I had a conversation with a friend around 2015 where we discussed setting up a shoe retail business from the hood (Ajegunle) using e-commerce websites. We thought we could showcase the embedded talents of the local shoemakers; fortunately, we sold two pairs of the 15 we invested in.
After receiving the first batch, we held onto them. I was a student at Lagos State Polytechnic. My friend managed the deliveries, while I handled the online operations.
Previously, we had successfully retailed acne creams; we wanted to move faster.
We got innovative and decided to rent an outlet in the hood; obviously, we couldn’t afford it, so we had to return to our online store, hoping to get more customers.
Then school came looking for me; it was the office for my friend. Unconsciously, we both overlooked the business and our plans to build an income stream before we could become responsible adults.
We were fast!
Left to myself, I have had a tale of speed in my life’s journey, and I have witnessed more of this in others. One question I ask is: once you get to that finish line, what next?
Immediately after I learned how to drive, my brother, who was my driving instructor, said, “Notice the guys drifting past you; don’t be bothered, because there would be at most a 10-minute difference between your and their time of arrival.” As a trained scientist, I constantly analyze this statement and witness it to be accurate.
The drivers often prioritize getting to their destination faster over their own safety. My brother would also point out that we started our journey from different places, we were going to various locations, and we left at different times, so we must arrive at different times. So, why should I run after them?
And bringing this to life: Why should you run after other people?
At its core, the saying “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast” emphasizes the importance of accuracy, consistency, and a controlled pace in executing tasks. Contrary to popular belief, the fastest route to success isn’t always about rushing headlong into tasks. It’s about maintaining a rhythm, a smoothness in operation that naturally leads to increased speed and efficiency. In Scaling Up, we call this a cadence.
As humans, we always desire to be ahead, and this increases our oversight of things we ought to pay attention to. As a Muslim, my prophet was recorded to have said that the best deed in the sight of Allah is the one that is short and consistent.
The convenience and details a slow person can gather are higher than those of their faster peers. Consider reading an exam question; you don’t want to read too fast, so you might miss a detail. Slow is smooth.
Since a process is slow, it is easier to replicate; you don’t need speed or accuracy to achieve it. You need just accuracy, and accuracy becomes better at slower speeds.
There is more time to pay attention to situations and enough time to correct bad attempts until they are perfect. When it comes out smoothly, you forget how long it took; you remember how great it has turned out to be.
This narrative, Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast, is an element of the military. Removing the idea of the soldiers completing too many tasks, but instead completing fewer tasks, accurately.
Considering how busy life is as an adult, weighing importance and necessity, you don’t need to do many things quickly.
You need to do a few things correctly.
I would appreciate the work of a subordinate who came in late but needed almost no corrections more than one who came in earlier but turned out to be garbage. Or a subordinate who completes the task and continues to refine it till it becomes better.
Growth is necessary, but we don’t need to grow that fast. Earning fat pay is necessary, but it doesn’t have to come from the first few years of your career. Take the time to put in refinements and do small things correctly but consistently.
Instead of focusing on how fast you can get, why not consider how accurate you could be?
Quality over quantity, each time!