Slow is Fast
The Power of Patience: In Running and Product Management
“Slow is Fast” — a mantra often heard in endurance sports, and I’ve found it equally applicable to a career in product management.
Why Slow is Fast in Running?
At the core of aerobic exercise is cellular energy capacity. Without efficient cellular energy, no matter how robust your respiratory capacity or oxygen delivery is, your muscles will remain in an ‘anaerobic’ state. Training with a low heart rate maximises cellular function, laying the foundation for all aerobic activities.
It’s like building a house — would you start without laying a solid foundation? A ‘shack’ might go up quickly, but without a strong base and protection against the elements, it’s neither sturdy nor sustainable.
The key to boosting cellular energy, particularly mitochondrial efficiency, is through prolonged slow running. Only by running long and slow can you establish a strong base for future performance.
In this context, ‘slow’ truly is ‘fast’. Another advantage of slow running is that it allows your body to enjoy endorphins, fostering a ‘runner’s high’. Improving your running technique isn’t about pushing through tough, exhausting conditions, but rather maintaining a happy and steady state.
The Same Principle in a Product Management Career
Starting out as a junior product owner can feel slow. You’re learning to write a JIRA ticket, struggling to identify key stakeholders. You may feel overwhelmed by complex approaches and terms, similar to how novice runners react to advanced training techniques. This leads to self-doubt about your fit in the career, just as you might question your suitability for running.
The learning curve in product management can be steep and challenging. It’s common to confuse domain knowledge with product mindsets, believing expertise in a specific area is essential for success.
However, this is a misconception. What’s crucial initially is understanding the right mindset for various tasks. Every approach, every complex term should lead to the question — why?
Processes can evolve, tools can change, but the fundamental questions usually remain the same, across real-world applications and organisations, in tech companies or traditional businesses.
The appearance of being slow isn’t due to a lack of learning ability; it’s about grasping and internalising mindsets, finding commonalities in diverse situations.
While it’s important to quickly acquire domain knowledge, taking time to understand underlying mindsets is vital, as these are the deep-seated drivers of change.
Progress might seem elusive at first, but there comes a moment when you look back and realise just how far you’ve come.
Building your foundation slowly and understanding the mindsets behind processes and approaches is an investment that will eventually yield significant returns.
