I don’t particularly like the quote “Good things come to those who wait.” This quote, attributed to British author Violet Fane (Mary M. Singleton) in 1892, may be true but it leaves out important parts of the story. Good things may come to those who wait, but only after certain important conditions have been met:
Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (If They Also….)
- Work hard
- Use what they are learning to help others
- Keep working hard
- Improve but still keep learning
- Keep using what they learn in service to others
- Don’t give up, even when progress is slow and success is uncertain
- ….and so on (perpetually repeating numbers 1-6 above)
Doing these things keeps people in a service mindset, making it easier to wait for good things to happen. And, of course, while they are working diligently, they are not just waiting. Without the rest of the context, the quote seems to imply that just “waiting” is enough.
What are your thoughts about the context of this quote? What other well-known quotes might be missing an important part of the story?
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Thanks Kara, for sharing additional nuances related to the post!
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I think you’re interpreting it differently than most people. What I got from your statement is that when you hear it you think of work, money or material things. Like many forms of art they can be interpreted differently, for instance, love. Personally I feel that love comes when you least expect it, and searching for it might not be the best way to do it, sometimes you just have to wait. Even if you look at this quote with work in mind it makes sense because although you have to work hard and take the right steps, most people don’t start a job at the highest level, they start at entry level and can work their way up to CEO. Yes work hard but also be patient and wait your turn. Many people lack patience, I see it on a daily basis in many different situations. You can work towards your goal but be patient at the same time. I’m not knocking your interpretation, I totally understand where you’re coming from I just wanted to give a different perspective.
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Thank you so much for sharing your story Quincy! You might also enjoy this 400th Post: The Journey to Meaning (Growth Required): https://leadingincontext.com/2017/03/22/400th-post-the-journey-to-meaning-and-purpose/
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This is a great article. I was driving in my local town earlier today with my wife and I asked her, “Do you think there is more to the phrase, Good things come to those who wait.” We both suggested that the phrase implies patience, but I could sense that there is something more to the quote, and it may even have an author. After going home later in the evening I found this page with the Google search.
I have been studying leadership for 13 years, and I have worked in numerous leadership positions. Only recently have I decided to do my best in serving others and teaching what I have learned and continue to learn. I think this is awesome what you are doing with your company Professor Thornton!
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