Why impatience can also be a virtue

Some aspects of our personalities will simply never change. Although most of these things are positive, some of our quirks can frustrate us, and can lead us to think we need to change to improve our everyday lives. I am often told not to be so impatient, and I have a habit of trying to do lots of things all at once.

Contrary to the oft-repeated saying, I would say that one of my virtues is my impatience. My lack of patience can be frustrating for others around me - I'm frequently told to slow down, take one thing at a time and stop to smell the roses (lol). Although I hate that I want everything to be perfect right now, it does come from a good proactive place in my heart.

Okay, so I can be ridiculously impatient at times; I love being busy and always having things to look forward to. I have a habit of filling all my free time at the weekends (causing myelf logistical nightmares in the process) because I get too excited about catching up with people and getting out to explore.

I wouldn't say I'm impatient about all aspects of life. I'm more than happy to stand and wait in a queue, or for the next tube if it means I won't be squashed in like a sardine. I'm not that person tapping their watch if their usual train is a few minutes late (I'm sure you'd agree there's enough of those people in the world already). My problem is that I have zero patience with processes, because they inherently require a little more time to get right.

If I'm learning something new, like a skill or a concept that's a bit complex, I get easily frustrated if I'm unable to pick it up first time. It doesn't help that I don't take failure well, nor do I like making too many mistakes. Therefore, repeatedly failing to grasp something means that my confidence takes quite the beating. 

It wasn't until I started learning to drive that my lack of patience came to look at me straight in the face. As I am often told, I can be my own worst enemy, I'm certainly the harshest critic that I know, which ultimately hinders my progress and motivation to keep going. I mean who honestly likes continuing to do something that they're not good at? It's just not fun! 

However, I think that impatience has a pretty bad rep. It shouldn't just be seen as a negative quality. It filters down to a persistence and desire to learn everything to the best of one's ability, and to the highest possible standard. I may be harsh on myself, but it reveals an inner pride in how I complete tasks - I want to do the job properly, no matter how much I might struggle initially. As for the driving, I am no Jerry Seinfeld (I wish more people would watch Comedian in Cars Getting Coffee, that man is my life) but eventually I will reach a driving standard that I am confident with that goes beyond being good enough to pass my test. I will get there eventually but my head can be both my best friend when I enjoy doing something and my worst enemy when I'm struggling.

Impatient people may come across as perfectionists that want everything right now but really, they're just working to do well in life, even with the parts that come less easily which I'd say is actually quite positive. 

Are you impatient too? Do you think it can be a positive quality as well as negative? Let me know in the comments!

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