The Stimulus of Talent and Practicing Patience with Intention To Achieve Greatness

Patience is a virtue. Or is it not? When we live in a very high-demand culture, it is quite tempting to view patience as acting passive. Some would even argue that patience is the demise of the greatest desires of life. However, what happens when we discover that patience is not option, but rather imposed upon us by the nature of the universe. Do we then become predisposed to failure? I don’t know what type of magical drinks those folks are drinking, but I’d argue that patience is one of the bare necessities of life. Patience is the ability to accept that certain things in the universe are out of control. It is the ability to confront adversity with clarity and know how to move forward with intention. So, in today’s episode, I explore the value of utilizing patience with talent to amplify intentional greatness.

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Transcript

How’s it everyone, my name is Mike Cabuco, and welcome to another episode of the Love Notes for Life podcast, your creative space for amplifying greatness through gratitude.

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24 hours and 13 minutes. That’s the longest flight I’ve ever flown which was from Larnaca, Cyprus to Sacramento, CA. Thankfully I did have 2 layovers in Paris, France and Denver, Colorado.

However, do you know how it FEELS like to be traveling for 24 hours straight? I’ll give you a hint. It freaking sucks. But yes, back in the days I had to make the trip for work and the problem wasn’t going overseas, but it was the return flight that was brutally awful. And no matter what, no matter how much sleep I got while I was on the plane, once I hit the States, my eyes were clearly bloodshot, super dry, and you could’ve easily pushed me and I’d probably gracefully fall to the floor.

But no matter how you slice it or dice it, there's really no way around these long flights. I guess, maybe we'll see how it goes, but I've heard that a handful of companies are trying to resurrect the era of supersonic planes. Yea, you remember the Concorde? And it’d be nice to cut that flight time in half, but until then, I guess we all just have to be a little bit patient.

Patience is a virtue. But is it though?

There’s a quote by Tom Bilyeu, the co-founder of Quest Nutrition and he’s known for having a controversial stance on patience. He said, “If you want to have a radical impact on the world, there is one daily pleasure that you must relentlessly deny yourself above all others – patience. Patience will stunt the progress of the greatest among us.”

When I first heard his opposition, I kind of got a little bit defensive. Now mind you, I confess that at an early age, I was raised with the fundamental value and importance of patience. I’m Catholic and I’ve heard everything you can think of regarding the word “patience.”

For example.

“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.”

And another one. 

"But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."

And lastly, probably the most famous one:

“Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; it is not arrogant.”

All good suggestions, right? I mean, it’s a pretty good way of living and of thinking and I’ve tried to live my life with all these notions of patience. But let’s hear another brutally honest excerpt from Tom Bilyeu’s The Painful Truth About Success:

“People are gonna tell you terrible advice, like, be patient, but the reality is, you can’t be patient, not if you want to achieve at the highest level, and if patience is your thing, if you want to chill, if you want to relax, that is absolutely fine. There is no moral obligation to aim high, there’s no moral obligation to want to be one of the greatest in the world, but let me tell you right now, if you want to be one of the greatest of all time, the reality is, you’re fighting an uphill battle.

The reality is you’re going to have to go so hard to make that a reality, that other people simply cannot imagine, working that hard for anything in their life. That’s the simple truth.”

Fair enough. It’s tough love. Tough advice. But Tom does have a point. Patience can kill passion if used irresponsibly. However, patience is a prerequisite for progress.

Now, what I’m about to say may come off as a little bit egotistical, but I’m just going to throw it out there and hopefully a dozen darts don’t get thrown back at me. But, I’m starting to believe that I’ve been blessed with the genes and the predisposition for natural bodybuilding. Whoo. Now that is very a big statement. But, I’m inclined to believe that it’s not just wishful thinking on my part and after a few years of using myself as a guinea big and running the training and dieting protocols, and seeing the visual progress, I think it’s safe to say that I have some decent genes and not just some blue jeans, but some decent genes for putting on some muscle mass at a reasonable rate.

But, that realization didn’t happen overnight. Years ago, I was convinced that I was predisposed to be a failure when it came to anything sports related. I used to prescribe to the idea of the somatotype, the stereotypical body type idea that we were either an endo, ecto, or mesomorph which basically just means, respectively, you’re either on the hefty side, skinny, or just naturally “gifted” to look like a superhero. Well, here’s a fun fact. It’s kind of a silly thought because for one, we’re a pretty diverse group of human beings living on this big beautiful blue planet.

Also, consider this. This theory was proposed in the 1940s by an American psychologist, yes psychologist named William Herbert Sheldon. And what year is it right now? 2023. That’s like about 80 years ago, proposed by a psychologist, not an exercise scientist, and here’s one more for the road. If I showed you a picture of myself in 2020 where I clearly looked like the stereotypical endomorph and then you compared it to how I look now in the year of our Lord 2023, that comparison alone could debunk that myth.

So what, was I a mesomorph disguised as an endomorph? Would I just play tricks on the general public. Am I that good of a magician? Or was I an endomorph that transformed into a mesomorph? Well, you know what? It really doesn’t matter, and those stereotypes really just get in the way of our perception of patience and progress.

So I get what Tom Bilyeu is saying. You got to be proactive and not passive, and you can’t use patience as an excuse to give up on your greatest desires. However, I think it’s still important to remember the value of patience especially when the hardest goals can take a substantially long time. For example, you know what’s a cool goal that I’m impressed people pull off, but you can bet I’ll never pursue? Hiking up towards Machu Picchu via the Classic Inca Trail. Ah yes, 26 miles over 4 days to see the great 15th century Inca citadel in Peru. Now mind you, that’s a pretty badass way to experience Machu Picchu and it definitely gives you the mega props when you come back to work and tell all of your buddies about it. However, did you know that you could just bypass that whole arduous journey by taking a super awesome luxury train for $1000. Oh yea, that’s right and that’s definitely on my bucket list. So from Cusco to Machu Picchu, one could take the Hiram Bingham train, enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of the Peruvian landscape, taste excellent gourmet cuisine, and do it all in under 3 hours and a half without breaking a single sweat.

Now is that cheating patience? Well it depends because what is really the intended goal? Is it just to make the destination? Or is it to make the destination on your own terms.

You always hear it. It’s all about the journey of self-discovery on the road to victory. However, that journey can completely mean a million different things to a million different people. Some people prefer to expedite the process by all means necessary. While others, cherish in the task at hand and enjoy the process of getting from point A to point B. Yet, I’d argue, still, that both parties do experience a level of patience even though they may differ in duration. And sometimes, as much as we like to be in control of our circumstances, sometimes, whether we like it or not, our greatest goals require patience.

Now, the reason I brought up genetics earlier was that sometimes, it becomes an excuse to give up immediately and ignore the fact that growth emerges from patience. So genetics as defined by the NIH or the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, is the scientific study of genes and heredity—of how certain qualities or traits are passed from parents to offspring as a result of changes in DNA sequence. In essence, genes are the blueprints for our identity and it defines who we are and how we look, but the minute we throw in the word genes with the words talent or goals, for whatever reason it acts as this force field between potential and what we can actually really accomplish if we gave it a little bit of patience.

And how do I know that you might ask? Well, because I was the master of using genes to give myself a pass especially when it came to sports when I was younger. When things weren’t going my way, I’d push the default button and say, “well, it’s time for me to go. I clearly don’t have the sport genes.” Okay. But I remember getting super frustrated back in high school and we’d play baseball, and my classmates would criticize my lack of athleticism and I would just get fed up, become submissive, and just tell them off that I just wasn’t built for sports. And it rooted itself from this false belief that I didn’t have the “genes for sports.” But how did I really know that? I mean, it’s not like I ran a DNA test on myself and said, “Aha! For the rest of your life you will SUCK at sports!” No, that’s such a stupid assumption of myself. But rather, what I missed all along was that without the right stimulus over a given period of time, I’d never realize that I actually HAVE the genes to be good at sports. At the time, I just didn’t have the patience to actually see it through. I didn’t have the patience to move through the process, fall down, get back up, and actually give sports a chance.

And if there’s a sport that requires a ton of patience, actually it take 10 years to be exact, that’s the sport I’m pursuing now, which is natural bodybuilding. Ahh yes, the natty side NOT the naughty side. And don’t get me wrong, I have total respect for the individuals that choose to pursue the enhanced side, but I think it’s necessary to define what is the destination and what are you willing to do, within the context of your values, to achieve your goals.

And for me, I chose natural bodybuilding because I really want to see how far I can push myself at my age especially when I came to the party late. I mean, I’m already fighting time and I’m not in my early 20’s anymore and to think that I have to spend at least 10 years to see my theoretical genetic limit without any guarantees that I’ll be able to develop a competitive physique…Well my friends that’s a big commitment. However, that’s what I love about the sport. The delayed gratification and that necessity to do the work, over however long it takes, and do the hard work alongside patience.

I mean, here’s how I see it. If you’ve got a big goal and you’re extremely passionate about it to the point that you wake up every single day thinking about and then when you inch towards that goal it gives you a ton of energy, like lots of meaning, and fundamentally a significant amount of purpose in your life, then just the pursuit alone is a goal in itself. And then there’s that saying, “If you enjoy what you do, you’ll never have to work another day in your life.” And I’d also add, “If you enjoy what you do, it’s hard to slow down time because you’re just having way too much fun.” For me that’s why I value patience and persistence and it only leads to improvement. I know my sport is repetitive. It can seem very boring for others. But I’m not going to lie, a good training session, hitting PRs, and seeing my physique change over time is a gift in itself.

Now, with all that being said. Do genes matter in the absence of patience? Hell-yea they do! But let me elaborate and clarify my point. Genes are just genes. They’re talent markers. They make the game go in your favor. However, just because you have talent, doesn’t mean that success will come knocking at your door. Talent is potential that needs a spark of intentional action to create momentum.

So, whether I really have the talent or the genes, it doesn’t really matter when it comes to showing up, putting in the work, and learning to leverage patience. Unused talent doesn’t do anyone justice and just because I figured out that I actually have the proclivity to succeed in sports doesn’t mean that I get a free pass and I can just coast my way to victory. I mean, I know already that it’s going take at least a decade to reach my goal, so why waste the time in between where I could maximize my progress.

I impose the responsibility onto myself to leverage my talent and do everything within my power to improve my chances of achieving my goal within the context of my values.

So, I’d like to end this podcast episode with the actual definition of patience.

Being patient is the ability to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

There will be times in life where you have to be patient. Where life cannot be fast forward simply like a VHS tape and you will encounter certain events in your life that are way out of your control and it will force you to be patient. In those decisive moments, be patient, because during that time of reflection you will be able to see clearly. In time, the dust will settle and the raindrops chattering on the ground will slowly fade to a soft drumbeat. In that moment, you will find intention intertwine with clarity. And when others challenge you and force you to act quickly without thoughtful intention, learn to pause and step back and simply become patient with the situation. Recall, that patience is not a sign of weakness or complacency but the ability to tolerate the inconveniences of life with a great level of maturity. Learn to acknowledge the distractions and to let them go when the time is necessary. Be patient with growth. Be patient with others. And most importantly, be patient with love.

So when it feels like the journey is overwhelming and your goals seem so distant. Do not fear and just keep moving forward. In time, with intention and patience, your greatest desire will just be around the corner. 

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Thanks, y’all for tuning in to another episode of the Love Notes for Life podcast. I look forward to continuing this conversation of awareness and amplifying greatness through gratitude. If you’re enjoying the Love Notes for Life podcast, please subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Apple, and other major podcast platforms. The Love Notes for Life apparel and book is now available at lovenotesforlife.com. For the latest updates be sure to track the mindset by following me @mikecabuco on Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks y’all for the support and always remember, “There is beauty in knowing that there is only one of you.” Take care.