Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

I first came across this phrase in a leadership training—“Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.” I later learned it comes from military operations, where moving too quickly can cost lives. Precision matters more than speed. Intention over reaction.

The more I sit with this idea, the more I realize how deeply it applies beyond the battlefield—in public service, in community organizing, in parenting, in how we show up for ourselves and others.

We live in a culture obsessed with urgency. We’re pushed to go faster, respond quicker, accomplish more in less time. But speed without direction is chaos. Urgency without clarity is waste.

Slowing down doesn’t mean doing less. It means being deliberate. It means clearing the noise so our next move is rooted, not rushed.

When I take the time to slow down—to think through a strategy, to pause before responding, to breathe before reacting—I move smoother. And when things are smooth, they flow. That’s when real progress happens.

Some of the biggest mistakes I’ve made came from acting fast out of fear or pressure. Some of the most meaningful outcomes in my work and life have come from moving with care, even if it felt slow in the moment.

I’m learning to trust the pace that allows me to move in integrity. To lead with steadiness, not speed. Because fast is fragile. Smooth is sustainable.

And sometimes, slow is the fastest way to get where we need to go.