….delaying gratification….

Delaying gratification is not something that our culture—or us as American individuals—are particularly good at right now at the dawn of the 21^st century.

The famed Marshmallow Test is a good example of this; as is the biological fact that our pleasure centers light up in response to social media engagement; as is the fact that 50% of all marriages end in divorce.

But the rub really comes when those who can delay gratification—and suffer through the hard times without a cell phone, social media exposure or connections, or money—outlast, outlive and out play those who can’t.

The dark side of delayed gratification—and there is a dark side—is intolerance of others, impatience, judgment, poor emotional intelligence, disassociation and a lack empathy.

The positives are success, self-discipline, impulse control, goal accomplishment, drive, grit, emotional and intellectual clarity and the development of a healthy ego. 

Which outcomes would you like to choose?

Well, let’s see how we do on the Marshmallow Test…