Terry did something that more of us should: he identified the key values he wanted to use in evaluating opportunities. In his case, it wasn’t money (if it were, he would have said yes instantly). Instead, he prioritized time with his family and the ability to work on interesting projects. That enabled him to cultivate the resolve necessary to stand

So often, we identify a path of what worked before, or what should work, or what we should want—and we stick to it at all costs, even when it makes us miserable.

Playing the long game—eschewing short-term gratification in order to work toward an uncertain but worthy future goal—isn’t easy. But it’s the surest path to meaningful and lasting success in a world that so often prioritizes what’s easy, quick, and ultimately shallow.

We’re stuck in permanent “execution mode,” without a moment to take stock or ask questions about what we really want from life.

For a full year, I committed myself to studying. I made a list of all the things I didn’t know that I suspected I needed to.

What would it look like to set aside comparison, discover our own definition of success, and live life on our own terms? The patience, strategy, and consistent effort required to get there may seem like lost art forms. But to create the kind of interesting, meaningful lives that we all seek, they’re essential—and it’s time to embrace them.

The whole point of playing the long game is understanding that ridiculous goals are ridiculous right now—not forever. When we force ourselves to take our goals to extremes—What would ultimate success look like?—we can create an honest road map for ourselves. It might take five years, or ten, or twenty. But that time will pass anyway.

Four questions can help you determine whether something is worth doing: – What is the total time commitment? – What is the opportunity cost? – What’s the physical and emotional cost? – Would I feel bad in a year if I didn’t do this?

If it were easy to be patient, and easy to do the work, then everyone would do it. What I’ve come to love about patience is that, ultimately, it’s the truest test of merit: Are you willing to do the work, despite no guaranteed outcome?