In Pursuit of Patience: Why Slowing Down Leads to Better Outcomes

So, I’ve been hit with a series of curveballs lately, things that really made me pause and ponder the nature of life’s ups and downs. The more I dwell on it, the more I realize how the good stuff tends to brew slowly, like a fine wine, while the bad stuff hits us out of the blue. Take, for instance, planning a dream vacation. It’s not just about booking flights and hotels; it’s about the anticipation, the meticulous planning, and the excitement that builds up over time. And when it finally happens, it’s pure magic. On the flip side, bam! A car accident or a broken leg, and all that hard work feels like it’s gone down the drain in an instant.

I can’t help but think that our addiction to instant gratification is to blame. We’re walking around with these supercomputers in our heads, yet we struggle to focus on more than one thing at a time. Slowing down, to me, means giving our undivided attention to one task at a time. Sure, an extra five minutes here or there won’t change the world, but it can significantly alter the outcome for the better.

Let’s break it down further, both in personal and professional contexts. Take, for instance, setting up an educational fund for your kids. You could dash to the bank, set up a mutual fund in half an hour, and call it a day. Or you could spend a few hours researching ETFs, crafting a more tailored portfolio with lower fees. Sure, the benefits might not be immediate, but over the years, that extra effort could mean thousands more in savings.

In the professional arena, the same principle applies. Asking one more question upfront could save countless headaches down the line. Spending an extra hour strategizing could mean less rework later on. And dedicating a bit more time to grooming for a sprint can result in higher quality deliverables.

Now, I can already hear the objections about this approach leading to analysis paralysis. But let’s consider the 80/20 principle by Richard Koch. We don’t need perfection; we just need to be reasonably confident in our direction. If we’re hitting that 80% mark, it’s time to take the leap. Majority of time this can be achieved by time boxing yourself or your team with very specific outcomes, and reviewing those outcomes to gauge your confidence. So, what I’m really getting at here is the need to slow down and savour the process. We’re so fixated on instant results that we overlook the long-term benefits of patience and deliberation. Let’s take that extra moment, because who knows? It might just make all the difference in the end.

My personal suggestion is to find the beauty in the process, finding gratification in the moment rather than the expectation of an outcome. There’s real magic in focusing on one thing at a time instead of trying to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. I don’t believe there’s a one-size-fits-all solution to this; each individual will need to find their own path. But I do think the first step is to catch yourself when you’re not giving your full focus to important matters or when you’re overlooking something significant. Paying attention to these moments can be a great first step in the right direction.