Slow
Most of us are living in a world where fast is the byword in virtually everything we do.
We have become so focused on fast that most implications of slow have negative connotations. Indeed when we speak of slow we automatically think of works such as dull, dim, obese, boring, sluggish.
Fast is best?
We humans have a tendency to believe that the way to accomplish anything that is difficult, challenging or new is to do it as fast as possible.
It’s as if we think that the best way to succeed is to do whatever we are doing as if we already knew how to do it.
We encounter this approach in fitness training, sports exercise regimes, dance training, music training, learning a new software program, fixing something that has broken or following a recipe in the kitchen.
The thinking goes something like this “when you are fit, healthy and skilful you can successfully do what you are doing fast and effectively.
Hence if you go fast from the start you will be effective and powerful.
Unfortunately the opposite is true.
By going fast, you deny your brain the information it must have to discover how to do whatever you are doing successfully.
That is why so often when we go fast we feel like we are hitting a brick wall.
We discover that our efforts fall short of accomplishing what we have set out to do or we even hurt ourselves and give up and we feel anything but fit or energetic.
This can happen at any age, with young children or with older more experienced adults.
Is fast bad?
No, on the contrary when we take the time to go slow and master whatever it is we want to learn, we are able to organize our action effectively.
As our skill improves we are able to do it faster and faster.
When we can do something fast and without tension it can be both exhilarating to do and exciting to watch.
Our brains are built to turn slow into fast.
However slow is for creation and learning.
Once you have mastered the activity you have set out to learn,
speed can follow.
Slow motion
There are of course some things that must be done with speed in order to do them well at all, eg jumping, diving, running.
However even here ‘slow’ is of prime importance as competition today is steep and teams and athletes need an extra edge.
So video motion analysis is becoming a primary training tool for many athletes, coaches and trainers - the slow motion allowing details of movements and play to be seen and studied in detail.
The same goes for focusing attention on the sensations of our own movement.
The slower we go the more we perceive.
The first step
So take the first step toward slowing down.
Become more mindful and notice that you are rushing.
‘Notice’ and bring slow to your exercise or sports activity and see yourself soar.
Bring slow to any area of your life in which you are learning something new, in which you want to learn how to do something better.
Through slow, your brain - and you – get a chance to feel and figure out how to do well whatever you are trying to do.
You become more intelligent, vital and strong.
Most of us are living in a world where fast is the byword in virtually everything we do.
We have become so focused on fast that most implications of slow have negative connotations. Indeed when we speak of slow we automatically think of works such as dull, dim, obese, boring, sluggish.
Fast is best?
We humans have a tendency to believe that the way to accomplish anything that is difficult, challenging or new is to do it as fast as possible.
It’s as if we think that the best way to succeed is to do whatever we are doing as if we already knew how to do it.
We encounter this approach in fitness training, sports exercise regimes, dance training, music training, learning a new software program, fixing something that has broken or following a recipe in the kitchen.
The thinking goes something like this “when you are fit, healthy and skilful you can successfully do what you are doing fast and effectively.
Hence if you go fast from the start you will be effective and powerful.
Unfortunately the opposite is true.
By going fast, you deny your brain the information it must have to discover how to do whatever you are doing successfully.
That is why so often when we go fast we feel like we are hitting a brick wall.
We discover that our efforts fall short of accomplishing what we have set out to do or we even hurt ourselves and give up and we feel anything but fit or energetic.
This can happen at any age, with young children or with older more experienced adults.
Is fast bad?
No, on the contrary when we take the time to go slow and master whatever it is we want to learn, we are able to organize our action effectively.
As our skill improves we are able to do it faster and faster.
When we can do something fast and without tension it can be both exhilarating to do and exciting to watch.
Our brains are built to turn slow into fast.
However slow is for creation and learning.
Once you have mastered the activity you have set out to learn,
speed can follow.
Slow motion
There are of course some things that must be done with speed in order to do them well at all, eg jumping, diving, running.
However even here ‘slow’ is of prime importance as competition today is steep and teams and athletes need an extra edge.
So video motion analysis is becoming a primary training tool for many athletes, coaches and trainers - the slow motion allowing details of movements and play to be seen and studied in detail.
The same goes for focusing attention on the sensations of our own movement.
The slower we go the more we perceive.
The first step
So take the first step toward slowing down.
Become more mindful and notice that you are rushing.
‘Notice’ and bring slow to your exercise or sports activity and see yourself soar.
Bring slow to any area of your life in which you are learning something new, in which you want to learn how to do something better.
Through slow, your brain - and you – get a chance to feel and figure out how to do well whatever you are trying to do.
You become more intelligent, vital and strong.
