Not so much patience as a flurry of activity in many directions sustained for years and years with very delayed reward. Big reward. Just very far off.

Most researchers actually switch between interests very quickly, applying their budgeted resources to what seems most promising. Not really very patient. Each activity progresses rather quickly. But there are many activities. Movement in each direction appears to be slow and plodding. (It's not.) Reality as usual is not what it seems. A rock with its bits moving rapidly in many directions at once merely gets warm: it does not move.

You don't want to be patient. No, you want to be very impatient ... very very impatient ... and active ... and explore many possible avenues. Most conjectures will be ... shock ... wrong. But the 5% that are correct make up for all that.