In a fast-paced world, where amazon prime can arrive in the next day and you see everyone’s results on social media we expect everything to happen immediately. This expectation seeps into what we think we are capable of. If we can’t learn something immediately we start to think we are stupid. Our business on the first week isn’t getting high sales we start questioning everything. But does everything happen that fast in life?
Everything has a learning curve. We aren’t born with all the skills we have to develop them. The problem is that we see everyone with developed skills and think oh why don’t we have that. But we don’t know their story. The work behind the scenes they have put in.
Whenever I saw any task at hand I would think in my head oh I’m not good at that. I wouldn’t even try. I considered myself not an artistic person and just blocked my mind away from those things. But believing that I wasn’t good at something and there was no way to get there was causing me to have a mental block. This was leading to me not even trying. If you don’t try something how can you know you aren’t good at it?
It took me time to understand that everyone has a period where they learn. For some people, it is longer but that doesn’t mean they can’t get there it just requires more time. For me, some things come easy and others require time.
Be patient with yourself
Everyone is different
When I start a new job I used to go in with the expectation of being great the first day. But that is not possible. Expect at least 6 months to a year to learn something new. I started most of my jobs in a new group and everyone seemed to be doing better than me at the beginning. Later I realized that the only person you can compete with yourself. What are you going to get competing with other people? I might have started slow and taken longer to learn but once I knew the things I was great and the progress was unbelievable. Everyone has their own pace. So challenge yourself by seeing that you are better than what you were yesterday not how your coworkers are doing.
Now, when I start a new job I tell myself take the time you need you will get there. Enjoy the learning for now!
Starting a small business
Be patient with yourself if you are starting a new business not everything works in the first second. It can take months or years. Enjoy the journey you are on. For example, with me and blogging google puts you in a sandbox for the first few months and you barely have any clicks. It was a struggle looking at my clicks every day and seeing nothing but then one fine day it bloomed. So give yourself time and trust the process. You are going places it just takes a bit of patience.
Your first idea for a business might not work. That is okay it is a learning process. The learning that you receive from the failed idea is still learning and it is going to help you restart. People’s first ideas don’t just work and they reach high spots they keep at it have a bunch of ideas and try multiple things and one thing works.
Trying a new hobby
What hobby are you interested in but scared of trying? For me, it was water sports. I loved the idea of being on a boat but was too scared to kayak or go into the deep water. I thought I wouldn’t be able to swim well enough or learn how Kayak. I avoided the activities. But now that I have practiced the growth mindset and altered the way I think I am willing to try new things. I tried Kayaking and at first, it was a struggle but now I take people on rides behind me and it is so much fun. So even with hobbies you are interested in be patient give yourself time. If you give yourself the time you can have so much fun. Don’t cut yourself short and miss out on the opportunities because you aren’t being patient.
Struggling
Are you struggling with something? Find yourself being impatient with yourself? You will get there keep at it. Give yourself the time you need. There is learning in this struggle and you are going places. Just take it one step at a time and start small. You will be amazed where you will be at it in years. But remember to enjoy the journey because if you are only working for the destination once you get there you might be like meh. If you learn to enjoy the journey and be grateful you will appreciate what you have and the moment and that is what joy comes from.
Questions to learn to be patient with yourself
So what do you find yourself being impatient about? Think of one thing.
Is there a way you can change the way you think?
How do you talk to yourself? Can you change your self-talk to focus on effort and practice?
Do you believe you can learn something you give yourself time for?
Write a letter to yourself talking as you would to your best friend and explain the importance of being patient. Read that letter when you find yourself being impatient.
