining, and forging unity in hardship. When spring came, they rose not as a broken band, but as a sharpened blade. Their preparation became their strength, and in time it carried them to victory and the birth of a nation.

The second wisdom lies in the balance of humility and foresight. Preparation is the recognition that victory is not won in the moment of action, but in the countless unseen hours beforehand. It is the discipline to do what others neglect, the patience to labor when no one is watching. To prepare is to honor the future before it arrives, to meet destiny with readiness instead of surprise. Those who trust only in luck often perish, but those who prepare turn fortune into an ally.

The lesson for us is clear: to be prepared is to walk already halfway toward triumph. Whatever your struggle—whether in art, in labor, in love, or in battle—lay your foundations deep. Train your body, sharpen your mind, discipline your spirit. Do not wait for the storm to strike before seeking shelter; build your strength in times of calm, so that when trial comes, you are ready.

Practical wisdom follows: make preparation a daily practice. Do not despise small efforts, for they are the bricks of victory’s fortress. Study, train, reflect, and plan. Face your fears in advance, and when the moment comes, you will not tremble. Remember: victory does not favor the hasty, but the ready. Prepare, and the battle is already half-won.

Thus remember always Cervantes’ teaching: “To be prepared is half the victory.” Let it be a law written upon your heart. For life is a battlefield where fortune shifts like the wind, but the prepared stand firm. And when you are ready, you will discover that the path to triumph begins not on the day of the struggle, but in the long, hidden days before it.