Rushed is rarely good

“Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”

This phrase started as a mantra from Navy SEALs performing delicate operations.

I remember the first time I heard it, I was a teenager learning to solder and tinker with electronics. My neighbor’s Dad patiently trying to explain why it wasn’t working for me.

Needless to say, nothing about teenage Chris heard THAT message.

It came around again, with several of my early mentors moving into IT roles after school.

Weirdly I can think of a LOT of examples of wisdom that I was first told when I was younger, but didn’t sink in until much later. . probably an important lesson there. . .

Anyways, I have found myself repeating this mantra over the last few years.

I have trained many individuals of all backgrounds, some with far less and often far more experience than me. But it’s a principle I always share.

Take your time, be mindful, be focused. It’s okay for things to take longer than you’d like. It can be an awful result forever, or eventually be awesome.

No one multi-tasks well.
No one is great under pressure.
No masters exist for “contact switching”
There is no crunch!!

Well, actually compression and hyperfocus can work really, really, like despicably well when needed.

But that *should* be a rare exception, break glass in case of emergency and put on your cape moment.

Take a breath. Give yourself a break, realize that everything, every choice, is a balancing act between done right, or done quick.

It’s not a race, folks.