A good beginning makes a good ending

Russian translate

Хорошее начало обеспечивает хороший конец.

Derivation

A good beginning.

Synonyms

A good beginning is half the battle.
A bad beginning makes a bad ending.
It is the first step that costs.

Comparison.

Доброе начало полдела откачало.
Плохое начало - и дело встало.
Лиха беда начало.

Examples

"Catherine" - Fraser hesitated - "you don't really know much about Larry, do you?" Catherine felt her back stiffening. "I know I love him, Bill," she said evenly, "and I know that he loves me. That's a pretty good beginning, isn't it?" (Sheldon)

I think, we've each spoken our piece. I'm going to accept your report. As to these mistakes, mistakes of yours, or unfortunate incidents, as you prefer to call them, well, they say a bad beginning makes a good ending. (Caine)

He was, he said, a poet who had never written poetry, a painter who had never painted, a lover who had never loved (absolutely) - someone, in short, without direction, and quite headless. Oh, it wasn't that he hadn't tried - good beginnings, always, bad endings always. (Capote)

Anyhow Constantius does just as Eusebius tells him. Everyone says so. Which means if you have Eusebius on your side, that's half the battle. And I've got him. (Vidal)