“Move like you’re late and wait like you’re early.”

“Move like you’re late and wait like you’re early.”

Shane Parrish, author of the Farnum Street Blog

Image from Unsplash by Andy Beales

Today’s quote can be a pretty useful life hack.

Think about it: when you hustle like you overslept, suddenly laundry gets folded, emails get answered, and even the dog walks faster. You stop strolling through life like it’s a Sunday farmer’s market.

But here’s the twist: when you wait like you’re early, you swap impatience for Zen. No fuming in traffic, no glaring at microwaves. You’re the calm cucumber in the salad of chaos.

Do both. Become unstoppable — a fusion of lightning speed and monk-level patience.

EXERCISE:

Alternate between these two mindsets throughout your day.

Move at a lightening pace on one task, then immediately approach your next one with monk-like patience.

Notice how the contrast can sharpen your focus and reduce stress.

Beautiful things come together a stitch at a time

Beautiful things come together a stitch at a time. Pace your efforts and watch the tapestry of your life unfold.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Barbara Krysztofiak

Where do you find yourself rushing through your days, or adding a level of urgency to areas of life that are clearly unimportant?

Where did all this striving to keep up or get ahead originate?

Where do the concepts of peer pressure — or the fear of missing out — have you trying to pack twenty pounds of potatoes into a ten-pound bag?

Years ago, my wife belonged to a needle craft club where she created various works of art a stitch at a time.

Sometimes a two-hour session would result in only a few square inches of her evolving masterpiece. Years later, these pieces have become increasingly meaningful because of how her meticulous efforts led to a one-and-only creation.

EXERCISE:

Where in your world would a slower pace help you seek, find, and stitch together a more beautiful and meaningful life?