Thursday, September 15, 2011

Skill = Repetition


"You have to have a lot of patience to learn patience."
~ Stanislaw Jerzy Lec


I have never been a patient person. There was a time when if I wanted something, I wanted it YESTERDAY. Thankfully, I'm not that bad anymore. I've learned something about humans over the years. God likes to give us LOTS of opportunities to strengthen our areas of weakness.

The harder something is for us, the more likely we are to experience regular opportunities to practice. My husband is a master of patience (yes, he's still alive, I'm a saint), and that has not been easy for someone like me. At all. BUT...it has helped me practice. A lot.

To be good readers, we have to read. To be good writers, we have to write. To be good musicians, listeners, athletes, spouses, artists... we must practice. Skill = repetition. Period.

I get LOTS of opportunities to practice patience.

What is opportunity helping you practice?

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19 comments:

  1. Natalie AguirreSeptember 15, 2011 at 4:19 AM

    Patience is definitely needed as a writer. Waiting for critiques, agent responses, publisher responses, to grow as a writer, etc.

    I've learned this lesson big time when I adopted my daughter 13 years ago and had to wait through a lot of the steps when I was in a hurry to get it done. I find that God or life has a way of making it all happen at the right time for us. So we must be patient.

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  2. Jemi FraserSeptember 15, 2011 at 5:31 AM

    Yeah, patience is hard. I'm getting better too. Slowly, but I'm getting there! :)

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  3. Old KittySeptember 15, 2011 at 6:32 AM

    Age is definitely an opportunity to gain patience! I'm a more zen person now that I'm an over-the-hill-42 year old woman than I was at 22! Thank heavens! :-)

    Take care
    x

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  4. Kelly PolarkSeptember 15, 2011 at 6:40 AM

    Patience in the writing business is so hard. You finally finish the draft, then revisions, more revisions, more! Then waiting for agents or editors. So much waiting!
    Luckily there's always another story to write in the meantime. Or blogs to visit. :)

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  5. Susan Kaye QuinnSeptember 15, 2011 at 7:01 AM

    I am so with you, in lacking the patience. I get better as time goes on...must be all that practice. :)
    Great post!

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  6. TerryLynnJohnsonSeptember 15, 2011 at 7:26 AM

    I'm still working on it.
    And OMG - LOVE that photo. love.

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  7. Tales of WhimsySeptember 15, 2011 at 7:46 AM

    Wow great advice for any aspect of life :)

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  8. Carolyn VSeptember 15, 2011 at 8:16 AM

    Ha! I love that dog.

    I have a hard time with patience. But I'm working on it. (but I want it NOW!)

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  9. anthony stemkeSeptember 15, 2011 at 8:34 AM

    Thank You for the good advice.
    Love the dog picture.

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  10. Laura S.September 15, 2011 at 10:14 AM

    Being a writer certainly does teach patience! Everything happens so slow in the writing world.

    Love that quote!

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  11. HeatherSeptember 15, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    We have so much in common. This sounds exactly like me! I'm getting better too, it comes with age I think. ;)

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  12. ShariSeptember 15, 2011 at 11:20 AM

    Ah patience--an attribute I think I shall never have.

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  13. Stephanie DamoreSeptember 15, 2011 at 12:01 PM

    I was going to stay that I think being impatient is a natural human characteristic--until I read the part about your husband. No fair! Honestly though, I too think I'm getting better at it. Being a mommy and going on my third year trying to break into the publishing world has definitely helped.

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  14. Catherine DentonSeptember 15, 2011 at 1:10 PM

    Grace. In my youth I was ungracious. I assumed so much about people and grew offended based on my assumptions. I've learned to give grace. Even when something seems unkind, I never know how the person meant it and do better to ask or assume the best.
    My Blog

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  15. PabkinsSeptember 15, 2011 at 1:57 PM

    I tend to jump around from craft hobby to craft hobby - my sister is always an inspiration because she excels at whatever she does. Pushing her to open her shop on etsy has also helped push me to finish the projects I start. Which takes alot since I try to juggle all those hobbies with my voracious reading habits. She keeps me on track though!

    In fact - feel free to pop over to her blog and see her awesome handmade zombie plush bunny giveaway! PS loved the doggy pic!

    http://rinnisplayground.blogspot.com/2011/09/first-giveaway-handmade-zombie-plush.html

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  16. Alexia561September 15, 2011 at 8:52 PM

    It's funny, but for certain things I have the patience of a saint, while with others, I want it NOW! :o

    Glad to hear that hubby is still alive and yes, you are a saint. *L*

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  17. Anna StaniszewskiSeptember 16, 2011 at 6:59 AM

    I feel like this is the biggest lesson I've learned over the past few years: how to be patient. I'm still not great at it, but I'm getting better. :-)

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  18. Michael G-GSeptember 16, 2011 at 9:00 AM

    Sounds like writers are a pretty impatient bunch (myself included!)

    I'm certainly getting a lot of opportunities to practice this skill.

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  19. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2011 at 12:05 PM

    Ah, patience is something I'm working on. That dog picture is cute.

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