What many of us want are results and we want them quickly. When results are seen, it can make us feel validated that our time was well spent but when results are not seen it can make us question if what we are doing is worth it. Many times, we reflect on the past to measure our progress which affect our focus of executing daily. If the past shows little to no progress, the thoughts such as why am I going to give me best effort if I am not getting the best results and this thinking might happen to protect us from not feeling good enough. The little or no growth should not deter you from pushing forward, look to Stan Lee, American comic book writer better known for Marvel Comics. He continued to work on comic books even though big results did not materialize and finally created Marvel Universe after the age of 40 which was a massive success. His early years were just finding his footing.
What captures our attention is when things happen quickly, such as who won the lottery, when the stock of a company rises by 83% in a day or the biggest gambling winnings in the Super Bowl grab the headlines. What largely goes unnoticed are the things that were built to last long that have slow growth in the short-term but big cumulative results over the long-term. Colgate-Palmolive, the largest toothpaste manufacturer with an estimated company value of $66 billion was founded in 1806 and sells over 30 other products which include deodorants, soaps, and cleaning products. Their stock price over the last 5 years has only increased by 5.71%, but since the company went public in 1982, the stock price has increased by 6,376%. The company was built like a tank to outlast downturns in the economy. Fueling your growth slowly can pay big dividends.
What slow growth is and the benefits of it
Generally, slow growth is seen as a negative, because it is below the average and signals something is wrong. This comes from the tendency to compare ourselves to others, making sure we keep pace with everyone else. Since we act as herds, we feel that the ones that are left behind are the ones who get eaten by the predators. And the predator we all face is life. As long as you are not the amongst slowest, you’ll be fine. Things such as grades, career advancements, money or material possession are a measure of how well you appear to be doing at a certain moment in time. But the characteristics of your growth is so much more invaluable that determine how well you will handle yourself. Consider the value of what slow growth provides:
Teaches patience which will go a long way in seeing things through especially during the cloudy times. It will slow down you're thinking so things are not as overwhelming, and things become clear. Farming is a great example of needing patience. To grow food, it takes time to prep the field to plant, aid the crops to make it to maturity, harvest, store and transport. Without the patience of getting through the growing season, there would be little food available.
Builds passion to make things more enjoyable. Similar to a water dam, your passion reservoir is increasing to sustain your drive. When you are able to enjoy what you do, you are far more likely to excel at it because you want to do it more. The more you do something, the better you can become. It also helps you to focus on the process and not the results. When your focus is on the process the quality of work your increases.
Strengthens you mentally furthering developing the belief within yourself through all the small accomplishments and setbacks along the way. These small steps forward and back conditioning you to better handle the big moments. Your maturity further develops that properly prepares you to handle the power that you attain. It’s one thing to have power and it’s a whole another thing to know how to harness it effectively and manage it, if not it will consume you.
Things are more sustainable with incremental progress. It allows for acclamation for the added growth that does not overload the capacity. A tolerance is built in small bits the that strengthens overtime. Similar to when you learn how to drive, the beginning is when you take it slow, driving cautious, turning slow, using the brakes more often and having the eyes set on what is in front of the car. As you gain experience, you driver faster, more decisive and can see further ahead that does not comprise safety through the confidence that was gained.
Drawback of fast growth
It can become unsustainable when things happen quickly as it could be too much to handle at the time. Rapid growth can lead to a crash if not able to prepare and respond to the amount of work needed to sustain it. And if this happens it could crush your confidence and will be more difficult to recover from it. It is estimated that 2/3 of the fastest growing startup companies end up failing. Crumbs Bake Shop is a great example of the dangers of fast growth. It was once the biggest cupcake vendor in the world that grew quickly, opening new stores but had a high cost of maintaining them. Eventually, they were bought of bankruptcy and only a handful of stores exist.
Even if you can handle fast growth, it comes with added weight that can lead to burnout overtime. When things move quickly you will be pulled in so many directions leaving you less time for yourself. That career advancement, added business, being recognized for achievements all come with a heavier workload and expectations that must be upkept. The short adjustment period can feel like you are constantly on the treadmill, leaving you mentally drained.
Fast growth conditions you for immediate gratification that can comprise your long-term well-being. Imagine earning $6 million dollars by the time you are 22 compared to if you earned it at the age of 54. Having that type of money at an early age can deceive you into thinking that results will happen fast going forward. It inflates the ego and deprives you of enjoying the small achievements along the way and the thrill only comes from great heights that is followed by a big drop off leaving you more prone to feeling down.
Embrace slow growth and be committed to it
Have a long-term view of your growth will help to manage your expectations of wanting immediate results. Think of each day as a brick that contributes to a well-built house that ensures it to last long. Anything worth having takes time and building slowly gives you more opportunity to reflect and catch things before they go wrong or get out of hand. You give yourself a greater runway to take off and soar. Great things arise through the course of decades.
Keep your emotions in check and be aware of when they can affect your long-term growth. If you act on impulse, it can be prove costly. There will be times you will be tempted to take short cuts and must figure out if it will comprise things later on. Using steroids can increase muscle mass in a short amount of time but will comprise your long-term health. Would you be willing to sacrifice your long-term well-being for short-term results? Use emotions to help you make wise decisions and not let it be the primary driver. Take time to think things through.
Things to remember
No matter what, strive for growth and be patient with yourself. Growth can be uneven, incremental, explosive or sometimes stagnant. We all have different growth rates and sometimes the best thing you can do is stop forcing things to happen when you expect it to. Relax so things can flow. When your mind is calm, so are your emotions and body that will help you remain balanced.
Avoid comparing yourself to others, your chapter one might be someone else’s chapter thirteen. Focus on the things within your control to elevate your progress. Each time you focus on things outside of your control is energy taking away from the things within your control. Consistently do the little things and everything else will take care of itself.
Value the process of growth and your experiences will become more enjoyable. Associate what you are doing as the reward itself. Look at things as an opportunity to get to it as opposed to something you have to. It will help you give your best effort instead going through the motions.
Setbacks will occur and are part of growth. Don’t let it discourage you from wanting to get better. In the times the setbacks are painful, give yourself a chance to regroup and reset. Sometimes all you need is to take a step back to see another angle of what you need to do better for the next run.
The value of slow growth is tremendous, and that value is based on how you feed your growth.
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