Pacing implies control, and it applies to more than running or racing. Perhaps not quite its opposite, but certainly an ugly relative, is rushing.
Rushing implies a lack of control. Being at the mercy of the environment, so that we see the world with less clarity and expose ourselves to risk. When we’re rushing, even benevolent forces start to feel like they’re against us and adding friction to our experience.
After all, unless they’re an arsehole, no one who is well-paced would feel compelled to jump a traffic light or berate an old person who is taking a while to cross a pedestrian crossing.
Which reveals another layer of why rushing is so pernicious; it compels us to override our value systems. The ‘Good Samaritan Experiment’ showed just this – only 10% of students who were in a rush stopped to help an ‘injured’ person, whereas 63% of those who were in an unhurried state stopped to offer aid.
Perhaps the best way to deal with rushing is to over-commit to pacing. Purposefully slow is often more sustainable and more rewarding than chronically rapid, and it puts the odds back in our favour that we’ll honour our principles.
The Thoughts of Others
“Being efficient without regards to effectiveness is the default mode of the universe. It’s very easy to mistake motion for progress.” – Tim Ferriss
