Patience

Growing up in Taft was quite an experience and left me many, many memorable events for me to reflect on throughout life. Obviously, not all of them were wonderful and as I became an adult (and attempted to pave my way through this thing called life) I reflect on those memories quite often. Every once in a while something will occur that triggers a certain memory and I will hear my deceased mother ring out two “truisms” she would repeat to me quite often as I was growing up.

As most young adults I tended to be less patient than I should with many uncontrollable events. When I was most exasperated or frustrated I would hear my Mother say, “Patience is a virtue.” At the time I would shrug it off and wonder why she would attempt to frustrate me so, especially when I was at my wits end. In retrospect, I learned that those words meant much more than just a phrase. In a world where we want it yesterday and expected it two days ago, patience might not be such a bad idea. This can even be extrapolated beyond mundane activities to the long range vision of developed publicly traded companies. Should companies worry excessively about the next quarter’s earnings or methodically execute a planned vision towards the long term growth goal, that will ultimately lead to more profits? Should a project be scrapped or take unjustifiable shortcuts because it is taking longer than expected or over budget? Much of this depends on the added profits the project will bring when completed. Weren’t unexpected delays or extra costs worked into the cost benefit analysis?

Another “Truism” my mother would repeat was “It takes all kinds to make the world go around.” Usually this phrase would follow some type of event where we witnessed, what we might consider unusual behavior, from our fellow human beings. Again, as I traveled through life I realized people do things in different ways. If someone wants to correct a problem in a particular way, who cares as long as the job is completed and things are working properly, and “your way” is not or does not always have to be the right way. It is amazing how frustrated people can become at work just because a fellow employee does not follow a particular protocol? I even find myself repeating this same phrase on some very uncommon occasions.

Patience may help you deal with an atypical event, or lower your blood pressure, but the job at hand still has to be completed. That is where Capitalism really shines. Suppose you are working for someone that has a very rigid policy or manual, and you believe you can provide the same service in a much more cost effective or time efficient manner. Well you have the luxury of starting your own business, provided you have not signed a non compete clause or are not bound by some other contract. Capitalism will foster the environment which allows ideas to become plans and plans to become profitable companies. If you add these “truisms” to my father’s instructions on how to keep a job, (work hard, and get along with people) you have quite a stable foundation with which to approach life and a somewhat simple line of attack to actively participate in Capitalism. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.