Paying with patience

We often think about spending in terms of currency or time. If one wants to get something done, there are three facets; good, quick, and cheap. The key is, we can only ever have 2 of the 3. If we want something done good and quick, it won’t be cheap. If something gets done quick and cheap, it won’t be very well done. I have found myself recently advocating for paying rather with patience.

When we pay with patience, we are likely parting with a smaller amount of currency in the short term, for something that is good and cost effective. If chosen wisely, “quick” is no longer a factor in the decision-making process, as the pay-off is clear. Paying with patience goes hand in hand with starting with “why”, advocated by long-time Optimist, Simon Sinek.

Patient flowers

My ruminations on paying with patience began with a simple bunch of flowers. My wife and I love nothing more than a beautiful bunch of flowers in our kitchen, especially in the Winter months. We’ve also found a fantastic flower seller who is nearby, has incredible flowers on offer, at a very reasonable price. This past weekend, my wife arrived home with a bunch of lilies. “You wouldn’t believe the price of these”, she said. The thing is, they’re closed up! While many would ignore this beautiful bouquet of green, my wife saw the opportunity this presents.

Soon enough, and likely when we least expect it, these lilies will blossom into a bountiful bouquet which rivals any on offer. All we have to do is wait.

Paying with patience enables us to encourage a joyful surprise moment, to delay our gratification, and to build anticipation for the day these lilies finally bloom and share themselves with the world. We get the bonus of having beautiful flora in our kitchen ahead of that time, and the joy of seeing them blossom when they eventually decide to break out.

All we have to do is pay with patience.