One can learn a lot from a snail.
If you’ve ever seen a film such as The Illusionist, or the Shawshank Redemption, then you’ve seen a theatrical interpretation of the power of patience.
While the films themselves may show unlikely scenarios and feats by the use of patience, this should not diminish the power of patience.
Indeed, patience can be your greatest asset. Patience is powerful because it is a command of time.
The most powerful variable in compounding interest is time. It doesn’t matter if the interest rate is 100%, if the time is only a second, you get very little.
Mathematical Deviation:
(sorry, I love showing numbers):
$1,000,000 in an account for 1 second at 100% interest will earn you about 3-4 cents, but $100.00 in an account for a year at 3% will yield you $3.00 or 100 times more money. When you include compounding interest, over longer spans of time, the numbers become staggering. Patience (time) can trump all numbers.
The Power of Patience
When I speak of patience, I don’t just mean sitting around passively, and doing nothing. I would consider that apathy. When I talk of patience, I talk of someone who is confidently trying to achieve their goals, not taking shortcuts, and not rushing. I am speaking of a person who thinks carefully, and methodically.
As I said, patience is really just the purposeful command of time, and this is what makes patience so powerful. Patience allows you to think with a sound mind, it allows you to consider all variables, it earns respect, and it allows you to leverage time to your advantage. When applied, patience will allow you to accomplish anything.
What Does The Bible Say About Patience?
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
Proverbs 14:29, NIVA hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
Proverbs 15:18, NIVBetter a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.
Proverbs 16:32, NIVA person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 19:11, NIVThrough patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
Proverbs 25:15, NIVThe end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
Ecclesiastes 7:8, NIV
Infomercial Syndrome
Patience seems to have experienced a degradation due to our microwaveable, drive-through, instant gratification society. You can’t drive down the road without having someone tailgating, you can’t turn on the television without hearing about a get-rich-quick scheme, and you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who saves for a large purchase rather than putting it on their credit card.
All of these are symptoms of a larger problem: impatience is running rampant. Impatience is what has our world running 24/7/365. Impatience is why we have the debt problem we do, and why so many people are always so upset. While this all sounds bad, it can also be an opportunity.
Patience Is An Opportunity
With everyone being so impatient, you have an area of opportunity: being patient! This is an opportunity, because it will be noticed. Like anything else on Earth, scarcity primarily determines value. With everyone being so commonly impatient, your exhibition of patience will be seen as extraordinary.
People will respect your level of patience because it will be something that they’ve seldom experienced. Your patience will be appreciated because it will be seen as an act of kindness not often displayed. This gratitude will turn into respect. Being able to consistently display patience will eventually earn you a reputation as well.
Developing Your Patience
You can develop your patience, but it is a hard thing to do. It requires that you objectively, and constantly assess your attitude in situations that you would ordinarily find extremely agitating. Impatience spans many situations that I can’t cover entirely, but you know what makes you impatient and I’m sure you can figure out ways to work on your patience.
Some ideas to increase patience:
- If you are obsessed with time, and getting things done, then purposefully take the long way.
- If certain people annoy you, get to know their story. Often, getting to know people will give you a better understanding about why they are the way they are. This alone may be enough to change your attitude.
- Work with less fortunate people, and do it with a soft heart.
There are no guarantees that you’ll overcome every little sticking point, but everyone can improve their level of patience. You just have to make it a goal, and always have it on your mind.
About WealthArtisan
What a great post! Patience is a virtue which comes through Prayer-which is, in essence, a test of patience. “Delayed Gratification” is taught to every Christian through Faith in Jesus Christ that our prayers will be answered in His time. Through this “training” Christians many times become more patient by knowing that through His will prayers will be answered, but not always in the time frame that we would like.
Taking this a step further, we also learn that what we think we need and ask in prayer, is not always what we get. But through Faith, what we get is what we need and will usually put us further along toward our goals than what we asked for-according to His will. Living a Christ-centered life teaches us so much about patience and accepting the answers we need versus the answers we want.
Thank you so much for this post. May God bless you, your family and business.
Steve
Hello @WhyYouShouldGoGreen,
I completely agree Steve. Christianity is certainly a lesson in patience. I think the most interesting thing is how we always think we know what we need, but once prayer is answered with something else, you realize how short-sighted, or worldly the answer you wanted really was.
It’s always a struggle to remain Christ-centered in today’s world, which is one of the reason’s I started this website. I feel that if I can help people control money, rather than be controlled by it, then they are one step closer to having a Christ-centered life. Thanks for stopping in, and God bless.
Thanks,
Timothy
Not only do many Americans want everything NOW, they feel entitled to it RIGHT NOW. I don’t get it. Some of my most treasured possessions were paid for with money saved through hard work, sacrifice, and patience. It’s hard to value things that are just given to you.
Hello @TheyCallMeCheap,
You’re certainly correct. Max Lucado once said that the primary thing that seems to determine a person’s level of prosperity is the country they are born in. We are certainly blessed to be where we are, but it is certainly important to understand that we are entitled to nothing.
I agree, few value something they didn’t have to earn. I heard an excellent sermon and the topic was “What has your faith cost you?” It essentially said the same thing, you can really only appreciate your faith if it has cost you something. I believe that is true for nearly everything. Thank you so much for stopping in to share your thoughts!
Thanks,
Timothy
Not only do people not have patience they want others to be patient with them. Too many people want everything yesterday with out saving or working for it. Then you hear them say I wish I had more patience and I cant help but to think that here is your time to practice.
Hey Thomas!
What a loaded comment! You packed a lot of truth into only a few sentences. We always want without giving, and we always wish when we have opportunities. Thanks for the awesome insights!
Thanks,
Timothy