Hacking Patience


Being patient is one of the toughest things I deal with. I can't keep calm.
Now I'm not sure if it's just me or if it's really a social side-effect of being a programmer.

Programming is one of the jobs where you see results for your actions in near-real-time. I can't think of any other job which reflects upon your action any faster.

We act, and we expect results. We expect them soon enough. Hell, we demand results.

This vicious cycle in our daily lives is making us a little more impatient daily. The real problem is that this sense of being impatient towards things and events makes way into our real lives. It gives birth to all sorts of problems.

You are more anxious, and can't calm down unless you witness the outcome. You fail to respect that other person needs his/her own space and time to sort out matters which involve you. You get frustrated/irritated more easily when you don't see immediate results, which will often be the case really.

Truth is, most of the times I know I am being impatient, but I find it logically unacceptable that why shouldn't I be impatient. I can't accept my actions not giving me results soon enough.

So, I developed a life-hack to overcome impatience.


Change the expectations/outcome of your actions from "Ultimate Result" to "Immediate Result". Once you reward yourself with an immediate result, you will no longer be impatient.

Tell yourself, "You're getting there!" 

  • When you click that download link, your expectation should not be that you get the file. It should be download to begin.
  • Don't wait for that call impatiently. Your actions won you a call, it will come when it has to come. You've done your part.
  • After you propose or apologise, your immediate result is that the other person is giving it a thought. A yes or no is not what you should be looking for as an immediate result.


I think the hack works for me.

Sometimes, I've to think really hard to figure out the immediate outcome as a result of some action, but I eventually figure it out.

Life is far more satisfying and patient now !




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