Hasten Slowly

Yesterday was a pretty typical day.  I was thinking what was the most significant thing I learned for my future.
There was one thing that very much sticks in my mind.  It was said by someone and the more I thought about it, the more I saw that it had been my experience and was something worth noting for my future.
They said, “the less you hurry, the quicker you learn.”  They then gave an example I so relate to. It was mentioned how sometimes someone on a phone leaves their phone number.  It is said so fast it is impossible to capture at that moment.  The message needs to be revisited to get the number.  There are other ways to get it, but they always involve a revisit which would be totally unnecessary if hurry had not been employed in the first place.
I got to thinking of the best way I learn.  It is to have someone show me a process, do it myself with them watching and then them showing me again the areas I got wrong or obviously vagued out in.
Often when this process is not employed due to hurry I do not learn properly and need to interrupt my teacher who has moved on to something else.  It needs to be explained and shown to me again.  Not only does that require more time it is an inconvenience to two and not just one.
I honestly regard hurry as an enemy.  It is a product of the age in which we live.  Advertising is all about making a decision now.  It may not be the best decision for me, but in achieves the salesman’s end.
I must admit a wall goes up for me when pressured to make a decision now.  Many sales men will not give all that is needed until someone commits.  They do not want me to think about something they only want me to do something.
Of course there are times when a quick decision is necessary.  The key word for me there is “necessary.”  A right decision remains right and will always stand up to scrutiny.  A hasty decision made is often an unnecessary costly learning experience.
They say there are two ways to learn – the easy way and the hard way.  The hard way is unnecessary but will be the way employed if the easy way is not adhered to.  I would rather “hasten slowly” and get it right.  Taking the time necessary at the start saves time at the end.