Quick note before we jump in. The Optimistic Outlook book is now available on Amazon. It brings together the best posts from the last year of this newsletter. If you or someone close to you enjoys short inspirational stories, it makes a perfect Christmas gift.

Most people move too slowly. They lack urgency. They wait for clarity, permission, or the perfect moment. They assume things will come to them.

Ironically, being around people who operate with urgency often bothers them. Speed feels uncomfortable to those who prefer caution and delay.

But the highest performers and best leaders understand something most people miss. Speed is a gap, and gaps are opportunities.

They look for what is missing and fill it. Urgency is one of those missing ingredients.

Years ago, a sales manager of mine used to say, “Time kills deals.” (Shoutout to Steve Smith).

What he meant was simple. If urgency disappears and too much time passes, the deal dies. Not because it was bad, but because momentum faded. That principle applies far beyond sales.

The longer you wait, the more your feelings get involved, then resistance grows, and the excuses get louder.

Today is the day to make speed your competitive advantage. You do not need to be reckless, but you need to be proactive and responsive.

Because while everyone is thinking, hesitating, or waiting for the perfect time, if you move with urgency, you’re already ahead. Speed is not rushing; it is respect for the moment. And that is why speed is perpetually underrated.

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