Yesterday I wrote: “Nobody wants to get rich slow“, focussed on what it takes to build something of lasting value. In short, it takes patience as you work on the “source” elements that will build the foundation for the “outcome” you seek.
Later that day, having recently discovered an amazing bicycle service shop in range of where I live, I went to collect my bike from being serviced and having an annoying noise (bike owners may know this phenomenon!) addressed.
I was blown away by the speed, quality and (low) price of the work, but even more so by the passion and drive of the owner of the business.
Hugely busy with the boom in people now cycling in the city, he was able to take a breather when I came to get my bike. I asked him a little about his business, reading that he is now “in a great place, you have lots of choices as to what you do with it now!”.
He agreed, then said: “Yes, and it took ten years to get to this point”
Overnight success in business is often ten years in the making, or even more. What are you focussed on now that will deliver your vision in the future?
Oh, and if you are able to think in ten year timeframes you, like Warren Buffett or the bike shop owner, have an enormous advantage over those who think only short term.
PS my oldest son started competitive swimming aged 8. At 18, as his coach gave a speech sending him off to swim for one of the top college swim teams, he remarked that, by his calculations, a few months beforehand, my son had completed 10,000 hours in the pool training over his career.
PPS To stick at anything that takes 10 years to deliver results, you had better be passionate about what you do, whether that be swimming, repairing bikes, investing, or (in my case) writing 😉