The Reflective Practitioner vs. the Cult of Speed
What if the real productivity hack is not another tool, but a moment of honesty? Here’s a reminder for anyone sprinting through a career that no longer fits.
In 1984, Donald Schön wrote about the reflective practitioner—the professional who doesn’t just do the work, but steps back to examine how they’re doing it and why. It’s not a complicated concept. But in today’s world, it’s become a rare one.
We’ve built systems that reward speed over thought. Constant motion is celebrated. In many organisations, slowing down is seen as a problem to fix. As if pausing to think means you’re falling behind.
But here’s what I see in my work with professionals across industries: more and more people are looking for a space to step out of the noise. Not to escape work, but to understand their relationship to it. They want to reflect, challenge themselves, and reconnect with what matters.
A different kind of success
I spoke with a client a few days ago who said something that stayed with me:
“I’m at peace with myself so I gained perspective.”
No drama. No burnout. Just clarity. It was a reminder that peace doesn’t come from having less to do—it comes from being in the right relationship with what you’re doing.
This is what most high-functioning, over-extended professionals are missing. Not ambition. Not ability. Just a quiet space to ask: is any of this still meaningful?
Too many people are moving fast in jobs that no longer make sense to them. They’re not failing—they’re disconnected. From purpose. From growth. From themselves.
The cost of not listening
The truth is, most people wait until the discomfort becomes unbearable before they act. They rationalise the misalignment, explain away the Sunday dread, tolerate the meetings that drain them. But slowly, and then all at once, they stop recognising themselves in the roles they inhabit. By the time they realise it, they’ve spent years being someone they never meant to become. That’s the real cost of not checking in: the quiet erosion of self.
Reflection is not a luxury
Reflection isn’t self-indulgent. It’s how you make sense of your work. It’s how you grow. Without it, you’re just reacting to everything around you—and losing yourself in the process.
And here’s the irony: reflection doesn’t slow you down. It anchors you. The more clearly you see yourself, the faster you can make decisions that actually matter. Reflection strips away the noise. It reveals the patterns. It shows you what to stop doing, not just what to do next. It’s not passive. It’s precise.
The people I work with aren’t trying to quit everything and reinvent their lives. They’re trying to wake up inside the life they already have. That requires attention. Honesty. Sometimes discomfort. Always space.
If you never stop to ask what’s driving you, don’t be surprised if you end up somewhere you didn’t mean to go.
A simple reminder
So here’s the prompt, and it’s not complicated:
Are you happy?
Are you growing?
Are you learning?
If the answer is no, don’t rationalise it. Don’t wait for a crisis to give you permission. You already have it.
You deserve a career that feels aligned with who you are—not just what the org chart expects from you.
You’re allowed to step out of the loop. You’re allowed to choose reflection over reaction. You’re allowed to want something better.
And more importantly, you’re allowed to do something about it.
What’s new
Lots! I’ve recently returned from a fantastic European tour for the book, which brought me to London, Barcelona, and Bologna. I met some incredible individuals at these events—some of whom have been longtime readers of this blog, while others were brand-new faces. We had deep and meaningful exchanges.
I’ve also redesigned the paid section of this blog. Here’s what’s new:
No more community webinars—at least for now. We’re making space for something that works better for all of us.
A new community platform is coming. Substack is wonderful for broadcasting, but it’s not designed for connection. I’m currently choosing a new home for the community side of Design Mavericks—one that supports real dialogue, collaboration, and play. I’m evaluating Slack, Circle, and Patreon. Got a strong opinion on this? Please let me know!
Monthly “Where Marzia’s At” extra content. Think of these as open notebook entries. I’ll share what I’m wrestling with, what I’m noticing, and thoughts that haven’t yet made it into public posts. You’ll get a raw, in-progress glimpse—and a chance to comment, challenge, and build on what resonates. It’s a way for you to get closer to me, and for me to get closer to you.
DM Ambassadors. This is an incredibly geographically distributed community, so I’m in the process of selecting one person per broad region to act as a Design Mavericks ambassador. Ambassadors will serve as curators and connectors, working directly with me—and with each other—to shape the future of DM and activate the community locally.
Interested in becoming an ambassador? Let me know!
Like the sound of this? Join the community by becoming a paying subscriber—for as little as €6 a month.
Hi Marzia! I would be really interested in knowing more about the ambassador opportunity 🙃
This is so important, thanks for sharing 💞