Impatience Is Easy, But It Can Only Get You So Far
We always hear good things come to those who wait, but why is it so hard to apply that advice to real life?
Our favorite artists rarely release albums back to back (except Ariana Grande, recently), and it's rare to see weight loss the first day you start working out and eating healthier. However, we all seem to love instant gratification, the idea that we won't have to wait any longer than we want for something we deem desirable. This, coupled with the evolution in tech especially regarding the internet has made us expect the quickest service or the most efficient means possible to the ends we wish to see. At the end of the day, we all have finite patience and our limits are all varied. However, I believe that we can get the most from life and from our own work if we push our patience to the limits and avoid taking the easy route of demanding the most instantaneous results possible.
Humans are social beings and we almost always aim to please others, but we need to start taking into account the most fulfilling options for ourselves.
Many of us face deadlines for a variety of projects within our lives, and sometimes the stress can result in work we don't think truly displays our true abilities or talents. For me personally, I like to see perfect results in the eyes of others and myself, and I feel disappointed in myself and my abilities when I don't. However, as the old saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day," and try as I and my fellow perfectionists might, someone will always find at least one minor issue with what you put out there. You cannot create something that is perfect for anyone, and letting yourself get consumed in the fight to do so and consequently, growing impatient with your own abilities only serves to ruin your self-image and could even ruin the original point you're trying to put out there with your work. We need to be patient with ourselves and create the work we find the most fulfilling and true to our own message. In turn, we also need to be patient with the criticism we may receive, as a lot of it comes from either a constructive viewpoint or the mere fact that we just cannot please everyone with what we put out there.
Another aspect of our lives that can benefit from exercising our patience is when we think about the path our lives will head down. When we're younger, we can be impatient to grow up and be independent, or we may be impatient for something else, like a relationship or a dream job. However, this kind of impatience can make us overlook all that's going on around us, and what we may be missing. You never really know when you're making a good memory or meeting someone who will change your life until later on, so don't miss the opportunity to do so because you're too busy being impatient for what may possibly come later. Impatience can make us overlook all that we have in front of us for just one thing, and that can lead to us missing what could be some of the best experiences of our lives.
It's easy to be impatient, but when you consider all that you could miss because of it, it's clearly not the best route. I'm not saying impatience and thinking about your future or seeking perfection from your work are perfect complements, but I do think for a lot of us, they can go hand in hand. Sometimes, it's just best to let your patience get tested as you go through life because the best things do come to those who wait. Instant doesn't always mean best, and I think if we apply that idea not just to our ramen, but also to how we approach our lives and the situations that come our way, we can all come to find things that may change our lives, and eventually make us into the people we have always truly wanted to be.
