Back in the 90s and early 00s, family dinners were a cornerstone of our daily routine. At 6 PM sharp, we’d gather around the dining table, greeted by my dad’s heartfelt prayer before indulging in my mother’s delicious cooking. Those evenings were more than just meals; they were moments of connection, where my brother and I shared tales of our school escapades.
Then, at 7 PM, it was time for our nightly ritual: tuning in to prime-time American TV. From the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy or CSI Miami, Survivor, and Lost. I wasn’t allowed to watch Desperate Housewives? I later understood why. And who could forget the mad dash during commercial breaks, with the Clicks jingle “You pay less at Clicks” signalling a brief relief for bathroom breaks or snack grabs?
But as I grew older, I witnessed a seismic shift in our habits. Dinner became less about togetherness and more about convenience, ordered through an app and consumed in front of a glowing screen. Binge-watching replaced the anticipation of weekly episodes, and the internet became our go-to for instant gratification, offering answers to our queries at lightning speed.
In today’s world, patience seems like a relic of the past. We swipe right on dating apps without a second thought of who they are, expecting love at first sight. We’re seduced by get-rich-quick schemes, blinded by the allure of instant wealth. Fast food joints litter every street corner, promising quick fixes for hunger. The internet caters to our every whim, offering instant answers and gratification at our fingertips Delayed gratification has become a lost art because we want what we want and we want it now.
The use of Technology was created to make life more efficient and efficiency serves its purpose, but taking these shortcuts continuously over a period of time results in serious implications. The most severe, being the lack of patience and the expectation that everything should provide a result of instant gratification.
We rarely focus on the process of success, the unsexy, ungratifying tasks required to get us to where we really want to go
In my own journey, I’ve come to realize the importance of delayed gratification. Success isn’t about shortcuts or quick fixes; it’s about putting in the hours, grinding away even when the results aren’t immediate. It’s about embracing the process, knowing that greatness takes time to cultivate.
Studies show that those who put the work in actually learn to respect the finances in their business because they understand how long it took to make. Grant Cardone, an American entrepreneur and a billionaire, drove around in a leased second-hand family sedan, while he had more than one million dollars in his account. However, many times you find, that we buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t know. Delayed Gratification is the sacrifice of the present for the security of the future which is a pinnacle element in anything we set ourselves to achieve.
Take the story of James Dyson, whose quest to revolutionize the vacuum cleaner industry was marked by over 5,000 failed prototypes. Despite the setbacks, Dyson remained steadfast in his pursuit, demonstrating the power of patience in the face of adversity. His trust and belief in the process may have taken more than ten years but Dyson is worth over 3 Billion dollars today!
So, let’s reclaim the lost art of patience in a world obsessed with instant gratification. Let’s savour the journey, knowing that true success is worth the wait. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day, it wouldn’t have been built at all if Snap Chat was around.
If you show patience, persistence and prolong the urge of procrastination, at some point, the success of a perseverance will portray itself. Success isn’t a light switch; it won’t yield instant results. Like a plant, it needs nurturing to thrive. And trees don’t sprout overnight—that’s why Jack and the Beanstalk is a fairy-tale.
Wesley Pillay
Wesley is a project manager and business coach for ORT SA
