Patience

In a world that caters to and actively promotes instant gratification, there are few things that are quite as appealing as patience. The person who has it has something of inestimable value. If one can listen patiently to others, he will understand better. If he works diligently and with patience he will bring a valuable asset to anything he attempts. Patience is a sign of strong character. It is crucial to persistence – and with sufficient persistence, just about any goal can be reached.

It’s been said that the only way to develop patience is through adversity – simply being helpless in the midst of problems or crisis – there is no choice… patience happens. But I would like to think that patience comes also from simply having the proper perspective on what is important – and knowing that waiting on those things is part of their value.

For example, when you were a teenager, you wanted a car the day you got your driver’s license. But most of us had to wait for a while – some of us for years. But when the day we became a car owner arrived, that first car was the best thing in the world (you can still see it – smell it – feel it, can’t you?). Waiting – anticipation – patience – gave it a patina of value unlike any other car you’ve ever owned.

So work hard, hope, plan for, expect, desire, dream… and wait patiently. And the wait will be worth it.