Get there fast. Finish slow.

I used to attend Misty May-Trainer’s beach volleyball practices from time to time. She won three Olympic gold medals back-to-back, so I would try to identify what set her apart during her training. Other than the obvious necessities to compete at the Olympic level like incredible power, technique, and volleyball intelligence, one thing stood out to me.

Her dad, Butch, was her coach and he used a phrase that I hadn’t previously heard. He said it repeatedly at every practice that I attended.

“Get there fast. Finish slow.”

Every time he said it, I’d subsequently watch Misty make plays that seemed to be impossible. She would dig deeper and move faster than before. She would get to a ball that seemed to be further away than any human could possibly touch. And when she’d get there she would make the last 1/8 of a second seem to last the length of a breath cycle.

I was probably holding my breath in anticipation, but regardless, time and time again, as you’ve undoubtedly seen if you’ve watched her play,

she turned the near-impossible into the near-perfect.

If we apply this practice to our lives, we can experience similar results. If we identify the moments in a day that matter most and prioritize our efforts to create space for us to show up at our best, we also make the near-impossible become near-perfect.

Here are some opportunities related to health and a life lived well:

Prep food fast. Cook and eat slow.

Get to the gym quick. Take your time warming up.

Waste no time moving between exercises. Be present for every moment of every exercise you do.

Go to bed early. Leave bed ready.

Get home fast. Walk in slow.

Be quick to greet your loved ones. Be slow while you hug them.

Get there fast.

Perform [the reason you went] slow.