Who said The first step of any journey is the hardest.?

The quote "The first step of any journey is the hardest" is often attributed to Laozi, the ancient Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism. The quote is believed to have originated from Laozi's famous work, the Tao Te Ching, which is a collection of poetic verses that discuss the principles of Taoism. In the Tao Te Ching, Laozi emphasizes the importance of spontaneity and non-action, and the quote about the first step being the hardest reflects the idea that the most challenging part of any endeavor is often the initial stage, when one must overcome inertia and take action.