"Great difficulties may be surmounted by patience and perseverance." -Abigail Adams, The Second First Lady of the United States of America, Abigail Adams books//

Patience is not one of my strengths. I want to achieve my goals and overcome obstacles quickly. I am an optimistic overachiever who believes anything is possible in life and everything is within my control. In other words, I am moderately delusional about my own capabilities, and I am a member of the 'I want it now' society.

The upside to being impatient and highly motivated is that I am willing to take risks much moreso than my counterparts or co-workers. I like to try new things, and I view every obstacle as an opportunity to learn and grow. I am driven to be the best at everything that I do. I am a leader and an explorer who loves adventure and embraces change.

The problem with people like me is that life often becomes a series of high 'highs' and low 'lows,' which tends to lead to burnout, addiction or depression. I have a tendency to sacrifice things like sleep or eating or exercise when I'm engrossed in a project. It's also easy for me to become addicted to the process of achieving my goals, especially if things are going well. Finally, after weeks of sleep depravation and a steadfast commitment to overcoming an obstacle without success, I get depressed.

The 'Now' mentality is inherent to my life, but I have found a few ways to offset the control it has over me.

First, I made a commitment to achieving balance in my life, especially with regard to spending time with family. Second, I am learning how to better understand my strengths, so I can choose activities that increase my likelihood of success. I don't look for challenges - I look for opportunities to win.

Finally, one of my strengths is perseverance, so when I am faced with a tough challenge or obstacle that cannot be overcome quickly I "chunk" it down. This strategy helps to keep me motivated through a long achievement process by having several reasons to celebrate accomplishments along the way.

I will always struggle with patience because it is not one of my strengths. There are elements of it that I may be able to learn or improve upon; however, it would take twice the energy and discipline for me to minimize this weakness as it would to maximize a different strength. This strategy is a recipe for mediocre results and a mediocre life, and as a member of the "I want it now" club that won't work for me.

Patience is a virtue, but it isn't one of mine. I have many others though, and I'm building on them more every day.

Are you working on developing your strengths or minimizing your opportunities? How does that make you feel? Please share your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks!

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