Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast
A story, quote, and lesson about why overnight success takes decades
Compounding takes patience.
Obvious in theory. Brutal in practice.
No one knows this better than Warren Buffett. He’s one of the richest people in the world, with a net worth exceeding $150 billion. But here’s the twist: more than 95% of that fortune came after he turned 65.
That’s not a typo. The man famous for making smart investments made his biggest gains not in his youth, but well into what many people consider retirement age.
He didn’t change his strategy. He didn’t suddenly get smarter. He just kept going.
Buffett started investing at 10, bought his first stock at 11, and was worth over a million dollars by his early 30s. But those early gains? They pale in comparison to the growth that followed. Why? Because he gave compounding time to work its magic.
Most people understand compounding in financial terms: interest on interest, year after year. But compounding applies to more than just money.
Time compounds.
Effort compounds.
Skills compound.
Relationships compound.
The only catch? You won’t see the results right away.
It might take years of working on your startup before the market notices. Years of marathon training before you hit your personal best. Years of school before doors start to open.
That delay can feel discouraging. Because in a world of instant notifications, compounding is the opposite of dopamine.
But that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.
“His skill is investing, but his secret is time.”
- Morgan Housel talking about Buffett in his best-selling book "The Psychology of Money”.
Buffett didn’t get rich because he took big risks late in life. He got rich because he stayed consistent for decades. He showed up, invested wisely, reinvested profits, and let time do the rest.
That’s the mindset to remember.
Most breakthroughs don’t come at the start. They come after long stretches of quiet progress. After you’ve done the work. After you’ve been overlooked. After you’ve resisted the urge to quit.
Don’t be discouraged.
Start now and start small. Your future you will thank you soon enough.
So now I ask you:
Where in your life is compounding already at work, quietly building momentum behind the scenes? Where should you implement it next?