I've been reading Isaac Asimov's Foundation this weekend, and the one thing that stood out very strongly to me is this.

Things take time.

The plot epitomises the old saying that 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. 

To bring about meaningful change, to achieve grand visions, takes a long time. None of these things happen overnight. 

With shortening attention spans, one of the most important skills today is to learn to be patient in pursuing a vision. 

The pre-requisite, of course, is to have a vision. 

What we must master is to learn to set a vision for ourselves and the world around us and to work patiently towards it for as long as it takes, knowing that it will likely take a long time.