I know people who were christened Patience, but when they came of age, they decided to change their names to some other names. According to them, the name Patience breeds bad omens. And therefore, their big break is delayed because they bear the name. Since they are sick and tired of waiting for that big moment, they have to change their names so that big break can come quickly.
I have a cousin who changed his name from Patience to Joseph for the same reason discussed here. Now, that is particularly funny to me.
Considering the fact that, in this part of the world, Africa, where I'm from, people are mostly given Biblical names, not because of the literal meaning of the names but because of the quality or virtue of the major characters who bear the name in the Bible.
We are people who give deep meaning to everything. Here, children are given names in the hope that the name will transcend the fate of the child.
In my cousin's case, I can readily mention two popular Josephs in the Bible. And that will be Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and Joseph, the husband of Mary, who, according to the Bible, birthed Jesus while she was still a virgin.
Examining these two biblical characters, one can't help but obviously notice that they exude patience at its peak.
It then baffles me that someone who loathes patience and therefore doesn't want to bear it as a name will opt for the name of a biblical character who embodies patience.
Well, the truth is, I'm not really baffled. I know the reason. The reason is results.
My cousin and many others who are in his shoes are taking those names because of the achievements recorded for those biblical characters. It's the same way people take the name of great historic figures because of the admiration they have for the result they produced.
Often times, people admire the results others produce but fail to see the painstaking process they had to go through. We want people's rewards without being willing to labour the way they do. We want to arrive at a destination without embarking on the journey. We only see people's glory without knowing their story.
A lot of people loathe patience because they often mistake it for passiveness, inaction, and indifference. Conversely, patience entails consistent efforts while waiting for the big result to surface.
It's just like constantly watering and nurturing a seed to grow, which eventually leads to a bountiful harvest. Similarly, to master any skill to the point of having a high level of performance, which will in turn produce the needed result, consistent practise and patience are required.
Patience is an important requirement in the game of success.
With consistent effort and the right level of patience, achieving any goal is a matter of time. Change your name if you must, but don't discard the virtue of patience. Just be sure that you're consistently applying the right amount of effort in the right direction while waiting.
Are you consistently working on anything positive?
Be patience. Wait for it. The big result is around the corner.
It's just a matter of time.
