Hurry Up For What?

Quick! Fast! In a hurry? I have a question: how's that working for you? 

Everyday I run into people who are moving fast, talking fast, and attempting to get things done in a hurry. I also get to see them make many mistakes in the process. Perhaps they thought doing something quick would get them ahead of "the game" somehow, but it didn't. Instead, that so-called quick-thinking and doing disrupted the natural order of the strategy or process. It's called "putting the cart before the horse," which gets us nowhere fast. You do this enough and you realize it's not worth the fail, so slow down:

1. Think things through, first. It will save time, money, headaches, setbacks, embarrassment and shame.

Haste truly does make waste in a great majority of cases. When you think the "there's just no time" theory, consider practicing taking a few more minutes to re-think, re-write, reconsider and re-analyze. Even if it's something as simple as running late for work, you can wake up earlier. You could do more prep at night. You could put your phone aside until you have five or ten minutes to browse through it. Sometimes the remedy is truly a simple one.

2. Wherever you are struggling with hurrying or going too fast, figure out a way to move into a comfortable place time-wise. Time is not against you. How you manage it is up to you. Slow your roll. The clock will keep ticking, but what could you do differently? Not wait until the last minute? Did you miscalculate the time the task would take? Didn't give yourself enough time in the first place? These habits get us in trouble all the time. Break up with them! Decide to marry a different mindset. Say "I do" to yourself by reeling yourself back into real time and start there. Figure out what makes what you need to do make sense.

3. Distress and stress can be minimized and avoided. Don't speed. Don't run that red light. I mean this in terms of driving in reality of course, but I also mean this in terms of real daily tasks and responsibilities, from the simple stuff to the big deals. Watch your pace. Gauge it. Everything does not get accomplished with speed, a tap or a swipe, and if you believe it does, nothing you've read here is going to work for you. However, if you want to see success after success in your relationships, at work and in your work, at home and with friends, slow down and ask yourself this valuable question as you make your moves: "Hurry up for what?" Here's what is going to happen: You will surprise yourself often with your answers, and with your results. Try it!

~ S.R.F.