--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Patience can be a good thing - but not…" description: "\"Patience can be a good thing - but not necessarily. Sometimes it's not so bad to be impatient. I'm a little bit too polite.\" — Helen Mirren" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/helen-mirren-1937_bad_patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-nec_110310.png" --- # Patience can be a good thing - but not necessarily… ![“Patience can be a good thing - but not necessarily. Sometimes it's not so bad to be impatient. I'm a little bit too polite.” quote by Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/helen-mirren-1937_bad_patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-nec_110310.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/helen-mirren-1937_bad_patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-nec_110310.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/helen-mirren-1937_bad_patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-nec_110310.png) > “Patience can be a good thing - but not necessarily. Sometimes it's not so bad to be impatient. I'm a little bit too polite.” [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nuanced view of patience, suggesting it’s valuable but not absolute, and acknowledging that occasional impatience can be a polite, strategic choice. **In simple terms:** Patience is useful, but sometimes impatience is okay. Key Takeaway Balance patience with timely impatience. Themes patience impulsiveness politeness self‑regulation Mood balanced reflective Type personal insight advice When to use this quote - negotiations - customer service - personal goal setting Key Concepts strategic timing Practical Applications - Practice mindful pauses - Allow constructive impatience to prompt action Questions to Reflect On - How can impatience be expressed without sacrificing courtesy? - When does patience become counterproductive? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Polite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polite/) ## Related quotes > [Patience is a good palfrey, and will carry us a long day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/patience-is-a-good-palfrey-and-will-carry-us-a-long-day/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [Don't rush it. Practice patience. Keep a good attitude while working hard for what you believe in. When the time is right, it'll happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-rush-it-practice-patience-keep-a-good-attitude-while-working/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every good thing in life requires consistent efforts and patience (good grades, healthy relationship, exercising), while every bad thing happens automatically or easily (laziness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupali-rajopadhye-rotti/every-good-thing-in-life-requires-consistent-efforts-and-patience/) [Rupali Rajopadhye Rotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupali-rajopadhye-rotti/) > [Average fathers have patience. Good fathers have more patience. Great fathers have an ocean of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-markham/average-fathers-have-patience-good-fathers-have-more-patience-great/) [Reed Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-markham/) > [Patience is always a good thing. Especially in a career like this, you need to ride the ups and downs; take the rough with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-scheffler/patience-is-always-a-good-thing-especially-in-a-career-like-this-you/) [Scottie Scheffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-scheffler/) > [For success, map out a course of action and follow it with conviction. It requires courage and patience. Good things come to those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/for-success-map-out-a-course-of-action-and-follow-it-with-conviction/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [“Patience is good. It lengthens the scene so you can see what needs to be seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/patience-is-good-it-lengthens-the-scene-so-you-can-see-what-needs-to/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [So much saintlike patience cannot be good for anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-much-saintlike-patience-cannot-be-good-for-anyone/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I think God's really blessed me with patience. I'm good with a lot of things going on at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-taylor/i-think-god-s-really-blessed-me-with-patience-i-m-good-with-a-lot-of/) [Niki Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-taylor/) > [“Patience is good sometimes, but useless when you know deep inside that you have been waiting for nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/patience-is-good-sometimes-but-useless-when-you-know-deep-inside-that/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Pain and patience for the good reason will be paid”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-kumar-m/pain-and-patience-for-the-good-reason-will-be-paid/) manoj kumar m > [To be honest, I don't love the getting-ready-for-red-carpet thing. I like when it's done, the final product, but the actual doing of all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-stevens/to-be-honest-i-don-t-love-the-getting-ready-for-red-carpet-thing-i/) [Amber Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-stevens/) > [I'm too direct and too unsparingly impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-m-too-direct-and-too-unsparingly-impatient/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [There is no passion in nature so demoniacally impatient, as that of him who, shuddering upon the edge of a precipice, thus meditates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/there-is-no-passion-in-nature-so-demoniacally-impatient-as-that-of/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [God is never late, we're just impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/god-is-never-late-we-re-just-impatient/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) ## More by Helen Mirren > [When you do a voice in an animated film, you don't see the finished product at all. You're not animating. You're not doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/when-you-do-a-voice-in-an-animated-film-you-don-t-see-the-finished/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [I'm not strong-willed, actually. I'm a complete pushover. I love to be told what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-m-not-strong-willed-actually-i-m-a-complete-pushover-i-love-to-be/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [I think of myself as being a bit of a wimp deep down - a bourgeois wimp - and I'm fighting that. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-think-of-myself-as-being-a-bit-of-a-wimp-deep-down-a-bourgeois-wimp/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [It's never been confirmed that Elizabeth I was a virgin. It's like the Virgin Mary - it's about branding, a logo. To use a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/it-s-never-been-confirmed-that-elizabeth-i-was-a-virgin-it-s-like-the/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [When I was doing Shakespeare and I had spent a lot of time and effort in trying to become a great Shakespearean actress. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/when-i-was-doing-shakespeare-and-i-had-spent-a-lot-of-time-and-effort/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [I always tell my husband, That's it, I quit, I've done all I wanted, and he's just like, Yeah, yeah. Sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-always-tell-my-husband-that-s-it-i-quit-i-ve-done-all-i-wanted-and/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [A war film can be propaganda and they're very valuable as propaganda, as we realized in Britain in the Second World War. Film as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/a-war-film-can-be-propaganda-and-they-re-very-valuable-as-propaganda/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [It was never my intention to marry anybody. Economics are basically the only reason to get married, but I'm very glad I did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/it-was-never-my-intention-to-marry-anybody-economics-are-basically/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [You can't control how other people see you or think of you. But you have to be comfortable with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/you-can-t-control-how-other-people-see-you-or-think-of-you-but-you/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [When you're young, you wonder what all these old people are droning on about, trying to impart their wisdom. It's not relevant to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/when-you-re-young-you-wonder-what-all-these-old-people-are-droning-on/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [The role of women has always been undervalued in the spy world, always undermined in terms of recognition. Unfairly so. It's a world that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/the-role-of-women-has-always-been-undervalued-in-the-spy-world-always/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [I always love working with young actors, because there's always something to learn. It's always exciting to see the next generation and how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-always-love-working-with-young-actors-because-there-s-always/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [People with Parkinson's are not some weird people on the edge of human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/people-with-parkinson-s-are-not-some-weird-people-on-the-edge-of/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [My fear of drama school is that the natural extraordinary but eccentric talent sometimes can't find its place in a drama school. And often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/my-fear-of-drama-school-is-that-the-natural-extraordinary-but/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [It has nothing to do with clothing or makeup. Just put your shoulders back and chin up, and face the world with pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/it-has-nothing-to-do-with-clothing-or-makeup-just-put-your-shoulders/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) [Explore all 197 Helen Mirren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) ## More Bad quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Patience can be a good thing - but not necessarily. Sometimes it's not so bad to be impatient. I'm a little bit too polite.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helen Mirren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-necessarily-sometimes-it-s-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-necessarily-sometimes-it-s-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/helen-mirren-1937_bad_patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-nec_110310.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/helen-mirren-1937_bad_patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-nec_110310.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b88/helen-mirren-1937_bad_patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-nec_110310.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Patience can be a good thing - but not necessarily. Sometimes it's not so bad to be impatient. I'm a little…” — Helen Mirren", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Helen Mirren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Patience can be a good thing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-necessarily-sometimes-it-s-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/patience-can-be-a-good-thing-but-not-necessarily-sometimes-it-s-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```