I want it and I want it right now. This is a phrase that one has probably heard throughout their lifetime or have used themselves in order to obtain whatever they desire. Can anyone blame them? Our culture has been privileged to have instant TV dinners, instant bill paying, email and texting, video games, the internet, and a whole host of advantages our ancestors could’ve never imagined possible. What was once a day long task could now be done in a matter of minutes in just about every area of life.
In this era of instant gratification, a virtue that most humans understood in the past is now lost to us. When everything is given to people with the push of a button, one cannot be surprised when they have no grasp on the virtue of patience. Patience is important for a variety of reasons but is seldom exercised in today’s climate despite its many advantages in an individual’s life. This post will attempt to explore three philosophical quotes on the idea of patience as a virtue and their meaning to help benefit the reader.
“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”
Aristotle
Patience is one of those things that honestly is hard at first, but the best results come from continued commitment to whatever your goal is. What Aristotle means by this quote is to have the patience to do the work even when the results don’t immediately show themselves. One will often find themselves doubting if results will ever come from their hard work and perseverance because of the length of time it may take.
In a society that relies on instant gratification, no one wants to wait for anything, but anything worthwhile takes time. Working out to get in shape can take years to achieve. Becoming a better writer requires weekly if not daily dedication to the craft. Any craft worth truly enjoying takes time and effort. The point is to show up and do the work day in and day out. Be patient. The results will show up.
“Our patience will achieve more than our force.”
Edmund Burke
When you want something done in the “push a button” world, you want results as soon as possible. Everyone from employers to customers want you to finish your task as quickly as possible. It’s hard not to develop this instant gratification mentality when the rest of the world demands more from you in a short amount of time.
The best thing I’ve understood is that if something isn’t done right, it doesn’t matter how fast the task is accomplished. Doing it right always trumps doing it quickly. Quality over quantity. That is where this quote comes in. If one is to achieve anything to the best of their ability, don’t rush it. If it is something outside of your control, don’t go out of your way to force the issue to go your way. Let things play out in their own time. You will gain more from letting things take their course or by doing it right than you will by trying for “right here, right now”.
“The secret of patience is to do something else in the meantime.”
Croft M. Pentz
When you want something that takes a long time to accomplish done, it might actually be best to keep yourself busy doing something else to release oneself from the anxiety involved with waiting. There is no doubt that you probably have many tasks which need to be confronted. The most difficult tasks take the most time to accomplish. When you start something but can’t finish it immediately, take the time to see if you have something else that needs finishing now.
For example, you’re trying to save money to get a year’s worth of rent, but your paychecks only come once a week or once every two weeks. There’s no way that you can achieve a long term goal like that in a short span of time. In the meantime, you can still show up to the gym every day and work out. You can still get your chores done in a timely manner. There is no reason why a long term goal can’t be accomplished with enough room to accomplish shorter term goals or tasks.
To conclude this, if one were to accomplish anything in life that will stand the test of time, patience must be a part of your daily life. It has been understood to be one of the greatest virtues of mankind since the beginning of time. Quality always trumps quantity in all things and that requires patience. It requires the ability to endure through the rough times to get to the better moments. Just because the world rushes you to do everything instantly doesn’t mean you can’t utilize patience in your daily life. The best things are worth the wait.
Daydreams Manifesting 