As I've matured, I've learned that a secret of failure is impatience.

A SECRET TO FAILURE

We live in an age of instant gratification. We are not accustomed to waiting.
Yet…we do find ourselves waiting from time to time.

* You may be waiting for an answer to a difficult problem. Or waiting for guidance around a business decision or interpersonal problem.
* You may be waiting for a situation to change before you can move ahead
* You may be waiting for somebody else to complete his or her task before you can act.

We are not accustomed to waiting and most of us don't like to wait. We feel helpless.

You may remember how it felt to wait for Christmas when you were a child. I recall one Christmas when I was about four years old. I waited forever for Christmas to come. I couldn't sleep the night before in anticipation. When I awoke Christmas morning I quietly crept downstairs to the large Christmas tree to gaze at the presents there.

We celebrated the holidays with my extended family – grandparents, aunt and uncle, cousins, parents, brothers. It was a rule that we waited until everybody was gathered together before presents were passed out. I waited half the morning for the grown-ups to wake up. Then I waited for them to shower, dress and eat. I didn't think I could wait any longer!

When the family was assembled around the tree, it was announced that we would have a special visitor that day…and we would have to WAIT for him to come! I waited some more.

Finally, the visitor arrived. It was Santa Claus. And he said he'd be passing out presents that year. My uncle usually passed out presents, but he didn't seem to be around so I accepted the arrangement without question.

Santa first handed a present to one of my cousins. In our family, we waited for each person to open their gift before the next present was passed out, so I found myself waiting once again. Santa Claus passed a second gift to another cousin. I waited some more. The third went to my grandmother. The next to my brother. Another present was handed to one of the adults to open.

I couldn't stand the waiting any longer. When I thought nobody was looking, I grabbed one of the presents and began to open it. Santa quickly snatched it from me with strong words of reprimand. I was crushed. Other adults chided that I should wait patiently for my turn. I burst into tears, which seemed the only appropriate outlet for my frustration.

I learned two things that Christmas:

First, I learned that I did not like to wait patiently.

Second, I learned that I did not like Santa Claus. (I BELIEVED in Santa, I just didn't like him!)

How are you at waiting? Waiting is difficult for children, but adults can learn patience.

But as I've grown older, I've learned the value of waiting patiently. The great events of life cannot be rushed, and all good things will come to fruition in their own time.

An old proverb says, "Don't pick apples while they are green. When they are ripe, they will fall off the tree."

As I've matured, I've learned that a secret of failure is impatience.

I've also learned that Santa is a pretty good guy.