proverb · Words worth keeping
Short cuts are sometimes longest.
Short cuts are sometimes longest.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A supposed shortcut can take longer when it creates problems or misses a necessary step. Judge the whole route to completion rather than only the distance saved at the beginning.
Example
A team checks that a reused registration form contains the required information before sending it, avoiding a second round of requests that would undo the initial time saving.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The shortest-looking route may involve an obstacle, correction or return that the ordinary route would avoid. The proverb extends that comparison to methods as well as journeys. Skipping a check or using an unsuitable process can save a little time now while creating a larger delay later. Sometimes is important: a simpler route may genuinely be better, and established routines can contain unnecessary steps. The useful question is whether the shortcut preserves what the task needs. A method should be assessed by its actual consequences rather than accepted because it looks brief or rejected merely because it is new.
When to use it
Use it when a simpler-looking method risks creating rework or a missed requirement.
Keep in mind
Not every shortcut is careless; useful simplification can remove unnecessary work without harming the result.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English