I make decisions better under slower pace of productivity
Why faster isn’t always better for me
It dawned on me that I have more of a personality of a philosopher or researcher than a fast paced hustle and bustle ambitious person.
I’m not against ambition at all. Quite the contrary.
But I realize that faster pace actually leads me to make poorer decisions.
I think it’s because compressing life trajectories ignores much of the intermediate steps, the complex non-linearity, needed to get from Step A to Step B. There is a bunch of in between that can’t be ignored - the important intermediate steps. We can’t shortcut our way.
The inherent contradiction of digital marketing today is that the business models of direct to consumer are built around FOMO, and sharing that FOMO via social media.
And it’s really up to the individual and their wallets to decide if that FOMO is worth the leap. FOMO is simply a means to incentivize you to compress your life trajectory to get you closer to what you think you need.
Back to the personality of a philosopher / researcher.
Maybe its because I realize all the world around me is a bunch of treadmills, and all businesses around you are built on some form of treadmill.
A health and wellness treadmill. A crypto treadmill. A SaaS treadmill. A design and architecture treadmill. A foodie treadmill. A parenting treadmill.
I don’t like the compressing of treadmills. Life doesn’t work that way. At the same time, we can’t chase every treadmill in life. You dilute yourself. We make the deliberate choice on what we weigh most important.
For me, it’s been a reflection period to research or figure out where the heck my anxieties come from. Because it doesn’t make sense just to repeat the same formula over and over again without asking “Why?”
That’s why slowing things down work for me.
While a faster pace in life accelerates the momentum of which your life trajectory to go, it’s very easy to let the momentum take over you unless you give yourself time to take a step back.
That’s me now.
I am not trying to suggest we all become over-thinkers. Or go into a phase of decision paralysis where nothing gets done.
Rather, what I’m saying is that don’t let the fast changing momentum of the world take you over and get entrapped. Be comfortable taking time to slow down, look at the broader picture, and really meditate on each step.
All the fast paced stuff happening in the world will always be there for you when you want to come back and enjoy the treadmill.
Like craftsmanship, slowing down allows one to pay extra attention to the important steps needed to get to the journey in life.
Am I strange? I’m not sure.
Maybe because I care more about human nature and psychology more these days. And that’s the type of stuff you can’t rush. You can’t rush understanding humans.
I see a lot of the same mistakes made in companies, institutions, or organizations which come from human nature.
I think it’s why some fast-paced treadmills start to make less sense to me. You really have to vet the organizational culture of the institution / business to make sure it’s truly a right fit.
In other words, it’s like understanding the psychology of the treadmill, and all the actors involved inside the treadmill.
Can’t rush that decision making process.