Of all virtues, patience might be the easiest to talk about and agree upon, and the most difficult to actually practice.

The ability to stick with things—you can call it perseverance, persistence, consistency, or whatever—is really grounded in patience. 

You can’t control how talented you are, who you’re born to, or what natural inclinations you have. You can control your patience. When other people would’ve bailed, can you stick with it? When easy money appears in front of you, can you stay focused on the task at hand? Alternatively, if you’ve decided to change direction and the easy money disappears, can you continue to explore?

It’s also worth noting what you’re naturally inclined to be more patient to, and what you want to rush through; generally though, learning to be patient in one part of your life can help the other parts.

In a world obsessed with productivity, quick wins, and instant gratification, patience is the competitive advantage.

For a deeper dive, check out Gary Vaynerchuk’s mentions of “patience” on Twitter. There is a pushin p joke to be made here.