Pasta goes from perfect to mush in about ninety seconds. Timing isn’t just patience; it’s also knowing when to move.

Waiting is only half of good timing; the other half is recognizing the moment and moving immediately. Plenty of opportunities have a narrow window, and being patient right up to the edge of it and then hesitating produces the same result as never waiting at all. Knowing when to stop waiting is its own separate skill.

Decide in advance what your signal is for the thing you are holding out on. The reply you need, the price you wanted, the moment they look ready to hear it. When it shows up, move that day rather than waiting for a certainty that is not coming.