Last week, while walking with a friend, we came to a part in the road that became steep, and uphill. We were talking away and not really paying much attention to where we were walking.
Suddenly, she said, “Slow down! You’re walking too fast.” Her breathing was laboured.
“Me!” I said. “It’s you that’s walking too fast, I’m just trying to keep up with you.”
We argued back and forth with, “…no it’s you! …no it’s you! ….no no no, it’s you!”
Turns out we were each walking faster and faster to keep up with the other person.
It really made me think. Neither of us had noticed that we were hurrying to catch up with the other, our pace just quickened.
It was like a light bulb turned on in my head, as I asked myself:
Am I pacing myself and my progress on me or on others?
I invited you to ponder this question also as you look at your life and your work. Who is setting the pace? It is you or someone else or others?