Football is business. It's all about being quick, quick, quick -

Jupp Heynckes, a sage of the beautiful game, once declared with sober clarity: “Football is business. It's all about being quick, quick, quick—nobody has any patience nowadays. But then again, that is how things are in normal life, away from football.” In these words, he speaks of more than sport. He speaks of the rhythm of our age—an age driven by haste, where speed is prized above endurance, and where the ancient virtue of patience is cast aside in the pursuit of instant results.

The origin of this thought comes from Heynckes’ long years as both a player and a manager, witnessing football’s transformation from a community game to a global industry. In the world of football, victories must come swiftly, coaches are judged by a handful of matches, and players are sold or dismissed at the first sign of faltering form. The patience once given to build teams, to nurture talent, to endure lean years, has been replaced by relentless pressure for immediate triumph. Yet Heynckes, with wisdom, observes that this is no isolated phenomenon—it reflects the wider world, where daily life too has become bound by the tyranny of speed.

History reminds us that this hunger for quick results has always carried danger. Consider the fall of the Roman Empire: once mighty, it collapsed not only through invasion, but through the impatience of leaders who sought wealth and glory without the discipline of long-term stewardship. They wanted victories “quick, quick, quick,” but neglected the slow work of sustaining justice and unity. Their fate echoes Heynckes’ warning: when a society or a sport forgets patience, its foundation begins to crack.

At the same time, there is truth in his acknowledgment that this is “how things are.” The modern world runs on instant communication, rapid trade, and fleeting attention spans. In business, as in football, those who hesitate are overtaken. Speed is a necessity, yet it can become a curse when it blinds us to the deeper work that only patience can accomplish. Heynckes sees clearly the paradox: speed builds excitement and success, but without patience, the soul of both football and life is diminished.

This quote also reveals a quiet lament. For Heynckes belonged to an earlier generation, when managers were given seasons to shape a team, when trust outweighed panic, when loyalty mattered. His words suggest a yearning for balance: to embrace the efficiency of speed without forgetting the wisdom of patience. Without such balance, both football and life become a chase without rest, a business without heart.

The lesson here is for all: do not despise patience in your own pursuits. Whether in sport, in work, or in family life, the greatest triumphs are rarely instant. A harvest needs seasons; a relationship needs time; mastery of a craft requires years of labor. Let speed serve where it must, but do not let it enslave you. Recognize that what is most precious often grows slowly, and to demand immediacy is to rob yourself of depth.

Practical action flows from this teaching. When faced with pressure to be “quick, quick, quick,” ask yourself: is this a moment for speed, or for patience? Learn to endure short-term struggles for long-term gain. In your work, resist the urge to abandon projects at the first setback. In your relationships, give grace and time. And in your spirit, resist the world’s demand for constant haste, for wisdom walks slowly, and truth does not hurry.

Thus, let Heynckes’ words endure as a lesson beyond the stadium: life, like football, is indeed business, but it must not be only haste. To live well is to balance the quickness required by survival with the patience required by greatness. For only in patience does the seed bear fruit, and only in balance does the fleeting game become eternal.