"Going for the Gold" ' What does Patience have to do with it?

You may have noticed that everything seems to take much longer when hope is not a part of the picture. You may not have been able to figure out why this is the case. Actually, there are many reasons for it. When you begin to see how important hope is in your life, you will also begin to see why patience is one virtue which you cannot do without.

First, if you lose hope, you can start to become quite frustrated. Instead of acknowledging how essential it is to both work for and wait for the good things in life, impatience over not having it all right now can lead to a great deal of unnecessary frustration. You may become resentful and angry over not having your own way, or not getting what you want.

Second, when you lose hope, you may also become depressed. Instead of looking ahead to everything great which your life can contain, if patience is not a part of it you may start to feel that stress and depression are taking over.

Patience plays a large role in a person's success. Even if you are working very hard to attain your goals, knowing that you cannot achieve everything all at once is the best approach. Patience is the mature, focused, intelligent way to go about life.

There is another positive thing about patience, too. Too many individuals, with the desire to reach a dream or a goal, put all of their emphasis on that dream or goal. The verdict is that they can miss everything about the process needed to reach it. They do not allow themselves the chance to enjoy the process itself. While they may achieve their goals, it is not nearly as satisfying as appreciating every step that it takes to get there. Appreciating every step requires patience.

When you develop the character-asset of patience, you are giving yourself a very valuable gift. Unlike an impatience child who wants what he wants, when he wants it, you are cultivating maturity by waiting for what you want, and earning it. You have learned that the best things in life do take time. This is a great lesson which will serve you well throughout your entire life.

When you develop patience, you are also giving yourself a second valuable gift. You are giving yourself the chance to enjoy and appreciate your opportunities, and every bit of hard work that you put into moving toward your goals. You see the process as being every bit as vital as your eventual success. This will give you pride in every accomplishment, whether it is large or small.

Patience is a trait which can be learned. When you start to notice how wonderful all of its rewards can be, you will see why patience will work for you. Even when you experience setbacks, you will see them as chances to improve, rather than failures. Your life will be so much more fulfilling when you never give up hope, but keep climbing to the top.