The Dichotomy of Patience and Procrastination
Posted on November 25, 2015 by Reginald Jackson Sr, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.
Time is an element we can use to our advantage, or become a victim of. Either way, it's a choice. What you choose can make all the difference.
Growing up, my daughter had a wonderful way with children. Today, motherhood is no different. I remember watching my daughter raise her first child. Whenever my granddaughter showed signs of “over excitement” or impatience, her mother would calmly ask a very simple question, “What is patience?” The reply was always the same, “Patience means to wait”. Beautiful! So elegantly elementary, yet powerfully effective. I often thought about how that one question could bring about the same ease; as if it carried her back to center and allowed her to focus. It always seemed to put things into perspective.
Good things come to those who wait. Patience is a virtue. There are countless phrases related to patience. They all suggest patience is a good thing. However, when situations arise where we feel immediate response, or results are in demand, the invitation for patience is usually declined. This suggests patience is conditional; a choice. Yet when faced with the long line at checkout, bumper to bumper traffic, or the dreaded “hold music”, we can experience resign, helplessness, or other emotions of defeat. Our power has been taken away. It’s like that “buzzer-beater” feeling when your team loses in the final seconds; even though they gave it their all! Remember?
Procrastination on the other hand, is a completely different story. The power point presentation, homework assignment, or the dreaded “honey do” list are examples of the things we choose to put off. We all have our reasons, and they all make sense – right? ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow, what you can do today’. Whatever! There’s a certain power in having the ability to choose. The irony in procrastination is the possibility the task you put off, may not actually be completed on time. So why do we procrastinate? Is it a lack of importance? A shift in priorities? A misjudgment of time? Whatever the reason(s), there is usually justification without hesitation. Another irony in procrastination is the unmistakable element of patience. That’s right – patience! If you ask my granddaughter her definition of patience, she’ll tell you patience means to wait. Oddly enough, that’s exactly what we do when we procrastinate! If good things come to those who wait, what good things come out of procrastination? If the shoe fits, what do you hope to gain? If procrastination is carried across the bridge of patience, how much lighter would you be if you chose to leave it behind?
