Patience? Virtuous? Nope!

Doing It Now or Waiting – What’s Best for You?

Veruca Salt was right. When the Willie Wonka character wanted something, she wanted it NOW! Her biggest obstacle was herself because she was rude, obnoxious, and disrespectful. Aside from that, she was current: there is no reason to wait for the things you want.

You might want to travel the world. This is easy. Pack your bag and start walking. Eventually, you’ll need to cross an ocean. Use your charm and guile to board a ship or plane. A private yacht or jet would be a better way to travel if you can swing it. Be prepared for more walking once you’ve landed. It’ll take about a year to circumnavigate the globe, but you can have it now.

Of course, there are exceptions to wanting something NOW. There’s no way you can have a properly cooked three-minute egg right now. It takes three minutes plus the time to boil water. Please let me know if you find a way to do this faster.

Each of us has become accustomed to instant gratification. Click and it’s yours. Order now and it arrives in an hour. Press a button and voilà! You got it NOW! If anyone doubts that they’re part of the “press and get” crowd, ask if they’ve used a TV remote. They don’t understand the struggle to stand up, lumber to the TV set, turned a knob to scroll through the channels, find what you want to watch, get back to your spot, get comfortable again, and enjoy the show. Oh, the agony! The television remote is one example on a long list of “press here” conveniences to give us what we want NOW.

Oh, wait.

Pressing a button is too slow. NOW, we can speak to our TVs, radios, phones, and other gadgets to get what we want. Soon we won’t have to say anything once artificial intelligence evolves. The AI will know what you want. Say hello to Skynet!

Patience is strategic.

On one side, you don’t need it. You can start your world travel simply by putting one foot in front of the other. Ask for a raise, ask your crush out on a date, turn your hobby into a side gig, or whatever your immediate goals would be. Act NOW if you have the desire, initiative, and means. No patience required. Seize the moment!

Patience is also part of a process to get what you want, like a properly boiled egg. You can be a CEO, be a doctor, travel the world in luxury, run a marathon, or anything else you want by achieving the steps in the process. Act NOW! No patience required to begin the journey to reach your destiny.

Another lesson to learn from Veruca: nobody cared about her demands except her father. Veruca’s brash and overbearing attitude repelled others who might have helped. Be kind and fair to everyone. Others could be willing to offer a ride on their yacht to speed up your journey to success.