Going Slow

“There is more to life than increasing its speed”, said Gandhi.

It could have been different. Offices, pubs, restaurants closed. No commuting. A chance to unwind, chill out, reflect.

And yet person after person I’ve spoken to has revealed that lockdown has been full on. Back-to-back calls. Fighting for survival or bracing through hypergrowth.

The peaceful reflection never quite materialised.

Today the talk is of revving the engines. Kickstarting. Build build building. We’re travelling at 100 miles per hour and preparing to go faster.

Maybe we need to find a different gear.

The challenges are clear, with jobs at risk and businesses on the line. We can’t afford to become less productive. If speed really is the key then maybe the secret is less not more.

Viggo Mortensen said “One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go slow to go fast. I think that applies to everything in life. We live as though there aren’t enough hours in the day but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.”

As I order my next espresso, pick up Fast Company or check out the latest accelerator, I’ll ponder those words.

“Go slow to go fast”.

In a year of surprises, it might just work.