I give you permission to be “too slow.”

Now, that’s probably something you’ve not heard before. Especially if you’re in leadership, words like “hustle” and “efficiency” are typically the goal.

But, there is a time and a place to be slow. Let me explain.

On the running trail this week, I stopped to visit with my friends and consistent walkers, Don and Barbara. In their 70s, Don now walks with a cane, and Barbara, well, she always walks with a smile. They are often the highlight of my morning trail time.

As we were visiting for a few minutes along the trails this week, my running watch buzzed. I looked down to read the message: “Too Slow.” I showed it to Don, and he said, “I need one that says – ‘Too Old.’” We all laughed and said our goodbyes until next time.

That little message got me thinking.

One of our core values at Fulling Management & Accounting is Eternal Impact. That can often be tough to measure through traditional metrics. But, it’s probably because eternal impact isn’t something you can track on a dashboard and improve through more efficiency.

Eternal impact is a lot more likely to happen when you’re going “too slow”—meaning, you’re actually taking time to build meaningful relationships with those on your path (clients, team members, vendors, etc.).

So, take time to be “too slow”.

Appreciate the journey, invest in your relationships, and remember that not everything that counts can be measured.