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| Vol.3.39 | |
Slow Down to Speed Upby Vince PoscenteAuthor of The Ant and the Elephant, Invinceable Principles and The Age of Speed Rafting down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon last week had layers of insight and revelation. Experiencing the results of a six million year incision into the earth due to erosion, deposition, fault lines and continental shift we found more than majestic beauty. What did we discover?
It was every layer. There are two stories that stick out. One has no relevant message but it cracked me up. Our guide Scott told us how he proposed to his wife. When they went to town to get insurance for a second truck the agent said they'd save money if they were married. Driving away he turned to his girl and said, "Looks like we should either get married or switch to Geico." She screamed in joy, said, "We're getting married! We're getting married!" They got hitched soon after. A successful restaurant entrepreneur and former professional football player, Wayne Holm, told an equally memorable story. In the early 70's Wayne was a quarterback in the CFL. Preseason the coaches said he'd have to make the team as a starting cornerback or he would be cut. He went to a prolific psychologist, Dr. Lee Pulos, for advice. Dr. Pulos' counsel was to watch films of the top cornerbacks in slow motion over and over again until Wayne could no longer learn anymore. Then he gradually sped up the films. Wayne was dubious at first but he found the strategy worked. He learned techniques that at full speed blew away the other athletes trying for the same position. To this day, in any business deal that Wayne engages in, he first "slows down to speed up." Seven days without cell phones, Blackberries, emails, Internet and work life demands our world became incredibly simple. We got up with the sun, rafted down the river, explored nature's wonders, set up camp and laid our sleeping bag under a canopy of starlight. Checking out and slowing down for a week left us all revitalized. We were all able to jump back into our fast paced world with a clear mind and fresh perspective. The Age of Speed is not about going fast all the time; it is about finding ways to first slow down to speed up. And, of course, let us not forget there is a multitude of romantic ways to propose. Until next week it’s full speed ahead,
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© 2010 Vince Poscente. All Rights Reserved. |
Could it have been adrenaline pumping class seven rapids, the side canyons with surreal swimming holes, the camaraderie of twenty-eight new friends or the chance to completely check out of our more, faster, now world?