How Long Can You Really Wait?

A young IT professional asked me: ‘When can I achieve Financial Freedom?’

My reply: ‘Minimum 20 years.’

His reaction was pure disbelief.

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Today, we live in an age of instant delivery.

A few taps on a screen, and within minutes, coffee, groceries, cabs, and even answers are at our doorstep.

If waiting for a bus once felt normal, today even a minute feels too long.

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This convenience has slowly changed our expectations.

We no longer tolerate delays. We want everything instantaneously.

Instant delivery. Instant returns. Instant success. Instant gratification.

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Patience, once considered a virtue, is now almost forgotten.

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• A pizza arriving late by 5 minutes feels unacceptable.

• A 90-second red signal feels endless.

• A video buffering for 5 seconds feels unbearable.

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If waiting for such small things feels frustrating, imagine how difficult it is to wait years or even decades for wealth to grow.

Yet that is exactly what true investing demands.

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Hence, the real question is, "How long can we truly wait anymore?"

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Wealth creation is like planting a tree.

• You nurture it with regular care (your SIPs).

• You protect it through storms (market volatility).

• And then, you keep waiting before it gives fruit.

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Investing is not about thrill or speed. It’s about compounding quietly in the background, while you have the patience to let time do its work.

The real magic of compounding works only for those who master the art of waiting.

In investing, time is not your enemy; it’s your greatest ally.

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So, the question is not “How fast can you make money?” The real question is: “How long can you wait?”

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-- Pady