On deferred gratification
The quietest driver of high agency isn't ambition or adversity
Agency fascinates everyone in tech. That drive to shape reality, to build something that should exist. We discuss ambition or adversity as the keys. But we overlook something simpler: being okay without immediate rewards.
This isn't the usual idea of delayed gratification, sacrificing today for tomorrow. It's deeper. It's working on things because they matter, without caring if anyone notices. Not out of discipline, but because validation isn't the goal.
Look at founders who succeed long after others give up. Engineers solving fundamental problems while peers chase promotions. Early employees choosing challenges over status. They share one trait: external praise doesn't shape their decisions.
This isn't patience. Patience means putting up with something unpleasant for future benefits. These people choose the harder path because instant recognition feels unimportant. Each time they choose substance over quick wins, their independence grows.
Small decisions compound quietly. When you stop chasing immediate results, your focus shifts. You build solid foundations others skip. You solve problems others don't even see. Your choices become clearer because short-term rewards matter less.
Most people confuse this with long-term thinking. But having a plan isn't the same as being comfortable with going unnoticed. Plans matter less than feeling free to ignore instant recognition.
Real agency is acting without external pressure. Few see how being okay with delayed validation strengthens this independence. Every time you choose real impact over acknowledgment, you gain power to shape reality rather than accept it.
The strongest form of agency isn't the drive to act. It's doing what's right without caring who sees.