Travel Triptych (Part 3): The tortoise and the hare

A story told best by the animators at Warner Bros. and played by Bugs Bunny as the hare, the moral is as meaningful today as it was in the ancient Greek. Health, wealth, position and power are not found as much at the end of lightning bolts or rainbows as they are the result of a persistent approach and commitment.

News of another lottery winner succumbing to the same kind of bad choices made before guessing for millions, the sentencing of a high-flying business executive for misdeeds in pursuit of accelerated rewards or the disgrace of an athlete who relied too much on science to perform will be the allegories of this age.

All because it is hard to wait. "They also serve who stand and wait." "If you wait by the side of the river the body of your enemy will float by." "Take two and hit to right." These all seem to arise from earlier eras because they do. Today the urge is more immediate. Yet, while we are egged on by a cult of celebrity, it is a cult of our own making that serves as the rabbit to our greyhound -- the cult of laser focus.

Race horses distracted by fans along the rail (or a bird atop a post) wear blinders to block out what might be right and left. By narrowing the nag’s field of vision, the jockey can make the horse go faster. To win.

We do the same thing, don’t we? People I know (me, too) can fix on a goal and ignore everything else in a pursuit to achieve it. That kind of behavior is rewarded and so reinforced. But at what price?

If success is rooted in what you know and your ability to apply it to the problems, situations, markets and whatever else you encounter, won’t a laser or narrow focus make every problem the classic nail and every solution the same hammer? How can you encourage serendipity when the speed of the pursuit blurs what you might otherwise see?

The accumulation of knowledge can lead to insight which, in turn, can lead to market advantage. The accumulation of wealth can lead to real independence. And the accumulation of colleagues, contacts and friends can create a supportive network.

Fast is good, but not at the expense of growth.