The Pressure to Know, Do, and Be Everything Now
Exploring Immediacy Bias and the Value of Letting Things Take Time
These days, it feels like everything is geared toward instant gratification. Same day shipping. Viral success. Quick takes. Hot takes. Notifications stacked on top of notifications. There is a growing cultural belief that if something does not happen fast, it is not working or worse, not worth doing at all.
And do not get me wrong, it is nice when things click quickly. But learning? Building something meaningful? Growing into your voice or vision?
That takes time.
This post is part of a new series I am sharing on the different types of biases that quietly shape the way we think, create, and build. In the last post, I explored normalcy bias, which is the belief that things will always stay the same, even when change is clearly underway. Today, we are digging into another one that shows up just as often in creative and entrepreneurial circles, immediacy bias, the belief that if results do not come quickly, they are not coming at all.
It is time to name the pressure, unpack what it looks like, and give it a little less power.
What is Immediacy Bias?
Immediacy bias is the tendency to favor fast outcomes and visible results while overlooking the long-term value that takes time to develop.
It shows up in how we consume media, how we react to feedback, how we judge our work, and how we measure success. It whispers things like:
If this post does not get traction today, it must not be good
I should be further along by now
Why is this project moving so slowly
Maybe this idea just is not working
But most meaningful things in life, especially in creative work, do not arrive on demand. They require patience, practice, and presence.
Why It Matters for Creatives and Entrepreneurs
If you are building something real like a brand, a body of work, a new offer, a community, immediacy bias can sneak in and start running the show.
You might:
Chase trends instead of developing your unique voice
Quit early because the response was not immediate
Compare your journey to someone else’s quick wins
Push out content faster instead of refining your craft
Avoid learning new skills because they do not bring quick rewards
In Houston’s music scene, I have seen incredible artists who took years to build their audience. Show by show. Track by track. They did not rush the process. Same with brewers who spent months perfecting a single flavor before putting it on tap. That kind of intention does not come from rushing. It comes from respect for the process.
A Real Example: The Artist Who Is Willing to Do the Work
There is a young artist who regularly comes through my open mic regularly. Someone I have watched quietly blossom with each performance. Every time she steps up, there is more presence, more power, more belief in her voice. It has been a privilege to witness.
But what really impressed me was something she posted recently. Her goal for the summer: attend 50 open mics across Texas before the season is over.
Fifty. Not five. Not ten. Fifty.
She is not waiting to be discovered. She is not relying on one perfect performance to launch her career. She is doing the work. She is putting in the reps. She understands that confidence, growth, and craft come from showing up. Night after night. Song after song. That kind of commitment is how greatness is built.
In a world that wants everything now, she is playing the long game. And that is a mindset we can all learn from.
Questions to Ask Yourself
If you are feeling stuck, rushed, or discouraged, ask yourself:
Am I focused on quick results or sustainable progress
Where might I be mistaking slowness for failure
What part of this process deserves more time and care
How would I approach this if I truly believed growth takes time
What would happen if I trusted the process instead of rushing the outcome
Immediacy bias feeds the illusion that success should happen fast or it is not happening at all. But you do not have to live in that loop.
When you embrace slow growth, steady effort, and daily presence, you begin to see that your path is unfolding at the pace it needs to. Not everything has to be loud or fast to be valuable. Some of the most powerful changes are quiet and gradual.
That song you are still working on. That brand you are still shaping. That idea you are slowly giving life to. It is all worth celebrating because it is part of becoming.
So keep showing up. Keep making space. Keep building brick by brick.
Every step counts. Every season matters. And every day is a celebration especially when you are choosing the long road on purpose.
Astro Joe Garcia
Patience - Guns N Roses
This one hits home for me. Not just because it fits the message of slowing down and trusting the process, but because it was one of the very first songs I learned to play on guitar. I still bring it out at open mics, and every time, the crowd leans in. There is something timeless about the way it flows gentle, steady, unhurried. It is a reminder that some things only come into focus when we slow our pace, let the silence speak, and give the moment room to breathe. Patience is not just the name of the song. It is the practice we are all learning in real time.