“If you genuinely want something, don’t wait for it – teach yourself to be impatient.”~Gurbaksh Chahal
The other day a colleague was telling me about something they wanted…really badly. They explained to me how much fun this type of work would be, and how much they would learn and develop from it. They spelled out how they were prepared, and preparing more, to do this type of work. And then they described how they were waiting patiently for the work to come. In fact, they went into great detail about how they had “put it out into the Universe, and now were waiting for the work to be delivered.”
Don’t get me wrong, I counsel clients to get clear on what they want (and why) and then to get out of their own way and let it happen. I know, and share, the value of not trying to force things, and of trusting that things will work out. But I also counsel, know, and share the value of going out and getting what you want, of taking the actions that will move things along.
Like many things, it’s a fine balance between working at something and forcing something, and of letting things unfold and letting go of your own responsibility to move things along. There is a time for, and virtue in, patience, and there is a time for impatience – in taking the steps, making the phone calls, doing whatever you can to make your dreams a reality.
If you genuinely want something – if you really, really want it – then it might be time to be a little less patient and a little more action-oriented. To be a little less accepting and a little more forceful. It might be time to teach yourself to be impatient so that you do all you can – and then take a break and trust that it will work out.
How have you learned to be more impatient, and why?
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For support in being both patient and impatient, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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