It has been said that patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet.
It has also been said that as the years go on a sense of deep patience comes over one; one seems to know the virtue of ripeness, and the danger of rushing events.
I agree with both of these statements, but we all know that practicing patience is anything but easy. That’s why I’m sharing ten reasons why patience is important in our life, according to everyone.
1. Patience Helps You Think Reasonably
While it’s not always easy to practice patience, especially when we’re feeling stressed, it really does give us the space we need to handle personal and professional situations that much better. Patience lets you face people, situations and more with empathy, calmness and the ability to think reasonably.
Source: The Importance of Patience in Personal and Professional Growth | SUCCESS
Related book: The Power of Patience by M.J. Ryan
2. Patience Helps You to Develop a Healthy Attitude
A lack of patience often results in being unhappy, irritable, focusing on the negative and eventually believing that nothing ever seems to go your way. Patience improves your ability to accept setbacks and enjoy life much more. There is a saying; “Good things come to those who wait.” Patience allows you to persevere and make more productive decisions, often leading to greater success.
Source: The Skill of Patience – Columbia Metropolitan Magazine
3. Patience Ensures Better Mental Health
This finding is probably easy to believe if you call to mind the stereotypical impatient person: face red, head steaming. And sure enough, according to a 2007 study by Fuller Theological Seminary professor Sarah A. Schnitker and UC Davis psychology professor Robert Emmons, patient people tend to experience less depression and negative emotions, perhaps because they can cope better with upsetting or stressful situations. They also rate themselves as more mindful and feel more gratitude, more connection to mankind and to the universe, and a greater sense of abundance.
Source: Four Reasons to Cultivate Patience – Greater Good
Related book: Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living by Allan Lokos
4. Patience Makes You a People Magnet
Yet another benefit of being patient is that it makes people attracted to you. If you are a patient person, they will want to deal with you more than they will someone blows their top when they get mad. We all make mistakes from time to time. People will want to talk to someone that will be patient with their mistakes, especially if they are trying to learn and develop a skill set.
Source: 10 Powerful Benefits of Being Patient – Contentment Questing
5. Patience Helps You Build Strong Relationships
The role of patience in our life isn’t exclusively individual. Being patient also helps you develop strong, healthy, long-lasting relationships. Your relationships with friends, family, and coworkers thrive when you practice patience. It’s important to understand that patience isn’t transactional. When you’re patient with a person, don’t hold onto an expectation that they’ll give you something in return. Patience is about sustaining and bettering relationships — not holding your good deed above someone until they do you a favor.
Source: The Importance of Patience in Life: 8 Benefits – Better Up
Related book: Patience: Nine Fruits of the Spirit by Robert Strand
6. Patience Helps You Learn Difficult Skills
Learning valuable skills and lessons: Patience gives you the endurance necessary to learn difficult skills. Challenging work can be rewarding when you have a method of approaching it, and patience can help you maintain the positive mindset necessary for improvement.
Source: The Importance of Being Patient and How To Develop Patience | Indeed.com
7. Patience Maximizes Your Potential
The difference between a rushed assignment and one that is patiently done is always obvious. When you practice patience, you will be learning many important lessons that will equip you to do as much as possible the best way you can.
Source: 6 Ways to Benefit From the Importance of Patience – John Miles
8. Patience Helps You Achieve Your Goals
The road to success is a long one. It’s not something that can be achieved overnight. It’s rather a slow but promising process of growth that, with enough perseverance, meets the threshold of success. What most people don’t realize is that at the moment they are about to succeed, they pull back. They begin to doubt. They begin to fear, and that’s when they genuinely fail. Those who expect results immediately are unlikely to enjoy the sweet taste of success.
Source: The Importance of Being Patient – Forbes
Related book: The Book of Patience: 250 Ways to a More Patient You by Courtney E. Ackerman
9. Patience Can Help You Find Your Purpose
How patience and purpose go hand in hand Patience is the ability to stay actively engaged in working toward a goal without becoming frustrated. Patiently pursuing purpose does not mean sitting by and waiting for inspiration to strike. Instead, it means engaging in the personal reflection and intentional conversations that help us figure out how we want to contribute to the broader world without feeling rushed or hurried. Accepting that the search is a long-term endeavor can help us cultivate our purpose in a more efficient and growth-supporting way.
Source: How Patience Can Help You Find Your Purpose – Greater Good
10. Patience Gives You a Peaceful Heart
One of the best benefits of patients is a peaceful heart. When you are frustrated and angry all the time you raise your blood pressure and add unneeded anxiety to your life. That isn’t good for your heart physically or emotionally. When you learn how to be more patient you learn how to regulate your emotions in difficult situations. You learn how to calm yourself when you are suffering or something you look for is delayed. Patience helps you look to the future with hope and endure the present with joy.
Source: 5 Benefits of Patience and How to Develop This Great Quality – Doable Simplicity
Jon Kabat-Zinn Video About Mindful Patience
Complement with 100 best quotes about patience.
Editor’s note: This article was updated throughout in 2024.
I’m a freelance writer and mindfulness advocate behind this blog. I started my meditation practice in 2014, and in 2017 I launched this website to share what I learn with others. Here are the three things you can do here:
1. Schedule a free consult if you want to learn Buddhist meditation.
2. Download free mindfulness resources for stress relief
3. Hire me as a freelance writer for your blog. I can write about wellness and digital marketing (learned about it while running this website).