In business and in life, most people spend time rushing the wrong things.
They rush to act without a clear plan. They chase goals without defined steps. They feel pressure to move fast, so they skip the most important part of the process—thinking.
If you want to build something meaningful and scalable, here is the formula that works:
Think slow – Plan – Act fast.
Slow Thinking Leads to Smart Building
As entrepreneurs and leaders, we often get caught up in the energy of big dreams. We want results now. We want to go faster, grow bigger, and crush timelines.
But when I recently spoke with someone who said, “Coach, I want to take my five-year plan and execute it in 18 months,” I had to laugh.
Not because the ambition was wrong. But when I asked him, “Is this the unwritten five-year plan that’s all in your head that you want execute it in 18 months you’re talking about?” When he replied yes, he also started to chuckle a bit.
This is where most people go wrong. They are trying to speed up what they have not even started. Running ahead without a clear path. This process or lack thereof, simply doesn’t work!
Take the Time to Plan
If you want real results, you must take the time to get clear. That means getting crystal clear on your outcome and when you want to achieve it. And this employs the concept of thinking it through.
Then work backwards. Map out:
- The priorities
- The key goals
- The strategies
- The weekly action steps
Bring in accountability to make sure you are following through. Once that plan is in place, then it is time to move.
Move With Speed and Clarity
Once you know the path, stop waiting. Stop second guessing. Stop tweaking the plan endlessly.
Act fast!
Do something today to move the needle. Ask yourself, “What is one step I can take right now to get closer to my goal?”
Do not let the size of the goal overwhelm you. Shrink the goal down into chunks. Take your five-year goal and narrow it down to your three-year, followed by one-year, followed by you 90-day plan. Focus only on what needs to happen between now and then.
Stay consistent. Stay focused. Take action every single week.
Final Thoughts
Do not run before you know where you are going. And do not stay stuck in planning mode forever.
Think slow. Take the time to plan with precision. And when the time comes—move fast.
Success favors the leaders who balance both.
COACH MICHAEL DILL is an Award-Winning Certified Business Coach, global speaker, and published author. He is a proud ActionCOACH Franchise Partner as well as the President of Power & Ice Wealth Creation—a strategic leadership company that works with business owners, leaders, teams, and entrepreneurs to both develop a systematized and structured organization while accelerating their mindset, efficiencies, and effectiveness to grow both personally and professionally to achieve extraordinary results. He brings more than 40 years of business and entrepreneurial experience in his leadership, team training, and mentoring practice. BusinessCoachMichaelDill.com