Sometimes the Fastest Way Forward Is One More Breath

My daughter was swimming one of her staple events at a national meet — the 100 IM. It’s a race she swims often, and lately she hadn’t been dropping time.

Elite swimming is different than most sports. She’s in the water six days a week, eleven months a year, working on tiny details and microscopic adjustments that most people would never even notice. Progress isn’t dramatic. It’s measured in hundredths of a second.

Before this meet, her coach suggested something surprising:

Take one more breath during her butterfly lap.

That might not sound like a big deal — but in swimming, it is.

Breathing actually slows you down. It breaks your rhythm. It forces you to lift your head instead of driving forward. Many elite swimmers try to breathe as little as possible to stay fast and efficient.

So adding a breath felt counterintuitive.

But the body needs oxygen.

She trusted the process. Trusted her coach. Took one more breath — and swam a personal best, fastest time ever.

That moment stuck with me because it applies so directly to how we work every day.

We often believe that speed equals effectiveness.

Move faster.
Do more.
Skip the break.
Push through the meeting.
Power through the inbox.

But sometimes, like that extra breath – the very thing we think slows us down is actually what makes us more effective.

• Taking a moment to think before responding

• Stepping back to prioritize instead of reacting

• Asking one more question

• Pausing to align as a team

• Even taking a real lunch break

These are the extra breaths in business.

They might feel slower in the moment, but they often lead to:

• Better decisions

• Stronger relationships

• Fewer mistakes

• More thoughtful strategy

• Better long-term results

The extra call.
The thoughtful follow-up.
The pause to really understand a client’s needs instead of rushing to a solution.

Those moments may take a little more time, but they’re what allow us to deliver the kind of service and outcomes that actually move things forward.

Sometimes progress isn’t about pushing harder.

Sometimes it’s about pausing, adjusting, and trusting the process.

Because sometimes, the fastest way forward…

is one more breath.