Creative Strategy
April 5, 2021
Pace

I wonder why don't we build more digital tools that move at a human pace?

Open Reference

A plane lumbers along at 25,000 feet. Inside, Sean MacCormac - an elite Red Bull skydiver - grips the shoulder of Amar - firm and loose as if they are about to waltz.  This is a HELO jump - high altitude, low open. They wear oxygen and will reach 300mph on their 5-mile descent.

The engines are a bull horn, the wind whips, adrenaline rises. Before turning to fall out the bay door, they pause - breathing deep and slow to set their own pace.

Then with a lean, they start their fall.

For months Sean has been coaching Ammar to prepare for the HELO. In a critical ground lesson, Seans shares, "the only thing that is going to keep your mind and body playing together at all is your breath." He says your breath can take on the pace of the activity, or you can make the activity's pace go to your breath and lead the dance.

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Daily we start moving at the pace of our machines.

Email is fast. Slack is instant. We are taken by the pace of the machines we use. It's easy to become frantic and have our best ideas stolen in the noise.

One of my biggest challenges has been slowing down to set the pace of the tools I use. Breathing and being outside helps a lot. It's not that slow is "better" but that we need space for our minds to think and explore new ideas.

I wonder why don't we build more digital tools that move at a human pace?
Can I use fast tools to do my slow work?

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