Go Slow to Go Fast

You’re not broken. You’re not too late. You haven’t missed your moment. You’re just at a point where the distractions don’t work anymore. The noise has faded. The excuses feel tired. And maybe, for the first time, you're seeing things clearly.

That’s not failure. That’s a beginning.

We all admire comeback stories. We share the quotes, wear the mantras, post the reels. But when life actually knocks us down, most of us panic. We scramble for a way out. But the truth is—no one builds anything meaningful without first being stripped of the fluff.

Steve Jobs was fired from Apple. Oprah was told she didn’t belong on television. Howard Schultz was turned down over 200 times before anyone believed in his vision.

These stories inspire us not because they’re perfect, but because they’re real. Because they remind us that greatness often begins in discomfort. Growth rarely shows up in the spotlight—it starts in the shadows, when no one’s watching, and you choose to keep going anyway.

The science backs it up, too. A study in Psychological Science found that people who’ve faced adversity come out stronger, more grounded, and more equipped to lead. Struggle creates clarity. It sharpens character. It burns away what doesn’t matter and leaves behind what does.

You’re not broken. You’re just bare. And maybe that’s exactly what needed to happen. Because when the job title fades, the story you’ve been telling yourself falls apart, and the usual coping tools no longer work—you meet yourself for the first time. Not the version you curated. The version that’s still standing.

That’s where real transformation begins.

So if you’re here right now, wondering where to go next—start small. Don’t worry about the grand vision. Don’t wait for perfect clarity. Just name one excuse you’re ready to retire. Replace it with one action. Something small. Something you can do today. Do it for seven days. No skipping. No overthinking. Just consistent reps.

Progress isn’t magic. It’s movement. And often, the most powerful way forward is to go slow to go fast.

If this stirred something in you, it’s because you’re ready. You’ve already survived the fall. Now it’s time to rise.

Email me if this hits home—tony@tonygareri.com
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