The Caribbean stretched before us — turquoise water, golden sun, the kind of ease that makes you forget what day it is. My husband, daughter, son-in-law, and I had slipped into island time. The only pressing concerns were where to eat, where to relax, and how to make our budget last the week.
Among our carefully planned provisions was a 12-pack of sparkling water — an essential indulgence. We had each rationed three cans for the entire trip, an agreement we all respected.
One morning, after a long walk under the sun, I came back parched. I opened the fridge and saw the last three cans. None of them were mine — they belonged entirely to my son-in-law.
The craving won. I mentioned my thirst, casually, hopefully. He saw his moment and offered a deal: one can, in exchange for a beachside tropical drink — his choice, my tab.
The math was not in my favor. But I wanted that drink now. I agreed without thinking.
The first sip was everything I had imagined — crisp, cold, effervescent. And then, almost immediately, the math caught up with me. I would have bought him that drink anyway, out of love — but not like this. Not without pausing to see what I was actually agreeing to.
The Meaning
Urgency is one of the most reliable triggers for poor decisions. The pressure to resolve tension, relieve discomfort, or simply move forward can override the instinct to pause and consider what a decision actually costs.
Quick decisions are sometimes necessary and even right. But they carry a particular risk: they optimize for the immediate moment at the expense of the longer arc. Leaders who develop the habit of pausing — even briefly — before committing often find that the discomfort of the moment was a manageable price for a much better outcome.
The sparkling water was worth it, in the end. The awareness it brought me was worth far more.
The Integration
› When have you made a quick decision you later regretted? What was the real driver of your urgency?
› How do you distinguish between a moment that genuinely demands fast action and one that only feels that way?
› What would change in your leadership if you gave yourself permission to say ‘I need a moment before I respond’?
The next time you feel urgency pressing a decision out of you, pause and ask: Is this a real deadline — or am I just thirsty for relief? The pause is not weakness. It is the most underused leadership tool available.
Reveal what’s been hidden. Step into your edge.
✦ GOING DEEPER
Slow Down to Make Better Decisions in a Crisis · Harvard Business Review, March 2020
A short, direct case for the pause — why urgency hijacks deliberation and how the simple act of slowing down changes the quality of what you decide. Free to read.
Natasha is the founder of Reveal Global, LLC — an executive coaching and consulting practice working with leaders at the edge of what is known and what is possible. Drawing on more than 30 years in healthcare, education, and organizational development, she coaches the whole person: not just the leader you are, but the one you are becoming.
natasha@revealglobalcoaching.com
