As a sometime weekend sailor I can testify to the truth of this proverb. However, in family mediation when I see parents who are child focused and struggling with the enormity of the challenge ahead, I find this proverb comforting.
 
The converse of this proverb means that, if an inch can throw you a thousand miles off course, the adjustment of an inch now can make an incredible difference to the outcome years in the future.

​No-one can reasonably expect parents who are separating to co-parent harmoniously and co-operatively from Day 1.  It is unhelpful and misleading to give parents false expectations that they can turn from ex-partners to collaborative co-parents overnight.  This type of transition takes work.  This proverb highlights that even small changes can lead to big results for children. 
 
It may feel like a small thing that a handover was done courteously and without an argument.  It is not.  From these small steps, co-parents can rebuild respect and trust as co-parents. In family mediation, we work with parents to construct this new paradigm of how they will move forward as co-parents. 
 
The most important step?, as always the first one.

The human brain is a wonder.  One of the downsides of our human brains is that we are hard wired to focus on the negative and to focus on loss.  It is understandable.  In the days when we had to fight for survival, we needed to focus on things that were dangerous or worrying.  You might enjoy the warmth of the sun after a long winter but it wasn’t going to mean the difference between life and death.
 
This inherent bias now serves us poorly when we are in conflict. We focus on the losses to the exclusion of gains. In MRIs, our brains light up like Vegas when we feel that we have lost something, even if that loss is illusory. We struggle to let things go and recite endlessly the wrongs we have suffered. While this may be justified, it makes for a poor negotiation strategy.
 
I have seen people in mediation argue passionately for a specific outcome and then when the other side agrees, they move to the next outcome they desire.  We need to take a moment and enjoy the win.  We need to pause and express gratitude for the agreement.  
 
People often say, “why should I say thank you, this is what I am entitled to”. The reason is simple, because you are in a negotiation. In negotiation, you need to give to get.  If you want to get something, this is easier if you can acknowledge the other person.  The chances are that they do not want to give up this outcome, but they are willing to do so for another more important outcome to them. Or, the mediator in me believes they may have listened to the underlying interests and be trying to meet them. Either way, whether this is a strategic move or a genuine intention, acknowledgement of the win, leads to better outcomes.