Tory Hoen: Practice Makes Patience

October 27, 2015

Are you tired of talking about practice yet? We aren’t! Since the launch of our #PracticeMakes collection, various MMers have expounded on what practice “makes” for them. Today, our Editor-in-Chief Tory Hoen weighs in.

“Practice makes patience.”

I’ll admit it: I’m impatient by nature. I’ve often had trouble “enjoying the journey” because I need to know what lies at the end. Throughout my twenties, I was on a frantic mission to actively figure out my life—my career, my location, my worldview, my purpose. I had about 742 jobs and scampered between continents. I anxiously awaited the moment when everything would just snap into place and I would finally—finally—feel settled.

Nope. At 31, I still have no conclusive answers about where I’ll end up. But I have learned to be patient with the process and to enjoy the ride with people who motivate and inspire me. I haven’t written the next Great American Novel yet; but I’ve written a lot (including this little gem). The more I practice writing (and frankly, the more I practice living), the more I understand that process is more important than outcome. And when I’m patient with the process, the outcome takes care of itself.

When my old answer-seeking anxiety starts to resurface, I think of this quote by Annie Dillard: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” I focus on today, I practice patience, and I have faith that wherever I’m going, I’ll get there.

Check out the #PracticeMakes collection, and read about its creation here.