Patience is key. You can't get selfish, and that's the number

The words of Sasha Banks, warrior of the wrestling stage, resound with the timeless rhythm of perseverance: “Patience is key. You can't get selfish, and that's the number one thing I've learned at WWE. The world continues to go round, and I just knew - given the right opportunity and the right moment - that the world would know I was good, but now the world knows that I'm great.” These are not words spoken lightly, but hard-won lessons carved through trial, sacrifice, and endurance. They remind us that glory is not seized in haste but revealed in its season, and that the true champion is forged as much in waiting as in fighting.

The heart of her teaching lies first in patience. The ancients often said that rivers carve valleys not by force but by persistence. So too does greatness emerge not by sudden triumph but by steady faith through long seasons of preparation. Sasha knew that her moment would come, but she did not rage at the passing days nor despair in obscurity. Instead, she waited, honed her craft, and trusted that when the hour arrived, her skill would shine like the sun breaking through storm clouds.

But she warns also against the trap of selfishness. In the world of wrestling, as in life, many are tempted to grasp for the spotlight too soon, to demand recognition before their time. Yet selfish ambition often collapses upon itself, for the one who places themselves above the whole weakens the very fabric they belong to. Banks discovered that true strength lies in patience and in service — contributing to the greater story until the moment arises when one’s light can rightfully blaze. Selflessness is not weakness, but the discipline that keeps pride from devouring destiny.

Her words remind us of the eternal truth: the world continues to go round. No individual’s frustration can stop its spinning, no single delay is the end of the journey. Time moves, seasons change, and opportunity comes to those who endure. Sasha did not despair that her talent went unseen for a time; she trusted in the turning of the world, knowing that her hour would come, as the seed trusts that spring will follow winter.

History offers many mirrors to this teaching. Consider the story of Abraham Lincoln, who faced years of failure in politics, defeats in elections, and countless setbacks. Many thought him destined for obscurity. But Lincoln, like Sasha, held to patience, believing that the right moment would come. And when it did — at a time when the nation itself was breaking apart — he rose not merely as a good man but as a great one, remembered for generations as the leader who preserved the Union. His greatness was not born of immediate recognition, but of years of unseen endurance.

The lesson for us, children of restless ages, is radiant. Patience is key in all things: in careers, in relationships, in the pursuit of dreams. Do not allow envy or selfishness to drive you into folly, for the fruit picked too early is bitter, but the fruit ripened in its season is sweet and nourishing. Trust that the world turns, and with its turning your opportunity will arise. When it does, let your preparation, your endurance, and your faith reveal not only that you are good, but that you are truly great.

Practical actions follow this wisdom. Each day, dedicate yourself to your craft, no matter how small the task. Celebrate the victories of others without envy, for their rise does not diminish your own. Resist the temptation to rush, and instead build steadily, so that when your moment comes, you stand ready, unshaken. Remember always that greatness is not proven in a single act, but in a life that endures, prepares, and blossoms when the world is ready to receive it.

Thus let Sasha’s words be etched in the memory of all who strive: patience, humility, and trust in time are the true path to greatness. The impatient may grasp at shadows, but the patient will one day hold the crown.