Freaking out at the first few signs of trouble

Patience is not sexy. Nobody brags about how good they are at waiting.

Our culture has primed us for immediate gratification, and if we don’t have to be patient, we won’t.

This, in my opinion, is the number one reason people’s ideas stay trapped in idea form. Their impatience provokes them to throw in the towel far too early and for the wrong reasons.

Let’s explore several scenarios around quitting. Think back to your own history and see which ones most apply to you.

Did you quit because you didn’t want to force something that wasn’t working, or did you quit because you didn’t see immediate results and grew impatient?

Did you quit because you were legitimately on the wrong path, or did you quit because you didn’t meet your own perfectionist standards of what good should be?

Did you quit because this new adventure was clearly not going to pan out and you knew it, or did you quit because you simply didn’t want to tolerate the discomfort of the moment?

Did you quit because overwhelming feedback from people you trusted was spot on, or did you quit because one asshole’s unsolicited opinion triggered an old wound?

Did you quit because your time, money and energy were going to waste, or did you quit because you demanded immediate results and became disappointed?

Did you quit because of an intentional decision to divest meaning, or did you quit because your expectation of what the world should be was shattered?

Did you quit because you’ve reached the point of diminishing returns, or did you quit because you didn’t want to give it enough time to get an accurate picture?

Did you quit because it was no longer a prudent use of your time, or did you quit because you hadn’t yet found the satisfaction of success you were promised?

Did you quit because it had run its course and it was time to move on, or did you quit because people are idiots and the world is stupid and you’re taking your ball and going home?

Do any of the above examples sound familiar? If so, then it may be time to rethink your relationship with patience.

Listen, we live in world where same day delivery is no longer a novelty but a norm. And that’s an amazing thing.

But if we are expecting to experience fulfillment without delay or deferment in every area of life, then we’re setting ourselves up for a world of hurt.

Are you quitting because it’s hard, or because it’s right?