Fable: If you want to go south, do not travel north.

The prince of Wei made the determination to invade Handan, capital of the Kingdom of Zhao. Although Ji Liang was at that time traveling, as soon as he knew it, he returned. Without waiting for them to stretch their wrinkled clothes or shake the dust off their horses, he went to see the king.

"When I returned," he said, "I came across Mount Taihang with a man who was heading north, and he told me that he was going to the Kingdom of Chu."

"If so, why is it heading north?" I asked.

"I have good horses."

"Your horses may be excellent, but you have taken the wrong direction."

"Well, I've spent a lot of money on this trip."

"Although he has spent a lot, this is not the way to Chu."

"Well, I have a magnificent coachman."

"The better your horses are," I told him, "the more money you have spent, and the more expert your coachman is, the more you will move away from the Kingdom of Chu."

Source: Compiled by Liu Xiang (78 - 6 BC).

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We can be the most prepared, be perfectly equipped and in short, be the best, but if we do not travel on the right path we will not get anywhere.

The man could have good horses, make great travel expenses, and have a magnificent coachman, but his compass was bad and he had taken the wrong way. His decision condemned him, since not only would he not get to the place he expected, but he would also get further and further away from persisting in an option that was incorrect.

Do not go north if you're heading south, and if you've already done it, it's never too late to correct a mistake.