Promising, But Killing: Why Our Impatience is Sabotaging Our Success

I had a fascinating conversation with a friend last night that I just have to share. It got me thinking about one of the most insidious character flaws of our generation: impatient

We live in a world that sells us instant gratification, but genuine, lasting success is the ultimate long game. The kicker? We already know how to be patient when the stakes feel... well, safe.

The Double Standard of Time

Think about it. We, as a society, readily accept these enormous, upfront time investments: the

* 6 Years of School (Minimum): We send our kids to primary school, secondary school, and then university, committing decades of our lives with the absolute minimum expectation of immediate monetary return. We don't complain about the six years of primary school not feeding the child. We simply accept it as the process.

* 3 Years for a Vocation: We commit to years of apprenticeship or vocational training, dedicating time and energy just to acquire a basic skill, knowing that significant income might not arrive until the training is complete.

We accept these long waits because they are structured, traditional, and come with a promise—a certificate, a degree, or a respected title. We’re banking on the future status.

But what happens when we step into the real world of business, investment, or personal projects? The conversation changes instantly.

That 1 year 6 months suddenly is the waste of time here.

Suddenly, a year and a half into building a business, or pursuing a practical venture is considered a failure, a waste of time, or a clear sign to quit. We want the results "in a speed of light."

The Satan, the Tunnel, and the "Hope" Problem

In the middle of our discussion, my friend and I narrowed down the root cause of this crippling impatience: Hope.

Yes... There is something that when given to man... looks good and promising but it makes man impatient... HOPE.

We're not talking about healthy optimism. We're talking about a kind of frantic, unrealistic hope that makes us demand the payoff before we’ve even completed the work.

* The Biblical Parallel: "Satan gave man hope for a privilege to know between God and Evil after eating the fruit." This hope for a quick, God-like knowledge made man fatally impatient.

* The Dark Tunnel Analogy: Imagine you are walking in a dark tunnel for hours. Then, you suddenly see a tiny light in the distance. What happens? You don't walk patiently; you start running. You desperately wish you could cover the remaining distance in 10 seconds. The sight of the "light" (the hope of the result) makes you lose patience for the necessary steps.

In business and life, the "light" is the success story, the millionaire mentor, the overnight viral hit. This glimpse of what could be makes us look at the arduous, daily work as an unacceptable delay. It makes us rush the process, cut corners, and ultimately, crash.

We become "Damn impatient."

The Path Forward: Patience for the Practical

The real irony is that after years in the university system, many students still have to "come back and learn work because there is nothing to show for the certificate they are just holding."

The very time we patiently invested in the promise of a degree often doesn't give us the practical success we craved. Yet, when we shift our energy to a practical skill or business—the very things that 7 secure our future—we abandon them quickly because the money isn't instant.

We need to redirect the patience we show for the abstract, promising six-year degree toward the practical, messy, but ultimately rewarding two-year grind.

The process is long. The light is far away. But rushing will only cause you to trip in the darkness. Learn to love the walk.

What do you think? Where are you seeing this impatience kill people's promising ventures? Let me know in the comments!