I've never been the patient kind. That doesn't mean I rush into things either, as I'm very meticulous and somewhat perfectionist. These qualities may seem incompatible and it's true that sometimes they push me to the edge of madness, but overall they are really precious if handled correctly.
Being impatient pulls me toward a goal, as I'm very stubborn when trying to achieve something. I don't sit around and wait for it to fall from the skies, but rather seek a way of getting the job done. This leads to non-stop working schedules that includes staying up late even during the weekends, when most people hang out or do some "chill" stuff. I believe it's a good thing as it has helped me achieve almost everything I wanted to, provided I followed a plan. In words of Warren Buffet "An idiot with a plan can beat a genius without one". I don't consider myself an idiot nor a genius, but I'd hate to look back some years from now and realize I had the potential to achieve something but didn't because I failed to follow a plan.
It is hard sometimes as life doesn't align with your goals all the time, and you have to sacrifice some things in order to stick with your original road-map. This is where my hobby, cactus, comes into play and save the day. Perhaps with most plants you experience the same sensation, but hey... I love cactus so we'll stick with them.
Once you buy a cactus (or get gifted with one) you admire it's beauty. Think of places where you can put it and what kind of pot you'll be using. But once all those things are taken care of, there is not much left to do but admiring the beauty of the plant. And that's it... No further interaction, no thrills... Or that's what people thinks. Starting to collect and take care of cactus helped me develop a much deep control of my impatience. The sole act of transpotting them, arrange them in a way they look kind to the eye when put together... reading about their cares, learning how to expose to sunlight in every particular need they may differ between each other... They are all things you can't do in a day (at least if you want it done right). But after a day of working with them, seeing your hands all covered in dirt and spines, looking at the mess your work table is... it's the perfect analogy for what life is sometimes: you have a goal (make a cactus look fine and dandy in its new pot), you have the means (the pot, the soil mix, the toppings) and you have the patience to deal with the silk-care needed to not damage the plant and keep working even when your hand itches and hurts... It is like saying "Hey... you want to get this done but it ain't gonna be a walk through the park, you're gonna get dirty and you might be hurt a little... but it is doable so just do it"
Without even realizing it at the moment, while dedicating the time to this activity I later found myself more inspired and much more focused when working on my pay-the-bills job (I'm a nutritionist, I started a page here if you want to check it out).
The perfectionist side stills remain untamed. And I hope it's stays that way forever, as it is the fuel that lights that fire inside my head that says "Hey... You can do better than this". I know some people may find it overwhelming when dealing with that freeze-perfectionist feeling, but it hasn't "stopped" me (not much at least). It just drives me to get better, bit by bit.
So strive through it... it's worth the shot. Even if you don't get what you were looking for in the first place, you still gained experience. You are better than you were yesterday. And I think that's the main reason to keep waking up in the morning: be better than I once was.
