In entrepreneurship, we talk a lot about how failing fast. In innovation, we celebrate fast success and scale. In our routines, we often want things ready at our fingertips and delivered fast. Even in our dating life, we want to meet our life partner faster by swiping left and right.
Fast is something we always say we want and need. As a full-time bootstrapping entrepreneur, I understand how speed is a cost. Not doing the product development within the original timeline is an additional cost burden. But over time, I’m reminded that it is the other side of the coin that is even more expensive. The cost of not being able to think thoroughly and make a decision with a long-term benefit. The cost of fixing things that you mistakenly approved too fast. The cost of your stomach-ache for rushing through your lunch too fast.
I’m reminded of this as I think about how far InnovatorsBox and my first book Rethink Creativity has come. There have been so many moments every day where I wished things would go faster. And each time, I would blame myself for not doing things faster.
But when I see how beautifully this book is finally coming together before its launch next month, and when I see what impact we have made in the workplace, I remember that quality and persistence speaks volume. People see it and so do I. We would not be here if we focused on simply rushing to win and scale.
Reading Farnam Street essay on the importance of making time to think slower was a reminder. It’s moments like this that I stop and ask myself, do I really need this to be done fast?
Fast can be good. But fast 24/7? That may lead us to burn out fast with regret.
How will you choose to live today?
