Patience is a virtue. Or is it?!

Telling an inherently impatient person to “just be patient” works just as well as telling your spouse during a heated argument to “just calm down”.

But what is impatience, and is the opposite truly a virtue?!

If you look at impatience as drive, ambition, being highly alert and quick to find solutions, it doesn't sound so bad anymore, right?

Who wants to spend forever weighing the options, holding back and losing momentum? Suddenly, the virtue seems to have flipped.

But of course, it's not as easy as these stark opposites. Neither is inherently better than the other. They serve different purposes and are equally important, if not equally present in each of us.

Psychology speaks of our temperament as a predisposition. On top of that, life experiences shape how it manifests.

So perhaps impatience, that high reactivity, is a superpower. The engine that drives ambition and quick problem-solving.

Why would you want to swap drive for deliberation when there's room for both?

There are enough people out there bringing their respective superpowers to the table. It's more about installing effective brakes and a cooling system for that drive.

Not to “be patient”, but to ensure you get to keep going for as long as possible.

Think high-speed engine versus endurance. Neither is better than the other. They serve different purposes.

So next time you encounter an impatient person, stop for a moment and ask yourself: do they really need to hit the brakes right now, or do I need to flip the switch and get into gear instead?

And if you naturally disagree on the approach because of your different temperaments, at least try to appreciate what each of you contributes.

After all… anchor and engine. A ship needs both to be safe at sea.