The impatience epidemic (and why embracing the struggle is more important than ever)

Have you noticed how people want all the rewards without putting in the time? We want the prize before the work.  We want the perks without paying the price.  Coaches: how many times have you heard this recently? “What’s the chance of me playing right away?” The same thing holds true in the business sector, “I want to make partner but I refuse to put in 60 hours a week.” We are missing the most rewarding and fulfilling part….the Journey.

The Impatience Epidemic:
We are officially in the instant gratification era.  Almost anything we need is a click or a call away.  We wait for nothing.  Technology has done wonderful things for our society; however it has come with a price.  We are missing the pride in working toward a goal; of encountering setbacks and conquering the obstacles along the way.  Our intentions are good.  We crave the end result, but we are not willing to put the time and energy into seeing the process through.  We want it NOW!

The Issue:
Our society’s quest for easy leaves us insanely unfulfilled.  In America, we have more and better “things” than ever.  Despite the surplus, the levels of depression and lack of fulfillment are at an all-time high.  How can this be?  Here is the issue- most things that come easily or instantaneously are not special.  We’ve all heard the line, “if it was easy everyone would do it.”  Yes, this might sound cliché, but it is incredibly accurate.

Embracing The Struggle
If you are fortunate to be in a tough situation right now be thankful.  Maybe you are facing challenges at work that seem insurmountable.  Be thankful.  Possibly you are facing the daunting task of getting back into shape.  Be thankful.  Some of you are leading groups of people who “just don’t get it.”  Look at this as a challenge and attack it.  The struggle is what makes us feel alive.  For a moment, reflect back to a time when you faced a really tough situation.  My guess is you can look back on this time with a pride; nearly a euphoric feeling because you conquered something that was not easy.  It took a sustained effort to win and you did it.  We learn a lot about ourselves in these difficult moments.  If you are in the midst of a tough time give thanks for the opportunity to make a memory.

A Quick Story:
Matt Buschmann made his big league debut in April for the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Talk about a struggle, as a late round draft pick Buschmann spent ten years in the minor leagues before making the “show” at 32 years old.  Here were his comments on his journey to the Big Leagues.
“The last three days have been just incredible, the outpouring of support and congratulations from friends, past/current teammates and family have choked me up more times than I care to admit.  It has certainly been a long road, but I realized a lifelong dream tonight that made every inch of that road worth it.  Of course my heart was racing as I ran from the bullpen to the mound, but the entire way I just kept thinking of all the people who have helped and supported me over the last ten years.  When you make no money and are grinding away, it helps to have incredible friends and college teammates like I have.  It helps to have a family that has been there no matter what.  It helps to have coaches and mentors that believed in you even when they shouldn’t have.  It helps to have a wife that puts up with marathon flights to small cities and not having a husband for 7 months so he can chase a childhood dream.  That debut was not for me, but for all those people that helped me along the way.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  And to the Arizona Diamondbacks, I will be forever grateful that you gave a YOUNG 32 year old an opportunity.”

Leadership Opportunity
Everything starts with the leader.  Many leaders are busy complaining about the millennial generation’s shortcomings.  They are focusing all their time and energy on how they, “don’t want to work for anything.” Or, how they have major “entitlement issues.”  While others are slapping “universal laws” on people we are left with an opportunity to do the dirty work and really get to know our people.  Instead of taking the easy way out, we can work to understand their point of view.  In my opinion, the problem isn’t entitlement it is a complete lack of impatience, which is understandable in our present society.  So what are we to do?  We can start selling the beauty of the journey and the struggle.  We can explain that meaning is often found in the moments of despair.   The millennial generation is craving to make a difference and be heard.  We just have to show them how.  As Virginia Tech basketball coach, Buzz Williams says, “It’s hard to appreciate the value of something you haven’t invested in.”

This Week’s Homework
Make it a priority to put yourself and those you lead in tough situations.  Demand more of yourself and others; create a struggle even if one is not currently present.  This discomfort is the edge where greatness and fulfillment reside.  Playing it safe and comfortable leaves us apathetic, and there is nothing worse than apathy.   There is more and more pressure from society to “take it easy.”  We know better.  We owe it to our selves and more importantly, to those we lead, to push them past their comfort zone and into the elite space of achievement.

Final Comment
Sports mirror life; that is why I love them.  This week as you watch the Olympics, MLB, NFL or College Sports please take time to appreciate the journey and struggle for many of these athletes.  Achieving at an elite level comes with sacrifice, failure and pain.  It’s what makes it special.  As Nick Saban says, “If you want to do something significant you better be ready for it to be hard- the difficulty is what makes it significant.”

P.S. Here is a link to a one-minute video that captures the essence of the journey of Michael Phelps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh9jAD1ofm4