There’s something about hearing these ideas earlier that can really shift how you move through those years… or at least soften some of the pressure around them.
And at the same time, they’ll probably interpret it in their own way, at their own pace. That’s part of it too.
"We confuse speed with progress" resonates deeply. In a LinkedIn-filled world of promotions and curated success stories, it takes courage to slow down and value depth and mastery over chasing titles. This subtlety is often missed in today’s workplace.
That pressure to keep up with visible progress… titles, promotions, timelines… it can quietly shape how we measure ourselves without us even realising it.
And what you said about courage is true. Slowing down isn’t always comfortable, especially when everything around you rewards speed and visibility.
But depth takes time. Mastery takes time. And most of what actually lasts isn’t built in a rush.
As a manager, I’ve seen talented team members advance quickly, often leaving within a year due to dissatisfaction or company issues. I coached many to exercise patience and develop skills before taking on more responsibilities. Those who listened thrived and gained confidence, which was rewarding.
I know what you mean. I’ve seen this so many times in my role as a director.
Talented people moving quickly, stepping into bigger roles, and then within a year feeling overwhelmed, dissatisfied, or caught in situations they weren’t quite ready for. Some of them end up stepping back, and some unfortunately get quite crushed by the experience.
That’s why I’ve often encouraged patience too, just like you do - not as holding back, but as giving yourself time to build the skills, confidence, and resilience that actually make those next steps sustainable.
The ones who took that approach didn’t just progress, they grew into their roles in a much more grounded way. And you could see the difference in how they carried themselves.
It’s not always the popular advice, but it tends to hold up over time.
If anything, your 60s can be one of the clearest decades - less noise, fewer things to prove, and a better sense of what actually matters and what doesn’t.
I’ve met people who only really stepped into their voice later in life, and there’s something different about it. It’s not rushed, not performative… just grounded.
So no, not too late. Sometimes it’s just better timed 😄
I know of successful young leaders, or leaders who were young when they started. Also, it depends what you want to lead. Some areas are extremely time sensitive -- there are people being tortured and bombed as we discuss the merits of slowing down. Every minute we delay more and more people are dying and suffering avoidably. This is the urgency that justifies imperfection. Nonetheless, there are actually real reasons to control the rate of change. Not the age of the leader, the rate of change.
Show me a candidate who is more experienced IN THIS, more competent IN THIS, and who most importantly possesses the required values, courage, and willingness, and who both shares and understands the vision and has feasible ideas of how to get there. Seriously, I would love to meet such a person. Most people still lack wisdom in the grave.
I hear what you’re saying - and I think you’re pointing to something real that often gets flattened into simple advice.
There are situations where urgency isn’t optional. Where waiting, refining, or slowing down has real human consequences. In those moments, action - even imperfect action - matters. And that’s a different kind of responsibility altogether.
At the same time, what you said about the rate of change feels important. Not everything benefits from acceleration, and not every space requires the same pace. Some things collapse under speed, others suffer under delay.
And I agree with you on something else too - it’s less about age, more about whether someone actually understands what they’re stepping into (and probably that comes with maturity and age). Experience in the specific reality, clarity of values, and the willingness to carry consequences… those aren’t as common as we might hope.
That tension you’re describing - between urgency and wisdom, action and understanding - is probably where the real difficulty sits.
It’s not easy to find people who can hold both well.
I really appreciated the distinction between speed and direction. It’s easy to mistake moving faster for moving forward, but real growth often happens quietly, through experiences that can’t be rushed. The reminder to live fully in the season we’re in, rather than constantly chasing the next one, is both timely and encouraging. Thank you for this thoughtful reflection.
I really appreciate how you put that - speed and direction can feel so similar, but they lead to very different places.
I’ve found that too… sometimes the periods that look “slower” from the outside are actually the ones where something more solid is being built underneath.
And what you said about living in the season we’re in… that’s probably the hardest part. It’s so easy to keep leaning into what’s next instead of letting where we are fully unfold.
That’s a beautiful way to put it. We often underestimate the seasons that don’t look impressive from the outside, yet they’re the ones quietly changing us. Thank you for sharing that thought.
There’s something about holding both at the same time, isn’t there? We can plan, measure, build… but if that’s all we do, something starts to feel a bit empty.
And the “live a life” part is usually quieter. Less visible, less measurable, but probably the part that actually stays with us the most.
Well done, sending this to my kids all in their 20s
I love that.
There’s something about hearing these ideas earlier that can really shift how you move through those years… or at least soften some of the pressure around them.
And at the same time, they’ll probably interpret it in their own way, at their own pace. That’s part of it too.
I’m really glad you’re sharing it with them.
"We confuse speed with progress" resonates deeply. In a LinkedIn-filled world of promotions and curated success stories, it takes courage to slow down and value depth and mastery over chasing titles. This subtlety is often missed in today’s workplace.
That pressure to keep up with visible progress… titles, promotions, timelines… it can quietly shape how we measure ourselves without us even realising it.
And what you said about courage is true. Slowing down isn’t always comfortable, especially when everything around you rewards speed and visibility.
But depth takes time. Mastery takes time. And most of what actually lasts isn’t built in a rush.
I’m really glad this resonated with you.
As a manager, I’ve seen talented team members advance quickly, often leaving within a year due to dissatisfaction or company issues. I coached many to exercise patience and develop skills before taking on more responsibilities. Those who listened thrived and gained confidence, which was rewarding.
I know what you mean. I’ve seen this so many times in my role as a director.
Talented people moving quickly, stepping into bigger roles, and then within a year feeling overwhelmed, dissatisfied, or caught in situations they weren’t quite ready for. Some of them end up stepping back, and some unfortunately get quite crushed by the experience.
That’s why I’ve often encouraged patience too, just like you do - not as holding back, but as giving yourself time to build the skills, confidence, and resilience that actually make those next steps sustainable.
The ones who took that approach didn’t just progress, they grew into their roles in a much more grounded way. And you could see the difference in how they carried themselves.
It’s not always the popular advice, but it tends to hold up over time.
And what about in your 60's🤷 Too late?? 😂
Not even close.
If anything, your 60s can be one of the clearest decades - less noise, fewer things to prove, and a better sense of what actually matters and what doesn’t.
I’ve met people who only really stepped into their voice later in life, and there’s something different about it. It’s not rushed, not performative… just grounded.
So no, not too late. Sometimes it’s just better timed 😄
This is one of the best posts ever.
That’s very kind… thank you so much. I am happy you liked it.
You are never too late. You are always right on time.
I needed to hear this today. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading 📖
I know of successful young leaders, or leaders who were young when they started. Also, it depends what you want to lead. Some areas are extremely time sensitive -- there are people being tortured and bombed as we discuss the merits of slowing down. Every minute we delay more and more people are dying and suffering avoidably. This is the urgency that justifies imperfection. Nonetheless, there are actually real reasons to control the rate of change. Not the age of the leader, the rate of change.
Show me a candidate who is more experienced IN THIS, more competent IN THIS, and who most importantly possesses the required values, courage, and willingness, and who both shares and understands the vision and has feasible ideas of how to get there. Seriously, I would love to meet such a person. Most people still lack wisdom in the grave.
I hear what you’re saying - and I think you’re pointing to something real that often gets flattened into simple advice.
There are situations where urgency isn’t optional. Where waiting, refining, or slowing down has real human consequences. In those moments, action - even imperfect action - matters. And that’s a different kind of responsibility altogether.
At the same time, what you said about the rate of change feels important. Not everything benefits from acceleration, and not every space requires the same pace. Some things collapse under speed, others suffer under delay.
And I agree with you on something else too - it’s less about age, more about whether someone actually understands what they’re stepping into (and probably that comes with maturity and age). Experience in the specific reality, clarity of values, and the willingness to carry consequences… those aren’t as common as we might hope.
That tension you’re describing - between urgency and wisdom, action and understanding - is probably where the real difficulty sits.
It’s not easy to find people who can hold both well.
I really appreciated the distinction between speed and direction. It’s easy to mistake moving faster for moving forward, but real growth often happens quietly, through experiences that can’t be rushed. The reminder to live fully in the season we’re in, rather than constantly chasing the next one, is both timely and encouraging. Thank you for this thoughtful reflection.
I really appreciate how you put that - speed and direction can feel so similar, but they lead to very different places.
I’ve found that too… sometimes the periods that look “slower” from the outside are actually the ones where something more solid is being built underneath.
And what you said about living in the season we’re in… that’s probably the hardest part. It’s so easy to keep leaning into what’s next instead of letting where we are fully unfold.
I’m really glad this resonated with you.
That’s a beautiful way to put it. We often underestimate the seasons that don’t look impressive from the outside, yet they’re the ones quietly changing us. Thank you for sharing that thought.
Yeah, make some graphs, but live a life.
I smiled at this.
There’s something about holding both at the same time, isn’t there? We can plan, measure, build… but if that’s all we do, something starts to feel a bit empty.
And the “live a life” part is usually quieter. Less visible, less measurable, but probably the part that actually stays with us the most.
I really like how simply you put it.
…and by your 70s you’ll find it never really mattered anyway. 🤷🏼♀️
😂😂
There’s something true in that.
Not in a dismissive way… but in the sense that so much of what feels urgent or defining now softens over time.
And maybe that’s part of the point too. Not that it doesn’t matter at all, but that we don’t have to carry so much pressure while we’re living it.