About this quote

We mistake speed for depth all the time. Gulping down information does not mean you actually understand it. You might check a box on your to-do list, but you miss the nuance that actually matters. Are you skimming through your life just to say you finished? Slow down and pay attention to the details, or you will end up with nothing but a useless summary.

When to use it

• Use this when a coworker brags about reading a fifty-page market analysis in five minutes but cannot explain any of the actual strategy.
• Think of this when you try to cram a whole semester of biology flashcards the night before the exam, only to realize you memorized words without understanding the science.
• Recall this when you realize you bought ten productivity books this month and skimmed them all, yet your daily habits remain exactly the same.