Too many times in my life have I tried to rush things, push hard, and force something to happen. Occasionally, I have found the right fit, and something clicks into place rather quickly, but that is a rare exception, and usually only after a considerable amount of preparation. This is the concept of the cultivator, a lifelong principle that people knew at the time when they lived and worked. Food was grown for self-consumption, and property tax was as foreign a concept as income tax. Cultivators learn quickly that there is no sense in rushing the course of nature; growth occurs at one pace only, and any attempt to shortcut that ends in frustration. They also know that change takes time, and small amounts of progress are all that is possible in nature’s growth trajectory.
So you want something to happen fast. You want to push the envelope of what is possible, drive innovation, and take great risks. At the same time, you want the results to be great, sustainable, and hopefully predictable. As I write this down, it seems obvious to me that both these intents are not compatible. You make investments and expect the return right away. Things do not work that way. Investments take time to mature, and that is just a simple and unavoidable fact. Sure, you have to have a quick hit, get lucky, and get an immediate gain or two. Still, as a course throughout life and through difficult times and good times, the only true way that you can see a legitimate return is after the asset you invested in has time to mature and grow.
This is not about money either. This is about relationships, friendships, marriages, employees, companies, partnerships, and tomato plants. Anything that requires nurturing takes time to mature. You cannot shortcut greatness. It grows and strengthens over time. Investments you make in building great things take time. Your impatience will kill greatness, stunt progress, and disrupt the normal process of organic growth.
