Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast

Photo by shawn henry on Unsplash

Summary

One of the first things you learn in military Special Forces, like the Navy SEALs, is that slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. In today's fast-paced business world and constant communication, we often believe speed is the key to success. But is it? Let's dive into this from a startup founder’s perspective.

The Myth of Speed

We live in an era of constant information overload. Platforms like LinkedIn are full of entrepreneurs sharing their visions, plans, and successes. While inspiring, these posts can also create a toxic sense of urgency. You might unconsciously start comparing yourself to others, feeling like you're not doing enough.

If you're a startup founder caught in this mindset, you may begin to:

• Work long hours, damaging your health and relationships.
• Rush to launch your product as quickly as possible.
• Try to scale your business too soon.
• Desperately seek funding.

Worse still, you'll find plenty of slogans that encourage this approach: Fail fast, fail often, done is better than perfect, screw it, let's do it¹, and if you're not embarrassed by your first product, you launched too late. While these are helpful in some contexts, they don't tell the whole story.

Speed has its costs. It's one thing to validate ideas and learn from mistakes, but once you achieve product-market fit, it's time to reconsider your strategy. The fastest doesn't always win. Aspects like product quality, a well-designed business model, and avoiding common pitfalls (such as a broken cap table) can matter more. So, what else is important? Let’s explore.

The Power of Consistency

Starting a new project is exciting. The future looks bright, and success seems inevitable. But once the initial enthusiasm fades, you're left with hard work and challenges. As obstacles pile up, doubt creeps in, and the road to success feels much longer than you imagined. This is the point where many give up.

Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.

— Angela Duckworth, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance²

Angela Duckworth's book Grit reminds us that success isn't about speed but about consistency and perseverance. Building a business is more like running a marathon, or even an ultra-triathlon, than a sprint.

Most people excel in one or two areas but struggle with others. You might be a great product manager but a poor salesperson, or a skilled engineer but a weak marketer. This is where consistency comes into play.

As a software developer, I know how productive we can be in our areas of expertise. Quick wins and instant results keep us motivated. But in a startup, you're handling numerous areas, often with little immediate reward. This is where consistency becomes crucial.

By now, you might believe you can handle it, but does it have to be a solo journey? Is the struggle worth it? Let’s find out.

Solo or Together: The Power of a Co-Founder

In a recent interview, Sam Altman of OpenAI predicted that we will soon see unicorns built by teams of fewer than ten people—and eventually, by solo founders. AI will take over many tasks, lightening the load for founders.

However, so far, no unicorn has been built by a solo founder. Why? The answer is simple and captured in the saying: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

"Going together" often means having co-founders. Here’s why this is critical:

• Complementary skills: The company, not just you, can excel in multiple areas.
• Emotional support: A co-founder can lift you when you're feeling down.
• Accountability: It's harder to give up when you're accountable to someone else.
• Synergy: Two minds can brainstorm better solutions.
• Grounding: A co-founder helps keep you level-headed and realistic.
• Work-life balance: Sharing the burden helps you maintain balance.

Though Sam Altman’s vision is intriguing, I wouldn’t bet on being the first solo founder of a unicorn. Would you?

Conclusion

As Matthew Kelly wisely observed:

Most people overestimate what they can do in a day, and underestimate what they can do in a month. We overestimate what we can do in a year and underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade.

There's a popular idea that improving by just 1% each day will make you 37 times better by the year's end. What it doesn’t tell you is that consistency is tough—but if you master it, you'll be unstoppable. Be consistent, patient, and surround yourself with the right people. That’s the true recipe for success. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast!

Footnotes

1. Screw it, Let's do it by Richard Branson is a great read for inspiration and motivation. ↩

2. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth is a must-read if you want to understand how grit leads to success. ↩