The patience of Job; the patience of a saint; a “fruit of the Holy Spirit”; a virtue. “He that have Patience, can have what he will,” predicted Poor Richard’s Almanack way back in 1736. As you might expect from that august build up, a lack of patience has also been associated with societal rot and […]
Archive for Patience
4 Ways to Get Better at Deferred Gratification
Mindset Shifts for Playing the Long Game
I work with a lot of young people getting started in their careers. Those who chase the highest possible starting salary, most prestigious title, or sexiest-sounding company do worse than those who ignore all of that and focus on value creation, no matter how humble. You are your best investment. There is no IRA, real […]
Why Hopeful Realism Beats Mandatory Optimism
The Downside of Positivity and What It Means for Your Business
One unavoidable piece of advice today is be positive. We’re supposed to filter out supposed negativity in meetings, reports, and general conversation because we think positivity produces the results we want. Optimism is almost mandatory in some environments. As Dan Lovallo and Daniel Kahneman point out, critical feedback is discouraged and treated like disloyalty. “The […]
How to Say No When it Counts
3 Strategies for Setting Healthy Personal Boundaries
Sometimes you just have to say no. That isn’t always easy. But there are strategies that can help say no when you need to—and save your time, energy, and sanity in the process. Motivational speaker Byron V. Garrett, my former boss at National PTA, often says that you only have twelve hours a day to […]
What to Do When You Are Forced to Wait
5 Strategies When Patience Doesn't Come Easy
I am good at a few things. But waiting is not one of them. In this post, I share five strategies I am currently using to cope in those situations where I don’t have a choice.
Why Leaders Cannot Afford to Be Easily Offended
3 Vital Truths to Remember as You Work to Make a Difference in the World
As a leader, you are going to draw fire. People will criticize you. But the greatest leaders are not easily offended. Instead, they remember these three simple truths.