A small toy locomotive facing an orange knitted mitten on a short wooden track.

Original artwork, not a still

Will Rogers

Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Being headed in the right direction isn't enough on its own, says the speaker. If you park yourself on the path and wait, something moving will still flatten you. The joke is grounded in plain common sense: good direction needs actual motion behind it.

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