Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." -John Quincy Adams

For those that do not know, I am a big fan of the game, 'Scrabble'. Maybe it is because I'm good at it, or maybe just because I'm competitive and any game is fun to me, but Scrabble is usually my go-to game. I always love when you start seeing the potential of a big word coming into focus and once you lay down the other unneeded tiles in hopes of getting that final big word, you have to just beam as soon as you pick up the letters you need. Boom! 50 points!
When I was being interviewed for the job I have now, my boss told me that I would be literally building the department from the ground up. As someone who enjoys a challenge, of course I immediately jumped on the band wagon and was ready to rock and roll! I am moving into my fifth month of working at Piedmont and we have already started seeing some amazing things in our department!
Michelangelo once said, Lord, grant that I might always desire more than I can accomplish." I've always liked this quote because it shows that there is never a finished point to your work (or a least there never should be). Just like my work at Piedmont, I am still working to change the department and school mentality for the better and greater good for the students. It will never be a finished job, there will always be new obstacles that come into play and there will always be a need for improvements (that's just life, there is going to be change), but just like that scrabble game, if you see a goal and play your little successes as you can see them, you will eventually get that 50 pointer!
Patience is essential for getting what you want. Things are not simply handed straight over to you within the second of you asking for them. Trust, respect and success are things that must be earned over time. With this being said, however, things don't magically happen if you just wait. Patience is only one side of the coin. As you wait for some goals to mature with time, you must also continue playing the game. It is necessary to play the other smaller tiles to get them out of the way before you can win. If you are simply sitting at the board and waiting, it will be your turn forever and the game will come to a sudden halt.
Patience can be a wicked concept. If you wait long enough and you play the game while you wait, you might get what you want, but time is also someone you are playing against. If you are waiting for the big pointer and are playing 5 point words here and there while your counterpart is playing 10-20 point words, your patience was in vain and time got the best of you. The best solution is to figure out what you are wanting to fight for and keep fighting, sometimes you manage to get that 50 pointer, sometimes you have to cut your loses and go for some smaller wins. This can be said about any work goals you might see. I didn't convert them over to being in the student affairs world, but I know they are living a better life because of me. The magic thing about this concept is that the smaller wins could eventually build up to be bigger than the big win. Win as many battles before you try to take on the war. Patience will win out in the long run.
Question time: What is a goal you are aiming for which needs a little patience before you obtain it?