Reclaming Depth in a World Obsessed with Speed

🧠 Headline Story:

I sent today’s newsletter in a hurry—ironically, while preaching pauses. My mistake: a mix of outdated links and blurred context. But I want to be transparent: this happened because I moved too fast.

Not the leadership I aim to model.

So here’s my real insight: Knowing the value of slowness doesn’t inoculate you from the impulse to speed. Even we who preach “pause” can stumble. And when we do, the depth we hope to create becomes blurry.

This week, I made room for two minutes of silence before writing anything else. I read the final draft aloud. I waited to hit send. The result? Cleaner ideas. A more precise point. A deeper connection.

Speed is seductive. Depth is earned.

⚡ Quick Hits:

• 🕶️ Meta + Oakley AI glasses just launched — preorder July 11, starting at $399, with 3K camera, water resistance, and Meta AI built in.

• 👥 Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses continue to spark privacy debates around facial recognition—yet sales are rising.

• 🌐 Ambient computing takes off: AI in homes now “reads your mind” — anticipating tasks and reducing screen reliance.

• 🔧 Qualcomm’s next-gen smart-glasses chip was announced June 21, pushing performance and efficiency in wearable AI.

🧰 Workflow of the Week:

“Pause — Edit — Send”

A simple accountability pattern:

1. Pause – After drafting, take 2 minutes to step away.

2. Edit – Revisit with fresh eyes; read aloud.

3. Send – Only when it feels intact, and you’ve owned the message.

I’ll be sticking to it on every draft this week.

🛠️ Tool of the Week:

Reflect

Staying with the theme: Reflect lets you write privately, link your thoughts over time, and review what you wrote—without sending a single email. Use it to catch your own rush before anyone else does.

🛰️ Signal Stack:

• 🌍 Business Insider: OpenAI scrubs Jony Ive partnership amid trademark dispute (June 22) — a vivid reminder: even high-speed AI launches get slowed by legal and brand checks.

• 📘 Forbes: Amazon warns staff about AI replacing jobs (June 22) — a case where rapid automation risks overlooking human impact.

• 🧩 Rolling Out: Smart homes are starting to read your mind (June 7) — highlights the silent complexity behind what feels effortless.

🪞Takeaway:

I wanted today’s edition to land with clarity. Instead, it landed fast—and a little messy. That’s on me.

But this week isn’t about perfection. It’s about intention.

Slow down long enough to care.

Pause before producing.

And maybe listen to your own draft before sending it out to the world.

We all need receivers as much as we need senders.

Keep looking forward—on purpose,

—AJ