Someone announces a promotion.
Someone launches a business.
Someone moves to a new city, hits a huge milestone or completely reinvents their life.
And suddenly, your own progress feels painfully slow.
You start wondering:
“Am I falling behind?”
“Should I be doing more?”
“Why isn’t my life moving faster?”
But what if slower doesn’t always mean stuck?
What if you’re building something that simply can’t be rushed?
A major 2026 Deloitte survey found that Gen Z and millennials are increasingly prioritizing stability, skills and well-being over fast, performative growth.
Not because they’ve lost their ambition.
Because they’re redefining what meaningful progress looks like.
Here’s the shift:
Fast progress gets attention.
Sustainable progress builds a life.
You can rush into the wrong career because the title looks impressive.
Force a routine that burns you out because it looks disciplined.
Chase someone else’s timeline because standing still feels embarrassing.
And reach the destination faster…
only to realize you never wanted to be there.
That isn’t growth.
It’s misalignment at full speed.
But slowing down doesn’t mean giving up.
It can mean learning the skill properly.
Building the foundation.
Protecting your energy.
Choosing a direction you can still respect when nobody is watching.
There is one important difference:
Aligned progress is slow but intentional.
Avoidance is slow and directionless.
So don’t ask whether you’re moving as quickly as everyone else.
Ask whether your current pace is helping you build something that lasts.
Here’s your Action Spark for this week:
Choose one goal that feels slower than you expected.
Then ask:
“What foundation am I building right now that future me will be grateful for?”
Write down one answer.
And take one small action that strengthens it.
You don’t need to match someone else’s timeline.
You need a pace that keeps you moving without losing yourself along the way.
Because your next level isn’t about arriving first.
It’s about arriving aligned.
So here’s my question for you:
Where in your life do you need permission to grow more slowly?
Reply and tell me.
I read every single one.
– Maxim
Reach Your Next LVL
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