“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That’s laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow – that’s patience”
-Anonymous
Patience requires action and yields results. Who really believes to wait for the sake of waiting will bring their desires? Patience is the privilege of hard work when no one is watching. Just like being reckless or being still, being patient has its risks. By deliberately moving at less than full speed, opportunity costs anxiously add up. However, the benefit of good timing is recovered through patience.
In professional football great running backs who are capable of running over 20 miles per hour are often applauded and rewarded for their patience. When these athletes run the ball, the obstacles are not static. As a matter of fact, the obstacles are large, mobile and scary. Pain awaits the running back when he encounters these obstacles. Fortunately, the rewards are joyous when the running back successfully navigates the obstacles and scores. The rewards are worth the risk and the pain!
In business research claims that in certain industries an average of 27 positive impressions are needed to win a sale. Sometimes it takes more, sometimes it takes less. It is proper action over time with a focused goal that creates success. It is firmly believing that the process will reward patience. One huge victory rarely saves the company. Anecdotal evidence of the big deal saving the business are newsworthy because they are so rare. However, it is “when the going is hard and slow” and progress is sporadic that the company perseveres. It is patience in moving forward with purpose until the moment is right to strike that carries the day.
Whether scoring a touchdown, closing a big deal, or realizing personal dreams, progress demands patience. Speed, strength, or size can always encounter an obstacle that stops individual progress. It can be an unblocked linebacker, a market-leading competitor, or lack of education. The external force is not necessarily the obstacle. The problem is the haste in defeating the obstacle. Patience empowers winners to move deliberately until the opportunity favors them, then to EXPLODE to win the prize! Don’t passively wait for your goals to happen on their own. Patiently make progress toward your goal. Work hard and follow the plan. Look for favorable timing to go after the opportunity. When the timing is right, use all the speed, size, strength, and intelligence that has been patiently building up and seize your personal victory.
-The Voice
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