Patience and Persistence

Patience and Persistence

Within time, within budget, that is my credo. I do not like my projects to run late. Yet in IT, some things often do run late. So it was today that I emailed a colleague to say that the computer I was updating was running about fifteen minutes longer than I expected. He pinged me back to say that patience was a virtue. To which I responded with my old family saw: patience is for those who cannot have it RIGHT NOW.

The timing was great, incidentally, as the update finished at the same time as my email. So I could have it right now. Good deal.

But that got me thinking about patience. I am not what one would consider a patient person. Patience brings to my mind a content bearing of a delay.

Yet so many saying revolve around patience. Take the Chinese proverb: “patience is power. With time and patience the mulberry becomes silk.”

I wouldn’t call that patience. It isn’t like you are waiting for the mulberry to become silk. No, not at all. You are actively engaged in the process. You are steadfast and firm, consistently working toward the goal. You are persistent.

Patience is waiting. Persistence is building. Now persistence, persistence is a virtue.

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