The Waiting is the Hardest Part

I was listening to “The Waiting” by Tom Petty this morning. It’s an iconic song from a musical icon, mostly because so many people resonate with the chorus line that “the waiting is the hardest part.” But on closer examination, it seems that we’re missing some important context. Each time, before he sings the signature line, Petty gives us a clue:

”Every day you see one more card. You take it on faith, you take it to the heart…” and “Every day you get one more yard. You take it on faith, you take it to the heart…the waiting is the hardest part.”

In other words, waiting doesn’t have to be a passive act. One can still take initiative. It doesn’t always satisfy impatience, but it can lead to growth.

If you’re waiting to hear back from a job interview, sales prospect, or a potential date, remember that you can still make progress. Ambitious goals, especially world-changing ones, require both patience and persistence. So perhaps the song should be “The waiting if you do nothing at all is the hardest part” - but then again, that would be a terrible lyric, even if it’s true.