Do you have a need for speed?

I have always had a thing for speed. In a recent conversation with a friend, we were sharing what are the top speeds we have traveled. I had three illustrations that I thought were normal, but they were not. My maximum speed with my car was 146 miles per hour. It seemed fast at the time, but I never felt out of control. My second fastest speed was on my motorcycle. I took it up to 143 miles per hour and I may have gotten a little more, but the front wheel started lifting off the ground because air was getting under the faring. That was a little uncomfortable. The third was on a bicycle. I was riding through the Rockies at a fundraiser event and another cyclist, and I began drafting behind a truck. We reached sixty-six miles an hour before the truck driver realized what was going on and sped off. I promised myself I would never go over forty miles per hour on a bicycle again and I have not. It was exhilarating!

Speed can be addictive. In business, moving quickly can improve the bottom line and create opportunities that might otherwise be missed. But moving too fast can cause you to overlook critical details, leading to mistakes and even lawsuits. My electricians work quickly in the field, but they also know not to rush and forget important steps. In that industry, oversight can be fatal. In real estate, moving too fast can be costly in ways you may not expect.

I watched an agent buy a new refrigerator for a client because she did not take time to confirm everything before ratifying a contract. I have also seen agents get fined, suspended and a few lose their license because they were trying to get done and move on to the next deal. Speed can be exciting and it can be deadly. A dear friend of mine was killed on a bicycle because he was doing exactly what I did in the Rockies. His front tire blew and that was it. Everything in life has a pace that is appropriate. Some things happen faster than others and something things move at a snail’s pace. If you are always in a rush, maybe you need to scale back a little and find a better pace. If you are always late, maybe you need to pick up the pace. The key is to know which one is appropriate at the time. It is OK to find your pace even if it does not match other professionals.