Growing up, I was what we used to call a "healthy" sized kid. Well, that's a lie- when I first went to the mall to buy jeans on my own and asked for "husky" I thought it was a brand and not a size. Naturally, I hated those days in gyms class when they asked us to line up for track and field. Miserableness.

One day in 6th grade we were doing our typical track and field sessions when they announced that we were old enough to do the mile.

At the time this seemed like a colossal challenge. Decked out in my scratchiest gym uniform, I started to run- with all the dread that once again I would finish towards the end of the pack. But...about half way through I realized I was actually in the front. What an unexpected surprise when I finished at the top of my class - I even shocked the gym teachers.

What I learned that day is an incredible valuable lesson that I've found myself repeating time and time again.

Fast may be sexy, but slow is sometimes the best version of fast.

Let me explain.

In the world today, we value speed amongst anything else. We've gone from letters and phone calls to Slack channels and texting. In a decade, we have gone from marveling that we could place an order over the internet and it would arrive…period. Now, if Uber takes 6 minutes to pick up, we weigh the option to start a twitter war.

For all this desire for speed, it takes a certain bravado to slow down- purposefully. I've been playing with this for a while and it seems like we are starting to see more and more push back on the speed of things.

Taking a more tastful example than me in shorty gym shorts, surrounds living in Houston. Having lived most of my life in Chicago, we considered grilling outdoor as lighting a grill, crankin’ it up and getting a meal in 10 minutes. Venturing down south, that thinking was corrected - BBQ was the way to go. Low and slow. Without a doubt there is an incredible difference in the quality of the food and the ritual surrounding the BBQ culture.

Another example follows me from the gym. Don't get me wrong, I want to be in shape, but prefer what I'm starting to call the "no sweat" workout. While other guys pump huge weights, there's magic in going low...and slow. I would rather focus on good form and consistency of workouts - plus it's not as miserable!

When I talk to business owners or aspiring entrepreneurs, I always try to introduce them to a more mindful perspective. The general consensus is that we should sprint through our days and try to get as much done - damn the consequences. There is this myth of a compressed timeframe, lest you fall to the hands of a competitor that continues to move quicker.

Don't get me wrong, I work fast and LOVE doing sprints. It's a key of the design thinking process and one that I know and enjoy. But for all the focus on sprints, we forget to lay a solid foundation because we are already headed off in the next sprint.

Don't build to sell. Build to last.

When you dig in and build something from the ground up, having passions and your blood sweat and tears put into your company, project, idea...people see and appreciate that. I've worked on teams that have sprinted through the start of most processes and these teams usually have to go back and patch those sprints with temporary fixes. Most of these fixes would then once again come apart down the road.

Slowing down takes a significant effort, and it's scary. The typical justification is that we could have done elements better but "it was a sprint, so we did the best we can".

When going for the long haul, the sloppiness and lack of attention to detail can't be wished away. We must be more intentional with our planning and work product. You are building something…to last. With gravitas. With purpose. With intentionality.

I always find it both fulfilling and surprising when I look back at a decision or platform or process we implemented early on in a company's history. If we did it in the right way, years later it remains. Not out of nostalgia or laziness, but because it was THAT good. Because we took our time. Because time matters.

So I challenge you - slow it down and see what happens. I can (almost) guarantee you there will be extra effort at the outset, but the outcome will be better. The process will be more enjoyable and your fears will never be as bad as you imagined.

Low and slow, friends. Low and slow.

Low & Slow - It's Not Just For Grilling Meat.