The fast-paced nature of modern society leaves little room for stillness and self-reflection. Increasingly, much of our decision-making operates around a growing sense of urgency, an urgency which originates from the need to keep up to date with self-imposed timelines. Many of us have goals that involve reaching a certain milestone within a particular timeframe, as social norms dictate, these goals may include landing a first job by the age of twenty-two or getting engaged at twenty-eight. We often throw ourselves into the pressure of meeting these milestones before we are ready, doing so to keep up with others and avoid the discomfort of uncertainty. Inaction, undeniably, can lead to stagnation and prevent progression, but the tendency to rush toward an ideal and live a life driven solely by action without room for pause and reflection often defeats its own purpose. The trick is in finding a balance.
There’s no mystery as to why urgency drives so many of us. In an era of advanced technology, we have become wired to seek instant gratification. Smartphones allow us access to an overwhelming barrage of information at all times and qw are continuously exposed to the curated lives of friends and strangers on social media, presenting us with endless ideas of how we should be going about our lives. News emerges daily from all corners of the world, shrinking our perception of its size. We are always being reminded that something is happening, whether here or somewhere else. The sheer volume of information we can access has provided us with too many options, rendering our attention scattered. With all of this external stimulus so readily accessible to us, the concept of ‘waiting’ has become foreign. We are wired to expect immediate results, in whatever we do.
Capitalism celebrates the constant generation of profit, giving rise to consumerism. When options for purchasing are perpetually expanding, it’s easy to become preoccupied with the idea of buying the next best thing and then the next one. We become conditioned by the idea that ‘better’ is always just around the corner. This instills an idea that we must constantly strive for more, or risk getting left behind. We apply this concept to ourselves too. There’s a silent expectation that we must always be doing something, and while this thought process can be beneficial when applied to work, it leaves no room for presence our lives. Stillness and inaction can feel unnatural, even lazy, and breed guilt. But what are the consequences of constant doing?
German philosopher Martin Heidegger considered life’s accelerating pace to be a catalyst for the loss of one’s sense of being. When so much weight is placed on constant movement and achievement, it’s hard to stay attuned to our innermost thoughts and feelings. The result of this disconnect is that decision-making starts to emerge from the influence of external factors rather than inner wisdom. Awareness of our authentic desires comes only from self-inquiry in periods of quiet, moments that are hard to cultivate when there is so much outer noise, and the tendency is to indulge it. When we rush to make decisions that align with social expectations without consulting our genuine needs, we risk thedisconcerting feeling that we are living somebody else’s life.
Rushing may appear productive but can act as a defense mechanism against dealing with uncertainty. While difficult, welcoming uncertainty can lead to discovery down the line and allow us to make more informed decisions that align with what we really want. Many of us wish to escape uncertainty and use hasty decision-making as a means of regaining some security over our trajectories. However, slowing down doesn’t have to translate to defeat. Sometimes it’s one of the most helpful ways to determine how to move forward. Timing plays a big role in our lives, and abandoning our fast-paced agendas to let them unfold naturally provides a sense of unexpected freedom.
While too much action may translate to avoidance of ourselves, inaction is viewed as lethargy. Finding balance involves cultivating more awareness of when and why we act and acknowledging stillness as necessary for personal growth rather than a form of helpless passivity. Pausing before diving back into the real world is a luxury we often overlook.
