When I first heard ‘Take the time it takes, and it takes less time,’ it was more than 30 years.

Much of my life’s philosophy comes from horses, and this statement is one of those gems. The essence of the quote comes from a natural horseman, Tom Dorrance. And when I heard it, it gave me much to ‘chew on.’ A horse person knows well when a horse simulates chewing while learning; it shows they are ‘chewing on a thought .’ When they begin to lick their lips, it means the thought is assimilating.

This statement influenced not only how I interacted with horses but with life.

Quantity over quality has become the mainstream attitude in the fast-paced, get things done world we live in. The destination is the goal, not the journey.  Whereas the journey may hold the most important lessons and memories, we rush through it to get to the end. It is like reading the book’s ending when we are midway through, bypassing the story’s nuances and plot.

It now appears we have become a society that has lost our patience for long-form anything. What was once referred to as the MTV generation because of fast cuts, short storylines, and limited attention spans has become the standard communication mode. If you add in texting, swipe right dating and emojis, well, ‘Nuf said.

Whether we are mimicking art, life has followed suit.

We want instant gratification, immediate results, something for nothing. BTW, 2G2BT doesn’t work that way… IKR?*

Recognizing our strengths and weaknesses is the first step in personal growth. While coming to understand the meaning of  ‘take the time…’  I unearthed aspects of myself that could use some work.

Patience was not one of my strong points. I say ‘was’ because it is something that I am continuously mindful of being. To say ‘is’ keeps it as a current trait while ‘was’ puts it in the past. Surprisingly I have the patience for others; it is of myself I am most demanding.

Thankfully I have had horses as my teachers most of my life. Tremendous patience, focus, and emotional control are needed to work with a horse. Without it can result in injury or worse.

Horses are a direct reflection of who we are.

If we are impatient, they will become restless. If we become frustrated, the horse will become the same. If we are distracted by the days’ events, our horse will lack connection and become distracted. And when we are focused, connected, and at peace, our horse will strive to understand what we want of him.

Horses are like any other relationship we have in life. Be it with co-workers, significant others, kids, friends, strangers, or our pets, our state of being will be reflected by those we hold in our sphere of living.

To take the time it takes requires us to slow down, be in the moment, not rush towards the destination, but instead to enjoy the process of getting there. Cutting corners only cheats ourselves, often resulting in having to redo something. Breaking a habit or rebuilding something can not only be frustrating, costly, and time-consuming. By doing it correctly, the first time can save time and energy.

Do it right the first time. 

Taking the time it takes has no end time; it takes as long as it takes, and that may be a lifetime.

Cliche sayings often hold, and ‘Stopping to smell the flowers’ can work hand in hand with taking the time.

We bring to the table who we are. The more I work on myself, the clearer I become. To be a master of anything takes a lifetime, which is also true with our mastery. To Let Go of our need to hurry through a project to get it done, or demand of ourselves before we are ready to assimilate it fully, takes consciousness and kindness to ourselves. If we permit ourselves to ‘Take the time that it takes,’ it will often and most likely take less time.

I don’t always take the time; however, since this saying is ingrained in my subconscious now ( heck, after 30 years, you would hope it would be), I do catch myself pausing when opting for a shortcut then a choice is made, which way to proceed.

Mostly I choose the correct path.

I am learning.

*BTW= By the way

2G2BT = Too good to be true

IKR= I know, right?