Is patience really a virtue? Patience is taught in the fable of the tortoise and the hare. Does it pay to wait? How about pausing for a cause? Last Sunday, I watched twice-Ironman triathlon world champion Craig Alexander defend his title in the Aviva Singapore Ironman 70.3. He, gradually, narrowed his lead from a slower swim and bike, and eventually overtook the leaders in the half-marathon leg.
Sometimes, it can be useful not to take premature plunges into the opportunity pool. Your intuition can signal you, enough for you to take note. Fantasy genre author, Nicola describes her unnerving experience turning down two publishers.
Endurance races tests our patience. So does starting a new business. Having been in business for a decade, being patient can be a decadent act. Passive waiting is wasteful of one’s time; actively awaiting results and client’s decisions is different. If you were waiting for results of a medical test, you would have to wait. If you were waiting for your new bike to arrive, it can be time filled with anticipation and excitement. Those of us waiting for a surprise win at a slot for Kona in the Ironman lottery experience different emotions as the announcement of results draws near. After submitting your manuscript for approval from a potential publisher can be a harrowing experience if you are not prepared to receive useful feedback or disappointing news.
I am convinced that building a customised bicycle takes time. It takes just as much time to have that same bike properly fitted to your unique body structure and habits. Building a fit body to race actively and regularly requires patience to train correctly and recover fully.
Time will tell. However, idleness and fear can foretell a future that is fraught with fear. Pace yourself. Slow can be fast. Fast can be slow. Make haste. Have a sense of urgency, but never rush people through their decisions.
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