Taking Your Time
About me: Hi! Thanks for tuning in! Before you read this article, here’s a little snippet of what you’re immersing yourself into: I started a podcast called The Darn Diaries in 2021, documenting and sharing all my thought processes that’ve helped me through various life experiences along realms of work, school, and my personal life. This is exactly that but created with a mighty (digital) pen. Enjoy!
“Buy this course, and you’ll be earning five figures a month.”, “Subscribe to this online training program, and you’ll be ripped in less than a year.” These are a few of the many taglines that most products or services use to entice people, and oddly enough, people actually buy them! Which begs the question — why?
Don’t get me wrong; there are genuine people out there who are willing and well-versed to help you achieve those goals; it’s just that sometimes the narrative of how they get you to where you desire is often molding a culture of immediate gratification rather than delayed gratification. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to get somewhere or something quick, it is important to know that some things — great things, take time. Heck, writing this article takes time!
There’s a saying that goes, “Quick success builds ego, but slow success builds character.” The reason opting for the latter is crucial as it’s not merely the patience-teaching part but gradually understanding how the architecture of that success works and mastering each level.
For instance, when you start off as your first job, say you’re earning $15/hour as a barista, you're being taught the basics of money management — setting aside 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings. Say you worked hard for a year and got promoted to a supervisor, and now earn $25/hour.
Assuming all else remains equal in costs, consequently, your purchasing power increases, and you can now pay off your needs with a lesser proportion of your income (e.g., only 35% of your income). Now, you get to decide on what to do with the remaining 15% of the needs proportion, and you decide to invest with a managed account (look at you being wise).
So, now you have an additional proportion — investing, that will grow with compounding interest. See the level difference between earning $15/hour vs. $25/hour?
“Time teaches you to be optimal at one level before moving on to the next.”
If you can manage your costs of living with a $15/hour income well, then over time, you can confidently manage a $50/hour income. The same principle applies everywhere else, may it be learning a new skill, building a podcast, or building a social media following for your personal brand. Oftentimes, you’ll find that the delay is the preparation for the next best thing, so I hope you realize that.
Takeaway bites
- Delayed over immediate gratification
- Slow success builds character
- The delay is often the preparation for the next best thing
