The path to success is really just a long, bumpy road full of potholes, gridlock & terrible drivers. It's basically Dufferin Street during rush hour.
I have never been a patient person. Always finding where my mother had hid my birthday/Christmas presents weeks in advance, sneaking a bite of dessert before dinner had even been served. Heck, I even remember trying to shave my hairless, 3-year-old legs (and failing miserably.... My God! The blood!) because I "wanted to be a grown up".
When I want something, what I really want is to find the quickest shortcut possible. To cross through the tunnel instead of having to dig my own. Unfortunately, the older & more experienced I become, I begin to understand that isn't always a viable option. Sometimes the only choice we have is to throw on that crappy old t-shirt we found at the bottom of our closet & get our hands dirty (metaphorically speaking, of course).
I would be lying if I said that lately I haven't been discouraged. I chose to take a great professional risk with an unforeseeable payoff. I left an environment I was finally beginning to feel comfortable in, in hopes of greater future advancement. Which, in theory, would be a very smart, humble & strategic move.. But my greatest struggle seems to be adjusting to a new & undesirable timeline. The rational side of me understands that these situations take time to break themselves in, & that a positive attitude goes a long way. Yet the typical, impatient, only-child in me wants to 100 meter dash towards the finish line. I want to do anything & everything. Every project. Every client. I want to prove my capabilities & shine like the beautiful diamond I know I am. But the hardest thing seems to be surrounding yourself with people who won't hinder your development, who will instead work with you to push your limits & abilities. Someone who is genuinely interested in your growth, with no ulterior motives. No games.
So is it a blessing or a curse to want everything so deeply? Does being impatient do more harm than good or does it motivate us to work 10x harder? Lately I've had to remind myself that sometimes it's necessary to take a step back in order to propel ourselves towards our full potential; but I also understand that without that true, burning passion & drive to succeed, we won't ever get there. And if we leave it up to other people to make our dreams a reality, we may as well be wishing on a star or throwing pennies into a fountain. Failure is inevitable. You will fail many times before you reach success. But what's also inevitable is that with hard work & determination (& one Hell of a thick skin), you can have all the things you've ever dreamed of & so much more. You just have to keep reminding yourself. You are good. You are capable. You are valuable. You will come out on top.
