The Transformative Power of Patience in My Life

Patience, often misunderstood and underestimated, has played a profound role in shaping my life journey. I am writing this article to articulate how patience has helped me persevere, make better decisions, and succeed in various aspects of life, including personal finances and problem solving.

My Struggle with Patience

Firstly, I want to admit that I am not naturally patient. Often, the few times I have forced myself to retain patience, it involved completely removing myself from the situation or subject that was causing me stress. However, the results of forcing patience always ended positively. When I genuinely had to exercise patience, my worries dissipated, and the situation improved.

Lessons from a Past Experience

As a response to a friend's request, I will share how I dealt with impatience in the past. Initially, I did not like the word “patience,” substituting it with terms like “resilience,” “determination,” and “focus.” However, in situations where someone or something crossed my boundaries, I struggled to maintain patience.

One time, I was praying for patience during my more churchy days. My friends advised me that patience is something gained through trial, so if I prayed for patience, I would receive more trials. Although this advice may be true, I never truly gained patience. Instead, I learned to be impatient with style.

Implications of Impatience and Patience

I am a fairly impatient person due to my preference for immediate outcomes. I detest waiting and cannot stand inefficiency. On the other hand, I recognize several positive aspects of patience:

Improved Decision Making

Patience has enhanced my decision-making process. When faced with tight deadlines, I used to rush into solving problems without prioritizing effectively. For instance, when under pressure, I would not consider the overall costs and benefits of completing tasks. By exercising patience, I can determine which projects matter most and proceed strategically. This has led to better and more thoughtful decision-making, as I now prioritize tasks based on their value and potential returns.

Enhanced Long-Term Returns

Patience has also played a crucial role in my personal finances. Instead of impulsively spending earnings from campus jobs and internships, I have learned to save and invest carefully. In the beginning, I would frequently monitor my trading account, attempting to control stock prices and make quick profits through day trading. However, my returns fluctuated wildly, leading to financial instability.

Recognizing this, I shifted to value investing. By holding onto stocks and avoiding frequent selling, I began to build solid and consistent returns. Patience has transformed my approach to investing, helping me earn a steady amount of passive income without the erratic fluctuations of day trading.

Effective Problem Solving

One of my greatest challenges has been resolving complex problems effectively. In my role as a project leader and now consulting director, patience has been a key factor in developing a methodical approach to problem-solving. Rather than adhering rigidly to the frameworks suggested by my team, I take the time to analyze and break down issues systematically. This has enhanced my ability to provide creative and strategic solutions to clients.

Conclusion

In conclusion, patience, though not naturally a virtue of mine, has brought about significant positive changes in various aspects of my life. It has helped me in decision-making, financial management, and problem-solving. While I still may not consider myself the epitome of patience, I am now more aware of its transformative power and strive to incorporate it into my daily life.