“Good things come to those who wait” is a truism heard often in our everyday lives, and those “good things” usually manifest as closer relationships, successful careers, and a prevailing inner peace.
The art of patience combined with passion and persistence is what has propelled the greatest artists, scientists, athletes, and leaders to success. Famous authors have written the virtue of patience into their beloved protagonists; artists have touted its importance in the act of creation; and philosophers the world over have attested to its value.
But for many people, patience doesn’t come easily. As philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said, "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." These 10 quotes from famous figures across thousands of years speak to the importance of patience, and how to inspire it within yourself when you need it most.
To lose patience is to lose the battle.
— Mahatma Gandhi
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
— Confucius
Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you.
— Ovid
Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.
— A.A. Milne
Patience is a necessary ingredient of genius.
— Benjamin Disraeli
Genius is eternal patience.
— Michelangelo
Two things define you: your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything.
— George Bernard Shaw
Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone.
— Margaret Atwood
Trying to understand is like straining through muddy water… Be still and allow the mud to settle.
— Lao Tzu
How poor are they that have not patience. What wound did ever heal but by degrees?
— William Shakespeare
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