You only need to heed these 2 forces to be successful
“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time” — Leo Tolstoy
This quote from Leo Tolstoy seems to generate some very interesting responses. It resonates with so many because I think at our core so many of us understand it’s meaning.
It’s not the short game that matters. It’s a grand fantastic vision of the future that matters
This is what it’s like to be an entrepreneur. A trail blazer. A Synaptic Alchemist (more on that term in upcoming posts). It’s the difference between putting in the work just to put in the work, and having a vision so far ahead of where you are today that the only thing that will allow that vision to come true is Patience and Time.
I know there are so many of you out there that Want, Need, Crave the quick fix, the big win, the Get Rich Quick scheme. The problem is that is exactly what they are, schemes.
It’s not the daily grind that will make a difference. You can’t build something fantastic in the short term. It’s the vision of the future. The vision of a future so pervasive that you will put in the effort, make the changes, take the risks to craft that future. The type of future that pulls you from your slumber each morning and drags you to bring that future down from the heavens and have it imprinted onto mother earth.
Some of you might be asking yourselves: “What is he talking about?” I’m talking about taking the time to craft a vision. A long term vision for yourself. And not just run hard looking for short term results. I understand that there are short term pressures: the mortgage needs to be paid, there’s the car payment, kids have to go to school. Those are all short term pressures that need to be addressed. The need focus. But those pressures will not get you to the next level. You have to address the short term AND put in the long term patience and time to build something you’ll enjoy, can scale and be proud of. I know it’s a lot of work. But that’s the gig.
It is in the patience to accept our current moment but not to accept our future as predestined where the magic lies.
Even Tolstoy himself had time crack and crease his life from privileged society author to non-violent spiritualist in his later years. It is not just that the passage of time can change us.
It is that a vision, a long-ranging thick juicy passionate vision, full of curiosity, full of wonder, full of an unknowing direction, that requires constant nurturing is what matters.
So here’s my question: “What vision do you have for yourself, 5 years, 7 years, 10 years from now?” Is it clear? Is it a person? A place? A thing? A concept or a picture of your life you are not willing to live without? Is it so grand, so out of your reach right now, so unexpected that it requires small deliberate patient steps that over time will grant you that vision? If so, write it down. Put it on your wall, in your pocket, in your diary, digital or paper. And never forget it.
Because it is so easy to forget that you’ll need to take consistent steps to achieve that beautiful vision. We have such limited time on this planet, keep moving towards your vision. Never stop doing the hard things that require patience, and over time, you will realize you have harnessed the two most powerful warriors.
