In our digital age of instant gratification and everything being available in less than a minute’s wait, patience is the most important, underexplored skill.
Today, everything is instantaneous. Dating, eating, friends, family, even buying a car- the list goes on. We hardly have to wait for anything, and when we’re told we do have to wait more than a few minutes, something is wrong. It hasn’t gotten any better with the rise in AI, because now AI can mimic the “thinking” for us. In a fast-paced environment full of stimulation and with everything on demand, we forget how important patience is in our everyday lives.
When we deal with the people we interact with daily, we need patience. When we work through solving problems in the workplace, we need patience. When we need to forgive ourselves, we need patience. In order to maintain any relationship, we need patience.
We as a society need to take a pause and practice real and true patience.
Have some grace for the annoying coworker who talks really loudly. Instead of going on your phone while waiting in line, notice the people around you. Be more patient with yourself when you fall short and make a mistake. Not only does it reduce anxiety, but it improves your quality of life.
It even enhances the funny and unique aspects of life. A chat with a stranger in a grocery line, or witnessing two birds spinning around each other on your daily walk home or even watching the sun rise and set is something that is easily missed through being consumed by a screen.
AI is a form of this technology that now replaces the very process of thinking and problem-solving. Instead of learning a new skill or really thinking through an issue, you can find the entire answer in under a minute. Instead of having real human connection, you can message a chatbot that mimics a human, a friend, or even a dating partner. Instead of working for years to practice a skill, technology and AI can finish a perfectly smooth version in seconds.
But that’s the thing: patience reminds us that we are human. While technology creates perfection, it’s in the messy and imperfect that we find real and raw humanity. And that is why it is a requirement that we must practice patience with ourselves and others, or else we could lose our humanity.