The Result of Being Impatient

On January 15, 1986, an Indian Airlines flight took off from Mumbai for Delhi. But just fifteen minutes later, it landed back at the Mumbai airport. It had started half an hour late due to some technical issues, and when the airplane was in the sky, a passenger sent a note to the pilot, one Captain Bhatnagar, asking why the flight was late by half an hour?

The Captain called the passenger into the cockpit and tried to explain the reason for the delay. The passenger, dissatisfied with his explanation, punched him on the back and said: “I have seen pilots like you.” (The Times of India, January 16, 1986)

Captain Bhatnagar was naturally alarmed at this. He immediately turned the flight back and landed again at Mumbai airport. Then there was chaos that went on for quite a long time. At last the officers of Indian Airlines had to arrange for another pilot for the flight.

As a result the flight to Delhi was delayed by three hours. The passenger could not tolerate half an hour’s delay but the price he had to pay was that he was three hours late in reaching his destination. Moreover, the officers of the Indian Airlines set up a high level commission to investigate the matter. The said passenger could perhaps save himself from punishment, but still he could not escape paying a price in terms of his own wasted time.

Impatience can have very negative consequences. It always pays to be patient.

It often happens that a person is under the impression that he is on track to achieve his goal, whereas in reality, he is headed towards non-achievement. He thinks he is fast approaching his desired destination whereas, as per the consequence of his approach, he is going further away from his goal.