Putting up with Impatience

Christy Truitt "I don't think I'm getting any more patient. But I'm learning to tolerate my impatience better.”

What a great quote! As various events have happened this past week, I have needed to be reminded to tolerate my impatience with myself, with others, and with life in general. Below is the post where Christy Truitt's comment first appeared.

Putting Up with Impatience Posted by Rachael Gardner at Tuesday, September 29, 2009
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/

A couple weeks ago I was having dinner with a group of novelists (who also happened to be my clients). We were talking about the terrible waiting that's always involved in publishing. At every step of the journey, whether you're agented or not, published or not, there seems to be a huge need for patience. The waiting sometimes gets unbearable.

We bemoaned the difficulty of developing patience. Is it even possible, or just wishful thinking?

Then my sweet friend Christy Truitt spoke up. "I don't think I'm getting any more patient. But I'm learning to tolerate my impatience better.”

Wow! What a cool insight, and a terrific goal: To be able to exist in a state of impatience, and be okay with it.

To be waiting, and longing, and frustrated that it's taking so long (whatever it is) and still be okay, still have a measure of peace.

To me, that seems like a more realistic goal for writers, and possibly a healthier one. After all, we don't want to completely lose the impatience, because it's part of what drives us. It creates a tension inside us, and as we strive to calm the tension, we're working towards our goals. You could even say that the impatience keeps the fire lit beneath us.

What would it mean for you, to stop trying to be more patient, and instead tolerate your impatience better?

Taking it one step further, how can you use your impatience and actually benefit from it?

Thanks, Christy, for the great thought!