Patience and The Long Game
- Bobby Weeks
- Feb 21
- 6 min read
Instant Perspectives
In Short Essay
Escape the chaos of daily life and dive into a world of thought-provoking ideas, all within a few minutes. Welcome to the captivating realm of short essays, where each piece is a doorway to new perspectives, leaving you enlightened and inspired without taking up too much of your time.
February 20, 2025
Why Playing the Long Game Leads to Unstoppable Success
Inspired by: Gary Vaynerchuk
Website: https://vaynerx.com/
In the ranks of executive leadership, patience is not merely a virtue but a strategic asset integral to sustained success. Gary Vaynerchuk, in his book "Twelve and a Half," emphasizes patience as a critical component of effective business leadership, advocating for a balance between immediate action and long-term vision . Embracing a long-term perspective, where goals are pursued over a decade or more, not only aligns with strategic foresight but also often leads to surpassing initial expectations.
Research underscores the value of patience in achieving long-term success. A study published in the Journal of Personality found that individuals with higher self-control, a trait closely linked to patience—experience greater life satisfaction and well-being (Hofmann et al., 2014). This suggests that the ability to delay immediate gratification in favor of future rewards contributes to more favorable life outcomes.
The renowned Stanford marshmallow experiment further illustrates this point. Children who were able to wait for a larger reward demonstrated better life outcomes in areas such as academic achievement and health in subsequent years.
This experiment underscores the long-term benefits of patience and delayed gratification.
Moreover, the concept of "grit," defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals, has been identified as a predictor of success. Research indicates that individuals who maintain consistent interest and effort toward their objectives are more likely to achieve remarkable accomplishments, often exceeding their initial aspirations (Duckworth et al., 2007). This tenacity enables leaders to navigate challenges and maintain focus on overarching goals, leading to sustained success.
In the corporate arena, patience allows for the cultivation of strategic initiatives that require time to mature. Patience contributes to better interpersonal relationships. Leaders who exercise patience are more adept at managing team dynamics, leading to improved employee morale and productivity. Research indicates that patient individuals tend to experience less depression and negative emotions, which can translate into a more harmonious workplace. By resisting the pressure for immediate results, executives can invest in projects with long-term payoffs, elevating innovation and competitive advantage. This approach aligns with the principles outlined by Vaynerchuk (2021), who emphasizes the importance of balancing ambition with patience to achieve enduring success.
And adopting a long-term perspective can lead to outcomes that surpass initial expectations. A study examining the relationship between goal setting and performance found that individuals who set long-term goals and remained committed to them not only achieved their objectives but often exceeded them, attributing this to sustained effort and adaptive strategies (Heckhausen et al., 2010). This phenomenon highlights the compounding benefits of patience and persistent effort over time.
In the context of organizational leadership, patience enables executives to navigate complex challenges without resorting to impulsive decisions. It promotes a culture of thoughtful deliberation and strategic planning, essential for growth.
Patience is a strategic asset; in executive leadership, enabling long-term planning and the realization of goals that may initially seem ambitious. By embracing a decade-long horizon, leaders can embrace innovation, resilience, and ultimately achieve outcomes that exceed their original intentions. Leaders can navigate the complexities of the business world more effectively, ensuring sustained growth and achievement. As Vaynerchuk (2021) aptly notes, balancing immediate ambition with patience paves the way for sustainable and fulfilling success.
Thank you Gary for your thought-provoking insight!
Website: https://vaynerx.com/
Instant Perspectives was Created with ChatGPT and Dall-E
Edited By: Bobby John Weeks
References:
Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087–1101.
Heckhausen, J., Wrosch, C., & Schulz, R. (2010). A motivational theory of life-span development. Psychological Review, 117(1), 32–60.
Hofmann, W., Luhmann, M., Fisher, R. R., Vohs, K. D., & Baumeister, R. F. (2014). Yes, but are they happy? Effects of trait self-control on affective well-being and life satisfaction. Journal of Personality, 82(4), 265–277.
Vaynerchuk, G. (2021). Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success. Harper Business.
From Despair to Triumph
A Journey of Redemption and the Powerful Effectiveness of Communication
In the corridors of academia and business, where polished résumés and carefully curated LinkedIn profiles dominate, it is easy to overlook the stories that do not fit the traditional mold. Yet, among these polished personas, there are those whose narratives are not just about achievement but about sheer, unrelenting perseverance. This is the story of a man who, against all odds, refused to be defined by his past and chose instead to carve out a future of his own making.
Born into a world where stability was a privilege rather than a right, he was a ward of the state. Thrown into the foster care system, swirling the tidepools of adolescence. For 16 years the system, overburdened and often indifferent, did little to nurture dreams. Instead, it bred survivalists—children who learned early that the world was a place of fleeting attachments and broken promises.
As he aged out of the system, adrift and directionless, Orange County had nothing to offer as he found solace in the numbing embrace of drugs and alcohol. The years blurred into a haze of self-destruction, each day a testament to how deeply one can sink when hope is nothing more than a distant memory. For fifteen years, addiction tightened its grip, convincing him—and those who had long since written him off—that he was beyond saving.
But the remarkable thing about the human spirit is that it does not extinguish easily. There comes a moment in some lives when the abyss stares back so unflinchingly that turning away from it becomes the only choice left.
At 35, he made that choice. The road to redemption, however, was not paved with sudden epiphanies or grand gestures but with slow, agonizing steps forward—one decision at a time.
With nothing more than a flicker of self-belief, he enrolled in a communications program. Eight years—twice the typical journey—were spent unraveling years of ignorance and self-doubt. Education was not merely a pursuit of knowledge; it was an act of defiance against the version of himself that had accepted failure as fate. Every late-night study session, every challenging course, every moment of imposter syndrome was met with a singular, unwavering resolve: to prove that he belonged.
And he did. Not just within the walls of academia, but in the world beyond. With his newfound knowledge and experience, he emerged not just as a graduate but as a leader, a communicator in the world of business, where his understanding of resilience, human connection, and strategic messaging made him an invaluable force. His past, once a burden, became his greatest asset. He could speak to struggle because he had lived it. He could inspire because he was living proof that it was never too late to rise.
His story is not unique in its struggle, but it is in its ending. Too often, society dictates timelines for success, whispering insidious lies about age, background, and irredeemable pasts. To those who believe they are too far gone, who think they have missed their chance, let this story be a beacon: the only expiration date on your dreams is the one you choose to accept.
The power of communication—both internal and external—changed his life. The way we speak to ourselves determines our trajectory. If the dialogue is one of defeat, the path ahead remains dark. But if it is one of possibility, no matter how faint, then even the most battered of souls can find their way to the light.
To anyone standing on the precipice of change, uncertain if they can muster the strength to take that first step—know this: Redemption is not a privilege of the fortunate; it is the right of the determined. It is never too late to rewrite your story.
WORK FAST, TAKE RISKS,
EXCEPT CONSEQUENCES!!
If you want to rewrite your story, Let's get started.
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