Tributum Newsletter # 50
Hello
Tributum is raising its bat with this 50th Newsletter. Time flies, but the run rate for April appeared slow as we struggled to get going with short weeks, public holidays and everything in between. However, the scoreboard ticked over, even if only with singles, and the score posted ended up being competitive. Now it’s up to the bowlers…
The Navy Seals have a saying – Slow is Smooth, and Smooth is Fast. The idea is that by taking your time to do something you are doing it properly, which means that the job overall gets done faster than if it was done in a rush and had to be fixed throughout. When your life literally depends on doing things right the first time – Slow and Smooth is definitely the way to go. It’s the same principle as the old saying that Haste makes Waste.
On the notion of smooth is fast there is a theory that the greatest athletes perform at their best when operating at 85% of maximum effort. It’s about the correct form, relaxation at the right times and cutting out errors and stress. Just think of Usain Bolt running the 100m – he almost looked like he was cruising. At 85% of peak performance Usain Bolt is running smoothly – and Smooth is Fast.
That does not mean that Navy Seals or Usain Bolt does not give 100% at times when they are training and preparing. But that level of intensity also goes with levels extreme downtime – enough sleep, relaxation and generally ‘just getting away from it’. It’s about finding the balance between intensity, focus and relaxation.
And us mere mortals should follow that example. Pushing 60-to-70-hour work weeks for 50 weeks out of 52 is not smooth. Driving too fast is not smooth. We are so busy being “busy” that it is not smooth. Even at a macro level our economy is growing slowly because so few things are going smoothly…To be faster, we need to be smoother, and to be smoother we need to slow down more often – smell the roses as they say (used to say?). Seems counterintuitive, but it actually makes sense if you slow down and think about it.
Now clearly some things in life are better when done slowly…enjoying a good book, glass of wine, cup of tea or someone’s company. Won’t life be better if more things can be done slowly. Or if “slow” can be done more often. Until next time, slow down in order to be faster. And above all else, keep breathing.