Part 2: Patience

A 3-Part Miniseries on The Myth of Falling Behind

Patience.

The tension between work and life is rich and real. Many women feel pressured to live fully, invest wisely, savor the moment, and prepare for the future while navigating mixed messages and comparison traps: Freedom vs. Foundation.

• We tell 20-somethings to travel the world, but remind them they won’t have enough for retirement if they don’t max out their 401k.
• We urge them not to delay having children, but warn them that it will likely derail their careers.
• If they get divorced, they’re told they’re starting over; if they haven’t bought a house yet, they’re told they missed the market.

Yet most women probably didn’t think of it as failing or falling behind until well-meaning advice.

It’s like telling your daughter she can do anything a boy can do. Before you said it, did she think she couldn’t?

By seeding the concept of “falling behind,” we’re also introducing urgency, guilt, and burnout.

Yes, the world tells us to move faster, do more, buy more, and hit certain milestones on time, but the most impactful decisions that shape our identities and destinies often take years to pay off.