Have you ever bit into slow-roasted meat that just melted in your mouth? The flavor and juices just oozing from its deliciousness, and you decide that this is the best thing you’ve ever tasted in your life?
But then, have you ever bit into a Salisbury steak you cooked in the microwave? The odd flavor and grease dripping from its rubbery loaf, and you decide that this is nothing like the packaging promises?
Everyone wants the juicy deliciousness of slow-roasted meat. Yet, some people expect to get it from a box you put in the microwave.
The same is true for success… Everyone wants it, but some people (too many people) expect it to happen microwave-fast. But those who succeed know that it takes time - they know how to be patient.
Practice Patience: What Every Successful Person Understands
Every significant endeavor takes time. Whether it’s building a business, losing weight, saving money, or learning something new… it takes time!
The truth is, as excited and confident as we are when we start something new, we usually really suck at it. You can’t expect instant results because you haven’t given yourself a chance to get good at it.
It’s foolish to think that you can do it just as good as that guru or that person who’s been doing it for years right away. I guarantee that guru and that other person sucked at it too when they started out. They didn’t see results right away either.
But you know what they did do? They practiced patience.
That’s the difference between those who are successful, and the ‘eternal wanna-be entrepreneurs’ who just jump from idea to idea or ‘serial dieters’ who jump from one diet plan to the next.
Successful people practice patience. They trust the process. They don’t rely on initial results to drive them forward.
It's Been Two Weeks & I'm Not Rich Yet
Not loo long ago, I was engaging with a Facebook group for internet entrepreneurs when some guy posted something that made me want to reach through the screen and slap him in the face.
Not an "I-hate-you" slap, but a "wake-up-man" slap.
This is why I wanted to virtually slap him…
He wrote:
“I’ve been doing this system for two weeks and I haven’t made any money yet. This is a scam.”
What I Yelled at My Computer Screen:
“A scam?! Two weeks?! Seriously, dude?!”
Somehow, after two whole weeks, the only conclusion he could come to is that the system he had just purchased was a scam…
NOT that this system takes time...
NOT that he needed to stay consistent to see results...
NOT that, as with most things, there's a learning curve...
But instead, that he should quit and blame his failure on the system.
And if you're thinking to yourself, "Yeah Devon, but what if it was SOLD to him as something he could have success with virtually overnight"
To that, I say two things:
#1. Yup, I get it. People marketing and selling stuff often focus on the best case scenario as opposed to the average experience when selling things. So I understand entering into something with unrealistic expectations
#2. This guy was an adult (as are you). So, at some point you need to understand that what you're being sold is in fact "best case scenario". So, take whatever is being sold to you, 5X the amount of time you think it will take, and practice some damn patience.
There are no magic bullets that will help you drop 50 pounds in a week...
There is no secret training for becoming an expert investor in just 2 hours...
And there's no business that will make you rich overnight.
Heck, most businesses take 2-3 years to turn a profit and 7-10 years to reach true success.
Being successful takes time. It takes patience.
Calm Your Ass Down
If you’re starting to get antsy because you’re not seeing results as quickly as you want to, allow me to share with you the same advice I give myself...
Calm. Your. Ass. Down.
Remind yourself that if you focus on the habits, you will reach your goal. There is no magic calendar that will answer When Will I Achieve My Goal? But if you continue to put the work in and create the habits that point toward your goal, you will reach your goal.
Stop looking for results and focus on the habits.
Either embrace the process - with the understanding that there is no guaranteed date something will happen - or quit .
Otherwise, you're just going to drive yourself mad.
How to Practice Patience
There's a nice quote by Joyce Myer I suggest you memorize: "Patience isn't the ability to wait, but rather, it's how we act while we are waiting."
Knowing you need to be patient and practicing patience are two different things.
So, I have some actionable advice for you to help keep you steady…
Measure Results on a Set Schedule
As I touched upon earlier, don’t constantly check your progress. Don’t click on your Amazon sales page, your Facebook analytics, or subscriber list every 5 minutes. Don’t weigh yourself or poke your flab every morning. Don’t rely on results to keep you motivated.
However, tracking results is important. Tracking enables you to gauge what’s working and not working and adjust accordingly. But that data is only useful on a broader scale (not every 5 minutes!), where you can start to notice patterns.
So, I encourage you to schedule when you will check your results to gauge your progress. Mark the day and hour in your calendar and stick to it.
Not only will you save a ton of time from over-analyzing, but you’ll likely be happier with your results because you’re giving them time to actually appear.
Remember that the Goal is NEVER the Goal
I say this a lot, and I’ll keep saying it until every person in the world understands it: the goal is never the goal.
The ‘goal’ is not to reach the outcome you desire but rather to create the habits that lead to your desired outcome. Because only habits lead to change and real results.
To fully understand that concept, I encourage you to read the full article at The Goal is Never the Goal.
Join a Like-Minded Community
Another great way to practice patience is to surround yourself with people striving and working toward the same thing as you.
By being surrounded by like-minded people, you’ll get a more realistic grasp of what kind of progress you should be seeing, as opposed to the unrealistically high expectations we normally set for ourselves. You’ll get to vent your frustrations, ask for advice, receive encouragement, and be constantly reminded to be patient and stick to it.
You can join exercise groups, forums, a variety of Facebook groups, or even just meet up with friends working toward the same thing. If you need a place to start, you should join my Facebook group, Awesome On Stage— it’s filled with great people who have a message to share with the world.
