This phrase describes all of life.
Slowly then all at once.
Sort of how a rocket takes off.
I see it all around me.
Sports.
Business.
Youtube channels.
Content creation.
What does it mean?
It refers to the idea that things seem to happen all at once.
But in reality, it’s continuous effort and pressure that’s applied.
And then eventually – boom – “sudden” change happens.
Have you heard of the 10-year overnight success?
Jeff Bezos has said, “All overnight successes take about ten years.”
And he’s not the only one — Entrepreneur and Inc. think so too.
What the heck does this mean?
Same thing.
Slowly then all at once.
Heard about getting 1% better every day?
Same thing.
It’s slowly and then all at once.
Is this what author Hemingway meant when he famously quoted how his character went bankrupt?
“Gradually, then suddenly!”
Yep, the same thing.
Heard about bamboo taking a long time to grow?
It takes a long time to form its root system, and then shoots from the ground.
I talk about it in this article that helps folks decide which business they start.
Gradually, then suddenly.
Slowly then all at once.
In business, I see these examples daily.
It’s not always stated, but if you pay attention, you’ll catch them.
You’ll hear the interview where they note their start date.
Or they’ll talk about their business pivots.
Maybe how their first few ideas didn’t work.
And then they’re successful.
It reminds me of my own YouTube journey.
How I’ve progressed from making less than $.20 (cents) per hour.
I’ve now passed the $1/hr mark.
But it will probably eventually be my largest income stream.
See the example below.
I’m drafting a blog post titled ‘Slowly, Then all at Once.’
— Brooks Conkle (@BrooksConkle) May 11, 2023
It’s about getting 1% better – the compound effect – that sort of stuff.
And it made me think of building out my YouTube channel. pic.twitter.com/8GpzuXqlKR
Slowly then all at once.
If you train yourself to listen for these examples, you’ll see and hear them everywhere.
Every success story has this trajectory.
Let me know if you find one that is an overnight success without the ten years before it.
I want to study this example!
So what does this mean for you?
And for me?
It means that you need to keep moving forward.
Even if it seems you’re not making progress.
You are.
Now, you first have to ensure you’re doing the right actions.
That’s a totally separate topic.
Get a coach.
Communicate with other business owners.
Heck, chat with me on YouTube.
Just know that in life, your success will happen…
That’s right — slowly, then all at once!
See you out there!
