Guys I always say that patience is the most important thing in bjj.  When I talk about patience I am normally talking about how you need to be very patient with your opponent in order to get the right timing.  I always say that if you have 100% of the things you need to do a move but the timing is not right because you were not patient you may not get it but if you have 70% of the things that you need to do a move and you have the perfect timing than you will get the move.
Patience is so important especially when you are getting older.  When you are an older guy and you are going against those young and explosive guys your patience and timing can be the equalizer.  IF the guys is going crazy and moving super fast and aggressive you can be patient and attack him at the right time.  Timing is so important guys.  I always say that the patience and timing are what makes the elite grapplers elite.
For example, somebody like Marcelo Garcia, he has such a good butterfly sweep and X guard.  People can learn the same positions as him and even learn the techniques just as perfect as him.  What they can’t learn is his patience and timing.  His timing is going to be better than anybody else with these techniques.
Patience is very good to save all of your energy.  When I play the half guard I am not just going    really hard and expending all of my energy the whole time trying to sweep the guy, I wait and wait for the right time and than I explode all of my energy.  Check out my free E-Book to the right and I give more tips on this, also check out the video below where I talk more on this subject.