Two Types Of Patience

Patience is our capacity to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

Bruce Lee once said, “Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is concentrated strength.” This is spot-on.

We all display two types of patience: passive and active. And these approaches lead to very different results.

Passive patience is waiting for the world to deliver what you want. For example:

• Doing your job and waiting for a promotion to happen naturally simply because you’re doing your work.
• Submitting a proposal to a prospective client and sitting back, hoping for a response.
• I have ambition but am waiting for the “perfect” opportunity that never seems to come.

Active patience, on the other hand, aligns with Bruce Lee’s point. It involves action and intention, even while waiting for results.

Using the same examples:

• Active patience means not only applying for the promotion but also building the necessary skills to set yourself up for success.
• It means sending the proposal and proactively engaging with stakeholders, ensuring they understand your message.
• It’s taking steps toward your ambitions rather than waiting indefinitely for ideal conditions.

Active patience is the pursuit of your desired outcomes. It’s about taking actions that improve your odds while being patient with the results.

It’s being active in the moment and patient with the outcome.