The ROI of Slowness
We live in a culture that rewards speed. Faster delivery. Faster results. Faster progress. In fitness and business alike, the mantra is often: “Go hard or go home.” But what if the real ROI—the return on investment—comes not from going faster, but from slowing down?
Yes, I’m talking about the paradoxical power of slowness. Deliberate slowness. Intentional pacing. Slowness with purpose.
It’s something I’ve learned as both a business owner and an athlete-in-training. The fastest progress often comes from slowing things down.
The Hidden Power of Slow in Workouts
Let’s start with the gym. Ever tried tempo training? Slowing down your reps—3 seconds down, 2 seconds up—brings your muscles under more tension, for longer. The result? Better strength gains, improved control, and less risk of injury.
The same applies to endurance training. Zone 2 heart rate workouts—those long, slow sessions where it feels like you’re barely breaking a sweat—are where aerobic capacity is truly built. It’s not glamorous, but it’s where the base is laid for future speed. Elite endurance athletes spend up to 80% of their training time in these slower heart rate zones.
In other words, slowness isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.
Slowness as a Strategic Advantage in Life
This idea isn’t just for your body—it applies to your mind and business, too.
When you slow down, you gain clarity. You give yourself space to think deeply instead of reacting impulsively. You build habits instead of chasing hacks. You plan deliberately rather than sprinting from one fire to the next.
For example, in my own businesses, I've seen the most growth when I stepped back from trying to “scale fast” and instead focused on building the right systems, investing in relationships, and getting crystal-clear on mission and value. Slowing down created the margin to make smarter decisions.
The ROI of Slowness
So what does slowness earn you?
Efficiency: When you move deliberately, you make fewer mistakes—so you don't waste time doubling back.
Resilience: Slower, intentional progress builds a more solid foundation—whether it’s muscle tissue or mental bandwidth.
Sustainability: Fast burns out. Slow endures.
Speed—eventually: Like the tortoise in the old fable, deliberate slowness often wins the long race.
Slowing Down to Speed Up
If you're the kind of person who’s always driving, always grinding, always pushing—it might feel counterintuitive to hit the brakes. But sometimes, the smartest move is to pause.
Pause in your workouts. Pause in your calendar. Pause in your decision-making.
Not to lose momentum—but to gather power.
Because here’s the truth: Slowness is not the opposite of speed. It’s the foundation of it.
And when you train yourself to embrace that rhythm—slow, steady, intentional—you’ll be shocked at how much faster, stronger, and more effective you become.
What’s one area of your life where you could slow down today… in order to speed up tomorrow?