You’ve heard it. Probably a dozen times this week. Whether it’s Taylor Swift opening a record-breaking stadium show or a politician finally passing a bill that’s been stuck in purgatory for a decade, the phrase it’s been a long time coming has basically become the unofficial slogan of the mid-2020s. It’s a vibe. It’s a relief. Honestly, it’s a whole mood that taps into this collective cultural exhaustion we’re all feeling.
But where did it actually come from?
Most people think it started with a catchy pop lyric or a viral TikTok sound. They're wrong. The history is way deeper than a Spotify playlist. We’re talking about a linguistic evolution that stretches from the civil rights movement to the highest-grossing concert tours in human history. It’s about anticipation. It’s about that specific, itchy feeling you get when you’ve been waiting for something—a change, a win, a person—and it finally, finally happens.
The Soul of the Sentiment
Sam Cooke. If we’re being real, we have to start there. In 1964, Cooke released "A Change Is Gonna Come." It’s one of the most important songs ever written. When he sings, "It's been a long, a long time coming, but I know a change gonna come," he wasn't talking about a concert tour. He was talking about systemic racism, the struggle for basic human dignity, and the agonizingly slow pace of progress in America.
It’s heavy.
That’s the DNA of the phrase. It carries weight because it implies a struggle. You don't say it’s been a long time coming when you're waiting five minutes for a latte. You say it when you’ve been through the ringer. When the wait has been a test of your patience or your faith. It’s why the words resonate so much today; we live in an era of instant gratification, yet the things that actually matter—justice, career success, genuine connection—still take forever.
Why Taylor Swift Owns This Phrase Right Now
You can’t talk about this without mentioning the Eras Tour. Seriously. When Taylor Swift stands on that stage and the intro track loops "It’s been a long time coming," the crowd loses their minds.
Why?
Because for her fans, it wasn't just about a three-year gap between tours. It was about the pandemic. It was about the re-recordings of her albums. It was about a massive legal and personal battle for her own work. When that line hits, it’s a signal that the wait is over. The payoff is here.
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Economically, this is fascinating. Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal have both tracked the "Swift-lift" to local economies. We are seeing billions of dollars move because of a sentiment built on waiting. It turns out that delayed gratification is a massive market force. People are willing to spend more when they feel like they’ve "earned" the moment through a long period of absence.
The Psychology of "The Wait"
There's a reason your brain lights up when you finally get something you’ve been waiting for. It’s dopamine, sure, but it’s also about narrative closure. Humans are storytelling animals. We hate open loops.
A "long time coming" moment is the ultimate loop-closer.
Research from the University of Chicago has shown that people actually derive more pleasure from events they’ve anticipated for a long time compared to those that happen spontaneously. The "anticipatory utility" builds up. Basically, the wait is part of the product. It’s why movie trailers come out a year in advance. It’s why tech companies tease products months before they ship. They’re manufacturing that "long time coming" feeling.
It’s Not Just Pop Culture: The Business Side
In the business world, we’re seeing this phrase pop up in boardrooms. Think about the transition to green energy or the integration of AI into daily workflows.
- The EV Shift: People have been talking about electric cars since the 70s. Now that they're everywhere? It’s been a long time coming.
- Remote Work: We had the tech for this in 2010. It took a global shift to make it "official."
- Space Exploration: With the Artemis missions and SpaceX, the return to the moon feels like the conclusion of a 50-year cliffhanger.
When a company uses this language, they’re trying to frame themselves as inevitable. It’s a branding tactic. If something was "a long time coming," it means it was meant to be. It suggests that the brand isn't just following a trend—they’re fulfilling a destiny. It’s clever marketing, but it only works if the product actually delivers. If you wait ten years for a product and it’s mid? The backlash is ten times worse.
What People Get Wrong About the Phrase
A lot of people use it as a synonym for "finally." That’s a bit of a shallow take. "Finally" is about time. It’s been a long time coming is about effort.
If you win the lottery, you don't say it’s been a long time coming. That would be weird. You’d just say "I’m lucky" or "About time!" But if you’ve been working a side hustle for a decade and you finally quit your day job? That’s the phrase. It requires skin in the game.
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The Darker Side of the Wait
We have to acknowledge that this isn't always a happy sentiment. Sometimes, a disaster was a long time coming.
Climate scientists have been using this phrasing for years regarding extreme weather events. When a dam breaks after years of neglected maintenance, or a housing bubble bursts after a decade of reckless lending, experts often use this exact language. It’s a warning that went unheeded. In these cases, the phrase acts as a "we told you so." It’s the linguistic version of a smoking gun. It implies that the outcome was predictable, even if it was ignored.
How to Lean Into the Moment
If you feel like your own "long time coming" moment is overdue, you’re not alone. The "Great Wait" is a real sociological phenomenon. Whether it's waiting for a promotion, a relationship, or just a sense of normalcy, the tension is real.
So, how do you handle it?
First, stop looking at the clock. The more you focus on the duration of the wait, the more bitter the arrival feels. You want to focus on the readiness.
Think about the "10,000-hour rule" popularized by Malcolm Gladwell. While that specific number is debated by scientists (it’s more about deliberate practice than just hours), the core idea holds up: the "coming" part of the phrase is usually a result of invisible work. If you want the big payoff, you have to be okay with the silence that precedes it.
Real-World Examples of the "Long Wait" Payoff
- Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar: Remember the memes? For years, every time he didn't win, the internet went crazy. When he finally won for The Revenant in 2016, the sheer volume of "it's been a long time coming" posts nearly crashed Twitter.
- The Chicago Cubs (2016): 108 years. You can’t get more "long time coming" than a century of losing. That win wasn't just a sports victory; it was a cultural exorcism.
- The James Webb Space Telescope: This thing was delayed for decades. It was over budget. It was a joke in the scientific community. Then it launched, and we saw the Pillars of Creation in high def. Suddenly, the twenty-year wait didn't matter.
Actionable Insights for Your Own "Long Time Coming"
If you’re stuck in the "waiting" phase of a project or life goal, there are a few things you can actually do to ensure the payoff is worth it:
Audit your "Why"
Is the thing you’re waiting for still relevant? Sometimes we stay in the "long time coming" loop for a goal we outgrew three years ago. Don't wait for a ghost.
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Document the Middle
The reason these moments feel so good in documentaries is because there’s footage of the struggle. Keep a journal. Take photos of your messy desk. When the win happens, you’ll want to remember how far you actually climbed.
Stop Faking the Finish Line
Don't use the phrase prematurely. Social media encourages us to celebrate "wins" that aren't actually finished. Save the big sentiment for the big moment. The impact is much stronger when it’s earned.
Understand the Delta
The "delta" is the gap between expectation and reality. If you’ve been waiting a long time, your expectations are probably sky-high. Be prepared for the "post-achievement blues." Often, the moment itself is short, but the satisfaction comes from the fact that you survived the wait.
The phrase works because it’s a bridge. It connects the person you were when you started—hopeful, maybe a bit naive—to the person you are now—tired, but successful. It’s a recognition of time spent.
In a world that wants everything in fifteen seconds or less, admitting that something took a long time is actually a radical act of honesty. It’s an admission that the best things usually aren't fast. They're slow. They're painful. And they're worth it.
So, next time you see that phrase trending or hear it in a song, don't just brush it off as a cliché. It’s a reminder that the clock is always ticking, but it’s ticking toward something. Whether it’s a change in your life or a shift in the world, the wait is usually just the preamble to the main event.
Keep your head down. Keep doing the work. When the moment finally arrives, you’ll know exactly what to say.