Patience. It’s something we can all agree is noble. “Patience is a virtue.” That has a nice ring to it. It’s great in concept unless you’re in that middle space where you’re having to BE patient every day. Then, patience can take on some other feelings. Frustrating, discouraging, held back…

We get it. The path to launching our downloadable version of our Brand Bounce Bootcamp has been a long one. Two years ago, we started with a concept that we thought would work. We tested it and refined it, shared it with our clients, and perfected it. Each day it got better. Then we started to transition it into a product that anyone could easily use on their own, from their kitchen table to their conference room. We strengthened the toolset, developed our video coaching tutorials, and built a framework where we could offer Bootcamp to customers and help them create their own impact and results. It’s been a long road — longer than we expected.

So how do you keep moving forward in those middle moments where you feel stuck and held back?

Take a Long-Term Focus — First, you need to start a large project like this, or any significant life endeavor, with the long-term game in focus. Nothing worth doing happens fast, and so beginning with patience as a mindset is essential. This isn’t a license to lolly-gag and move slowly. It’s a realization that things will probably take longer than you expect, and that’s OK. We knew that to launch Bootcamp and deliver the high-quality product we expected of ourselves, it was going to take time and we couldn’t rush the process.

Be Obstacle Aware — The second thing that you need to move forward with patience is an expectation that obstacles will arise, and washed out bridges will show up along the path. Any big endeavor worth chasing is going to come with challenges, so rather than being shocked when they show up, it’s good to begin knowing that they’re coming. Think of it like playing a video game. Every level gets tougher, the challenges get harder, there are more battles, and things move faster — but those are all the things that make the game more exciting and leveling up more gratifying.

Celebrate the Wins — Along the way, as you’re facing the obstacles, you’re also going to experience wins. Celebrate those, and use them as your fuel for pushing on. In our office, everyone has an orange bell on their desk, and when the wins show up, we ring them and celebrate them together. Ringing bells are one of the most fun parts of any day, and they have helped us create a culture that is future-focused and fun. We win and celebrate together, and that has become a core part of who we are and how we practice patience in our own journey.

Keep the End in Mind — Finally, as you’re in the middle of your journey toward any goal, keeping the outcome you’re chasing in mind is critical. When it’s hard to get excited about the obstacles and slow-downs, the thing that keeps us going is our vision for the future. In launching Bootcamp, we know that this product is going to help businesses from coast to coast connect with their customers. It’s an area where we know they feel stuck and need a solution, and it’s a space where we can help them transform their results. That’s been our goal from day one, as a way to live out the part of our mission statement that reads, “guiding others to unleash their potential.” Keeping that end goal in focus, and reflecting back on the clients that Bootcamp has already helped, has helped drive us forward and kept us patient.

Call to Action

Yes, patience really is a virtue, and we hope the concepts above help you practice it on your own journeys. You may not be launching a new project, but we know many of you are up to big things, and these insights around patience have proven so valuable to us here at OrangeBall — we expect they’ll help you as well. Now, go chase your own big dreams!