We live in a society where everyone wants everything quick. Preorder your coffee. Have that bagel on the go. Order in the next half hour and unlock the free next day delivery reward. Calm down. Social media perpetuates this whole idea of instant gratification, but be patient my friend and master the art of deferred gratification.
WHY DEFER YOUR GRATIFICATION?
Not allowing yourself to be instantly gratified by a “like” or a “comment” helps you develop your patience and responsibility. Focusing on a topic with the future in mind prevents you from being narrow sighted and easily persuaded; be strong. Possessing a broader view for your future and the things that make you happy is a sign of maturity and adulthood and delaying your gratification truly is an art that takes time to master.
SITUATIONS THAT WILL TEST YOUR RESOLVE
The Bar – The next time you’re thinking about having that extra shot of tequila, try and think about how it may affect your workout or productivity the following day. Is that buzz and momentary happiness really worth it? Think about all the pain it will cause your aging body! All the extra sweat and dedication needed to shake off the gym rust. All the extra mental concentration needed to focus on your work and tasks at hand. It’s not worth it. Defer your gratification.
A Disagreement – Almost all the time people argue because of pride. Two parties think they are right and therefore make it a point to convince the other person that their perspective on a given topic is the correct one. Well, life doesn’t work like that my dear friend. If life were simply right and wrong then there’d be no need for this blog! No, life is a bunch of maybes. So next time, you feel like you’re on the verge of losing your cool, focus on the broader perspective and delay the gratification.
The Girl – You like her, but you don’t know if she likes you. You want to text her, but you don’t know if you’re being too pushy. Play the long game and don’t text her, yet. Fight the urge to do this and delay your gratification. Go for a run, listen to some hip-hop music, hang out with the lads. But don’t feel insecure and send a text that reeks of desperation. Defer that gratification and she will come calling, trust me.
THE WORKMAN 