How long does it take to become successful?
Steve Jobs famously said, “If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.” Jeff Bezos pinned the figure at 10 years.
Certain businesspeople, artists, authors, athletes, or celebrities may seem to have become famous rather quickly, but they usually put in years of quiet effort before becoming well known on the global stage.
One sees this clearly in the story of Joseph. Pharoah has his disturbing dreams of fat cows being swallowed by skinny cows, and thin ears of grain swallowing healthy ones, and no one can interpret them to the monarch’s satisfaction.
Suddenly, the chief butler remembers Joseph, who was once his fellow prisoner and able to interpret his and the chief baker’s dreams correctly. He suggests that Joseph may be able to solve Pharaoh’s problem, and in a flash the young Hebrew is hauled out of the dungeons, cleaned up, and brought before the king.
Joseph interprets the dreams, Pharaoh is happy, and immediately he appoints Joseph Viceroy of Egypt, second only to the king himself.
In a single day, Joseph was catapulted from prisoner to Prime Minister! An overnight sensation indeed.
But what was the history here? Where was Joseph until now? First, he was a slave to Potiphar, having been sold into servitude by his own brothers. Then, denounced by Potiphar’s wife who falsely accused him of sexual impropriety, he was sent to prison. How long was he there? Some say it was 12 years before he was called to Pharaoh to interpret the dreams.
Overnight success? Sure. But not before he paid his dues and sowed the seeds of his reputation two years earlier when interpreting the butler’s dream correctly.
Power and position certainly came quickly to Joseph. But don’t forget that he languished in the dungeons for many years waiting for that window of opportunity to open.
And then, the economic plan that he instituted across Egypt—collecting and storing grain during the seven years of plenty in preparation for the seven years of famine to follow—was also not an overnight solution.
It was only after seven years of saving and two years of hunger that the fruits of his labor became apparent, sparing the whole region from starvation.
Clearly, Joseph had a long-term outlook.
The message is clear: Much time, hard work, patience, and perseverance must be expended before one becomes an overnight success.
In life, we need not only faith, but patience too. Theologically, we believe that G‑d is good and that, somehow, everything is for the best—whether we see it immediately or not. That doesn’t mean that we will wake up the morning after bad news and everything will be fine and dandy. The “vast, eternal plan” can sometimes take what truly feels like an eternity to unfold.
“Patience is a virtue” is an old philosophical truism. Coupled with faith, it can help us live our lives with serenity and equanimity.
