A few years ago, I visited a friend in Poland. One night, we’ve been in a hurry to get ready because we were invited to a party. As we’ve been rushing through her grandparent’s house, trying to get our hair, make-up, and outfit fixed, her grandma stopped us and said the following:
“When a man is in a hurry, the devil is happy.”
Apparently, that’s Polish folk wisdom.
At first, I didn’t pay much attention to it, but once we got into the car and hit the road, I realized how powerful that statement actually is.
The Personal Growth Toolkit
Grab our free eBook with 42 effective & actionable tactics, resources & tools to elevate your life.
Too often, we rush through our daily lives and end up making mistakes and wrong choices. Later, we regret these decisions, but most of the time, it’s too late to go back and reverse.
Most people spend their lives choosing instant gratification over long term satisfaction.
We seem to be addicted to speed and efficiency and while this might sound like a good thing, it often leads to wrong choices and regrets.
And while some quick decisions can indeed be good ones, you should never rush to do the following things:
Starting a business
Nowadays, starting a business seems to be a trend instead of a life long decision.
So many coaches and influencers are trying to convince you that running your own business is the only way to live a great life. But that’s not true.
Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. It’s tough, it requires willpower, persistence, and the will to keep going even when it sucks.
Don’t fall for the shiny object syndrome just because you see a few successful entrepreneurs.
Most businesses fail and most entrepreneurs regret putting their time and energy into a project that wasn’t well-wrought.
Don’t rush to start a business because everyone else is doing it.
Nobody is walking your path in your shoes, only you can know whether entrepreneurship is the right choice for you.
Even if you have a great idea, you shouldn’t necessarily quit your job and use your savings as a great idea doesn’t guarantee a profitable business.
Eating
From the time you take your first bite, it takes your brain almost 20 minutes to send out signals of fullness.
By eating slowly, you won’t only consume fewer calories, but you’ll also train yourself to be more mindful of what you eat.
Additionally, eating slowly can help you avoid bloating and reduce indigestion. Plus, slowing down at the dinner table might even lead to more interesting conversations as it gives you more time and space to talk.
Sharing your opinion
Most people love talking but hate listening. If you’re a good listener, it will be easier to gain people’s trust and be appreciated.
Particularly when we’re in a hurry to defend ourselves, we often talk before we think and end up disappointing our loved ones.
Speaking is so easy, yet so powerful. Once you said something, you can’t reverse it. That’s why you should always be careful to think before you talk and avoid saying things you don’t mean.
Only say something if it really needs to be said, particularly if it’s something harsh or mean.
Saying the wrong things at the wrong time can hurt your relationships, so watch what you think, feel, and say.
Don’t rush to present your opinion. Instead, let others speak first and listen closely so that you can give meaningful answers.
Big money decisions
Even though our financial resources dominate most of our decisions, most people don’t want to admit that money is important.
But the truth is that money plays an important role in our lives. It’s not everything, but it defines the quality of our lives, including whether we can see our loved ones or not.
If you need to work seven days per week to pay your bills, you won’t have much time to see your friends or family.
And even though money is so important, people often rush to make big financial decisions. They either rely on emotions or tap into speculations and regret their decisions later.
If you want to build a solid financial foundation, you need to be thoughtful about how you use your resources. Avoid impulse purchases — no matter how big or small.
Most assets depreciate quickly and leave you with empty pockets.
Be careful about how you spend your money — in big, but also in small ways. If purchased daily, your cup of coffee can end up costing a thousand dollars per year.
Think you know someone
Too often, we think that we know someone soon after meeting them. This can lead to two problems:
- We either judge people too quickly based on stereotypes.
- Or we trust them too quickly and get disappointed.
Whenever you judge people, you are holding yourself back from being your best self.
It’s impossible to know someone quickly.
As humans, we are multi-faceted. We all have our strengths, weakness, and our weird sides.
Every person you meet can offer you new perspectives and might be able to teach you something you don’t know yet.
Whenever you meet someone new, you can choose between judgment and curiosity. The former is easier, but the latter will make your life much more beautiful.
Reach an important goal
Most people want big changes and they want them now.
But the truth is that you should never rush to reach an important goal. If it’s really important, you’ll also enjoy the path, not only the end result.
And most of the time, the journey will teach you precious lessons while the destination is only a result.
“Don’t be in such a rush to reach a goal, that you reach the goal before you are ready. Sometimes, we learn such valuable lessons along the way. Sometimes, we learn more about ourselves and discover that we actually want something different. Put your heart into what you do, but don’t rush. Good things take time.”
― Akiroq Brost
Making big decisions
You should never make important decisions in a rush. Instead, take your time to evaluate whether you really want to make a commitment or not.
Every single day, we need to make hundreds or even thousands of small decisions.
After a busy day, our ability to make good decisions drops and so-called decision fatigue kicks in. That’s why you should never rush important decisions, particularly not at the end of your day.
You can minimize decision fatigue by eliminating certain daily decisions you need to make.
For instance, you can prepare your meals for the week on Sunday or prepare your outfit in the evening. Avoiding these daily, small choices can help you have more decision power when it comes to more important decisions.
The more energy you save on redundant, repetitive choices, the easier it will be to make bigger, important decisions. That’s also why Mark Zuckerberg, for instance, wears the same shirt almost every single day. In an interview, he shared that he has so many important decisions to make every single day, so he doesn’t want to waste his energy through redundant choices.
Final thoughts
Too often, we rush through life as if there was a final destination. The truth, however, is that our lives are meant to be a journey, not a race.
And whenever you find yourself in a rush, you’re probably heading towards the wrong destination anyway. So slow down, calm down, and trust the process.
As Paulo Coelho states in The Alchemist: When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.
So let go of the pressure and learn to trust in the universe, because good things never come from rushing through life.
Want to continue growing?
Grab our free Personal Growth Toolkit with 42 effective & actionable tactics, resources & tools to elevate your life.