Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
Human power is built on patience and time.
In plain terms
Power comes from waiting and lasting.
What can you take from it?
Patience and time are essential for influence.

Where it applies

  • building a career
  • political negotiations

Putting it to work

  • long‑term planning
  • deliberate decision‑making

Questions to consider

  • How does patience shape success?
  • When is patience insufficient?

Another view

Patience alone may not overcome structural obstacles.

More from Honore de Balzac

  1. Je prefere la pensee a l'action, une idee a une affaire, la contemplation au mouvement.

    Permalink to quote #4

  2. La gloire est le soleil des morts.

    Permalink to quote #6

  3. Penser, c'est voir! me dit-il un jour emporte par une de nos objections sur le principe de notre organisation. Toute science humaine repose sur la deduction, q…

    Permalink to quote #3

Related quotes

  1. Just let matters slide. How much better to accept each sweet drop of the honey that was Time, than to stoop to the vulgarity latent in every decision. However …

    Yukio MishimaYukio Mishima quote #5

  2. 24-Characters: keep cool-headed to observe, be composed to make reactions, stand firmly, hide our capabilities and bide our time, never try to take the lead, a…

    Deng XiaopingDeng Xiaoping quote #6

  3. Major, we didn't take Washington, but we scared Abe Lincoln like hell.

    Jubal Anderson EarlyJubal Anderson Early quote #1