Note: This article is adapted from the work of writer Darius Foroux, in which he discusses the importance of patience.
I concur with Darwin's observation that "A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life."
But I've discovered that being overly concerned with the passage of time puts undue pressure on you, and I observe this in ambitious people. Anyone who wants to make the most of their life believes that they must make the most of every moment and move quickly and immediately. So, you must proceed as if a freight train is running nonstop.
It's wonderful that you want to accomplish so much and lead a life filled with success, but does that mean you should do it right away? Understanding the value of time and being impatient can be difficult to distinguish from one another.
Mantouri, a businessman in his late 40s, acknowledged that he shared my lack of patience when I mentioned it to him earlier. He said, “Impatience causes smart people to do stupid things. We're all trying to move forward, put in a lot of effort, work hard, love our relationships, and work on ourselves.”
There are times when we feel inadequate
- "I still share a home with three strangers."
- "I haven't married yet."
- "We don't have kids."
- "My company is moving slowly."
- "I'm still holding out for management."
- I've been working at the same place for a long time."
- "I'm not shedding pounds."
We all experience those emotions, and as you advance, your standards rise. When I was in college, I got impatient waiting for graduation, so I could move out of my apartment with three strangers and find a place to live alone. I don't want to pretend I'm over it, but we all experience those feelings.
When I started earning money, I bought my own place, but a few years later, when I moved from Holland to London and had to downsize to a smaller apartment and share it with a stranger, I felt like I was starting over from scratch.
Take a step back
It's challenging to change jobs, schools, and cities, and in a sense, you take a step back. However, you're going to reapply, even though it's difficult to remind yourself of that at the time.
A doctor who studied for nine or ten years to become a general practitioner and then practiced medicine for ten years was one of my university's marketing professors. He had always been passionate about business and marketing.
So, in his forties, he decided he didn't want to be a doctor any longer. The process took, I believe, six or seven years, and when he was my teacher, he was in his late fifties but appeared twenty years younger and was full of energy. He truly loved what he did and was proud of the long journey he had lived.
You are who you are today because of the path you chose
Most of the people I've met in their 20s are depressed because life isn't quite how they want it to be; however, I've also met people in their 30s and 40s who share this sentiment. Everyone experiences this emotion known as impatience, and as Mantouri once said, when you lack patience, you tend to act foolishly.
- Do you need to purchase a home?
- Do you really want to get married?
- Do you need to sell your business?
- Do you genuinely like your job?
- Should you really deal with this client?
Don't do anything because you've always wanted to, and don't do anything because you're afraid of the alternative because the latter is almost always more difficult.
- "Does this imply that I must work for free?"
- "Does this mean I have to start from scratch?"
- "I can't be alone."
- "Does this imply that I'll have to study for years?"
The answer to these questions is yes; however, hardship defines your identity and character. Nothing is achieved without effort and time—yet remember: take your time in realizing your goals.
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