We live in an era that seems to worship speed. We are conditioned to believe that faster is always better. Faster internet, same-day delivery, instant replies, and real-time market updates.

When we face a problem—whether it is a stalled career, a family complication, or a sudden shift in the economy—our instinct is often to match the speed of the issue with the speed of our response.

We feel a compulsion to do something.

This is the tyranny of urgency. It whispers that if we don’t act immediately, we are losing control.

But in our experience, the most expensive decisions are rarely the ones we failed to make quickly. They are the ones we made in a rush.

When we are driven by urgency, our vision narrows. Psychologists call this "tunnelling". We become hyper-focused on the immediate threat or opportunity, losing sight of the broader context.

In financial terms, this looks like changing an investment strategy based on one month of bad news, or rushing to buy a property because "everyone else is doing it".

Urgency feels like action, but it is often just anxiety in disguise. It creates motion, but not necessarily progress. Real financial wisdom usually requires the opposite of speed. It requires the courage to pause when the world is telling you to run.

This is where we move from urgency to clarity, and the fog starts to clear.

Clarity is not about knowing exactly what the future holds; none of us have a crystal ball. Clarity is about knowing exactly who you are and what you value, regardless of what the external world is doing.

When we operate from a place of clarity, we stop asking, "What is the market doing?" and start asking, "What does my life need?"

If you are feeling the pressure to make a big decision, or if you simply feel overwhelmed by the noise, here are three ways to shift gears.

1. Create a gap

Viktor Frankl famously wrote that between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose. If you feel an urgent impulse to move money, switch jobs, or make a significant purchase, enforce a mandatory "cooling off" period. Sleep on it. Walk on it. Give your logical brain a chance to catch up with your emotional brain.

2. Return to the foundation

Your values are the foundation; your money is the tool. When faced with a complex problem, go back to the blueprint. Does this potential solution bring you closer to the life you want to build? Does it align with your definition of security and freedom? If the answer is "I don't know", then the urgency is a distraction.

3. Seek a second opinion

We all have blind spots. A trusted partner, whether a spouse, friend or financial planner, can help you see around corners. Their role is not just to give you answers, but to ask the right questions that help the fog lift.

It is easy to confuse a quiet strategy with a passive one. But standing still and thinking clearly is an active choice. Plans that are flexible enough to adapt, but strong enough to hold, are rarely built in a panic. They are built with intention.

So, when next you feel the tug of urgency, give yourself permission to stop. Breathe.

We don't just plan for markets, we plan for life. And life is too important to be rushed.