Practice makes perfect, but if nobody's perfect, why practice?

That line is well played, infusing and twisting the classic adages into a cynical but nevertheless witty logic.
It, however, is nothing more than an excuse, a battle cry befitting those who do not believe working hard is worth
the effort.

Practice is everything. Even our most talented sports stars do not slack off when it comes to maintaining their
physical acumen. The same goes for our society's most brilliant minds who, despite their station, continue to
spend countless hours buried in books. For students, whether at the top of the class or at the bottom of the strata,
honing their academic skills must take precedence over anything else.

Those who are at the pinnacle of their academic game must not allow hubris to take over. It can be devastating,
a one-way road to becoming the hare in the race. Those who consider themselves the tortoise in the stretch
also must remember that most hares out there are not complacent. Practice, practice, and then practice some
more. At the end of the day, the culmination of hard work will be evident. In far too many instances to count,
I have seen many laggards overtaking the leaders, and, as a corollary, the latter falling from grace.
One will always gain from practicing. One will surely falter if one does not step up.