"Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing" - Lao Tzu
Does doing something faster make you better? Does being the first one to finish something guarantee that you did it right?
Most of us remember grade school when the mantra from the teacher was to remain unruffled by those who finished their tests in only five minutes. "Don't worry about speed. Double check all your answers, more time isn't a bad thing!" And yet, we also recall wanting to get home as fast as possible, rushing through the multiple choice. Maybe we should have read through our answers again.
Sometimes, that's the way we rush through life. We are fascinated by child prodigies but we look down our noses at unconventional college students. We brag about being busy or getting no sleep the night before and others applaud us for it. It can be so easy to get caught up with what we're planning for the future or doing tomorrow that we can forget about what we're doing and where we are in that moment. We have to be the first ones to finish because being first means winning the race.
There's the rub. The race. Competing with people we know over social media, good, old-fashioned jealousy—it's what makes people call work the rat race. We're all clamoring to get to the finish line, stepping on others as we do so. That's what's expected, though. As they say, we only have a limited amount of time here and we'd better make it count! Or, as the Who might say, I hope I die before I get old...
Jealousy becomes all too easy when every achievement from every friend you know is posted to Facebook for all to see. (But never a failure or a setback.)
Especially in the day and age of technology, work/home separation is hardly possible. The email app on your phone pings you whenever your boss sends a memo, and even in the summer, when the livin' is easy, students are fighting over jobs and internships.
Now, no, not all ambition is bad ambition. Ambition is great, actually. It drives us to become better people, to realize things we couldn't without that little bit of pressure that we place on ourselves. (Go get those internships!) But it's important to remember that achieving something can take time, and if it does, that's okay.
Not everything is doable in a short amount of time, and it isn't a good idea to forget to live your life just to finish it. Work on something when you feel inspired, but don't be afraid to go out with your friends or watch a movie with your family. That delicate balance of obsession and relaxation is in no way easy, but it is possible. You only need to give yourself permission to step away from things for a while.
It took Michelangelo four years to paint the Sistine Chapel. It took Brahms over 14 to finish his first symphony—sometimes slow and steady really is the best option. Just because something isn't achieved immediately doesn't mean you aren't working for it. Just because you aren't in your dream house and at your dream job right now doesn't mean you never will be.
Some things take time, and sometimes, it's okay to take a step back and not do anything at all. Enjoy that summer sunshine, reconnect with old friends, go for a walk in the woods. Remember to enjoy the here and now. Work for what you want, but don't lose sight of where you are. Take your time building something you can be proud of when you finally finish.
