Patience + Persistence = Whole Equation
As a child I remember my mom always telling me, “Sweetie pie, you have to be patient. Things don’t happen over night.” And still, to this day, I battle with this notion on a regular basis. What is it about patience that is so difficult for us to exercise? Is it the caffeine? Is it technology? Is it Gen X’s fault? Or Gen Y’s? Is it the tweeners? Or the Twitters? I have to admit that, as I ‘m writing this, I am actually feeling a bit impatient myself! Funny, but true.
Contemplating the question of impatience, and thinking about why it matters, I recently discovered that my mom’s advice on the power of patience is profoundly true. It may have taken me 37 years to realize it, but patience is the secret variable in the formula for success. There it is. In one word. The answer to the proverbial question on what does it take to be successful.
But patience alone won’t cut it. I am sorry to break the temporary state of euphoria around the one word “solution.” Because, instead of one word, it is really two. Patience is the first. The second? Persistence. Persistence is key. I mean a Red Bull kind of persistence. Some believe, and would argue, that patience and persistence are opposites in nature. I find, though, that it is more effective, and practical, to view them as dual forces that actually work best together. As is the case with the philosophy of yin and yang. The most important thing about looking at the symbol for this philosophy is that its very nature suggests motion. Going forward. Always.
Something needs to be happening in your life while you are being patient, otherwise you are just waiting. And waiting, especially when there is so much work to be done, can take forever. Sometimes longer. Hence, persistence. It is what moves you forward and what turns patience into a proactive stance for change.
Very few people have patience and even fewer are persistent in their endeavors. This is partly the reason why so few of us, globally, actually achieve our own definitions of success. There are millions of geniuses around the world who set out to write books, run for office, patent and develop inventions or open schools and, along their journey, too many throw in the towel, ignoring the persistence factor.
Whatever it is you may be working on right now, begin with the end in mind and be mindful to inject patience and persistence throughout the entire scope of your work process, no matter how many obstacles, rejections, and/or closed doors you face along the way. No one likes to be rejected but it happens to the best of us. What helps is if you view it as a numbers game. Think of it as a formula. The more patience you have, the more time you have to cultivate and create genius. And when you add a heaping dash of persistence to the mix you are guaranteed to succeed at what ever you set your heart to. Whether it’s creative success; intellectual new idea success or financial success. The formula works across the board.
Many people believe success has everything to do with luck-defined as “preparation meeting opportunity.” While this is also important, luck alone just does not cut it. And if it ever did it won’t anymore. What does cut it- is time and never ever giving up, no matter what.
And that’s one to grow on.
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