In a world where everything happens at lightning speed, we’ve forgotten the art of patience.
We’re used to 24-hour deliveries, instant replies, and immediate results.
But what happens when things take time? When you have to wait, work hard, and put in the effort before seeing the payoff?
The Stoics understood that patience is the key to mastering both the small and big things in life. Let’s be real though – patience is freaking hard. But it’s time to take control and build your mental strength. This Stoic patience challenge will help you tackle waiting like a Stoic master, one day at a time.
Step 1: Spot Your Impatient Self
The first step in your journey towards Stoic patience is becoming aware of when and how you lose your cool. Just like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, the great Stoics who worked on their weaknesses, you need to identify when you’re most likely to lose your patience and how it affects your actions.
Action:
Write down situations where you’re most impatient. Whether it’s waiting in long lines, slow responses, or waiting for results, reflect on how it impacts your behavior. Ask yourself:
- Where do I lose my patience most often?
- What do I do when I feel impatient?
- How does this affect my actions and mood?
This awareness is the first step toward building Stoic patience.
Step 2: Train Your Patience – Daily Stoic Challenges
Patience is like a muscle – the more you train it, the stronger it gets. This exercise is about taking control when impatience creeps in. Start with small, daily challenges to help build your Stoic patience.
Action:
Pick one of the following daily challenges and stick to it for at least a week. Keep track of your progress:
- Choose the longest line and stand there without checking your phone. How did it feel?
- Put yourself in situations where you have to wait on purpose (e.g., waiting for a meal to cook or for someone to reply). Breathe deeply and embrace the wait. What was the experience like?
- Avoid interrupting others in conversation, even when you’re eager to speak. How did this change the dynamic?
Step 3: Learn from Stoic Patience
The Stoics, like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, mastered patience because they knew good things take time. Their philosophy can teach us to remain calm, patient, and focused, even when life slows down or frustration sets in.
Action:
Reflect on how you can handle the following situations with Stoic patience:
- When you feel like you’re not making progress toward a big goal.
- When someone annoys you, and you want to react quickly.
- When you’re impatient with yourself because you’re not where you want to be in life.
Reflecting on these scenarios helps you internalize Stoic calmness and act more thoughtfully.
Step 4: Build a Stoic Waiting List – Focus on Progress, Not Results
In Stoicism, it’s not just about getting to the end goal quickly. The Stoics understood that the process and daily effort are everything. This exercise is about creating a “Stoic Waiting List” where you map out long-term goals and focus on the small steps that bring you closer to them.
Action:
Make a waiting list of three things you want to achieve that require patience. Write down the small steps you can take each day to get closer to them:
- Long-term goal 1: ____________
- Small steps: ____________
- Long-term goal 2: ____________
- Small steps: ____________
- Long-term goal 3: ____________
- Small steps: ____________
This exercise keeps you focused on progress and growth, not just the results.
Step 5: Own Your Impatience
Patience isn’t about being passive. Stoic patience means choosing how you respond while waiting. This exercise helps you take ownership of your impatience and use waiting time constructively.
Action:
Reflect on these questions to transform your impatience into strength:
- What positive things could come from being more patient?
- How can I use waiting time to improve myself or my situation?
Answering these questions will help you see waiting as an opportunity for personal growth and development.
Conclusion
Patience might not be glamorous, but it’s the key to becoming a Stoic badass. By taking control of your impatience and choosing to respond calmly and deliberately, you unlock inner strength that makes you unstoppable in tough situations. So, are you ready to train your patience and take control of your life—Stoic style?