Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
I sit looking out to the San Francisco Bay from my hotel room. My view of the bay looks across a busy freeway. People quickly driving to wherever they are going. Each of them driving at over 55 miles per hour. This constant motion contrasted with the placid bay reminds me of the past few days.
I have been working with the leaders of a consumer products company. They were taking time to be away from their normal routine to look at their current state and see a clear path to the future. As we spent time together, I was reminded again of how seldom we just stop and take a look at where we are. Mostly, we just keep moving. Worrying about what needs to be done, and the whole time not realizing where we really are.
I am grateful for this experience. For today, I am stopping my normal routine of focusing on where I am going (in this case I would be rushing to the airport for my flight home). Rather, I am going to drive to a park. I am going to walk for a while to just let the beauty of the park wash over me. I will allow this time to teach me what I am forgetting.
I wish you a moment of quiet in your day.
Sometimes, we feel a gnawing discontent. This arises from something inside that keeps letting us know that something isn’t right in our lives. In my case, this discontent has arisen many times and i have done my best to push it back down. Not in overt ways. I’m more subtle in my approach to my inner concerns.
“Yes, yes, that’s right things aren’t going well for me. Let me just finish what i’m doing” or “I need to do just one more things and then I tend to this concern”. The problem is there is never a comfortable moment so the dance drags on. Until there is a calamity of some sort and the noise is so loud that to ignore it could jeopardize my life.
I’ve had a long career of creating new businesses or helping businesses grow. The creative flow is very strong in me. I probably see a new business opportunity multiple times a day. The problem is that I’m have way more ideas than time and even when I take the time to engage a new idea, I don’t vet it as well as I could. Particularly, I don’t dig in and see how well this great idea is purposeful and is aligned with my most important values. I just jump in.
Which leads me to today. I used to have a writeup in this space about my wonderful accomplishments. Sure, I’ve done lots of things, but does that really matter to you? You might be more interested in why am I writing. I would be if i was reading this.
I’m writing because I love helping people see things they may have missed. Not to help them be smarter or think of me as a clever guy. The purpose is to help them have richer lives. So, few of us tap even a small portion of our potential. Each day that we pass the opportunity of a full life will never be recovered. I’m at a stage of life where this feels more important than ever. I do have regrets for not reaching this conclusion earlier and then again there is no time like the present.
I welcome any feedback you have or areas you are interested in exploring. If I have something to share, I’ll do so gladly. Thank you for reading and I wish you a full and rich life.
View all posts by Thomas White
Published
One thought on “Slow down, you move to fast”
I had a moment like that last night – in response to a small movie that Gretchen Rubin, over at http://www.happiness-project.com, put together.
It made me stop and think about how quickly life passes, in particular with respect to our children growing. We’re so busy just getting things done that we’re often in danger of missing out on our children’s lives.
I had a moment like that last night – in response to a small movie that Gretchen Rubin, over at http://www.happiness-project.com, put together.
It made me stop and think about how quickly life passes, in particular with respect to our children growing. We’re so busy just getting things done that we’re often in danger of missing out on our children’s lives.
i wrote about it here: http://www.iwasthinking.ca/2008/07/29/the-years-are-short/
Check out the movie (linked to it in my post) – it’s worth the minute!