Delayed gratification is a simple yet important concept. It means to make a choice that confines the ability to get something now, for the glee of being able to have something better later. It is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your goals to live a happy and healthy life. This can help you save money, live a healthy life, get good grades in exams, etc.
A lot of us aren’t familiar with this concept and thus miss out on the happiness and satisfaction one can get preceded by just a small sacrifice. It is not difficult to practice. You can train yourselves. The key component is the mind control. If you can control your mind and small desires, you can master delayed gratification or the opposite is also true. You master delayed gratification, you master your mind. Some of the examples for the concept that can help you to understand are:
- You can watch television the entire day or you can study now to get good grades in exams later.
- You can eat fast food now or eat healthy food to maintain good health or lose weight.
- You can spend money on unnecessary things or save it for vacation.
These are just small, daily life examples. You can practice this concept to achieve bigger things, like- you can either spend your summer breaks to go on trips or you can do internships to get work experience and a chance to get placed in a good company.
You can easily practice delayed gratification. Here are some of the best tips:
Know your values
If you know what is important to you, you can make choices that lead you to long term happiness and ‘forever-success’. Take your time and make a list of your values in order of importance. Once you are done, you will be able to practice the concept of delaying gratification.
Set goals
Having a clear and defined goal helps you to delay gratification. Constantly remind yourself of your goal. This will ensure that you stick to the concept and prevent you from getting distracted from your goal.
Reward yourself
Reward yourself whenever you stick to your plan. Go for some alternative rewards if you are resisting some particular reward. Like, if you are on a diet, reward yourself with a t-shirt or a video game and not by having a cheat day.
Think positively
Motivate yourself by having encouraging self-talk. Stand in front of the mirror and appreciate yourself for doing a great job by sticking to your goal. You will feel great by getting appreciated for what you are doing, even if it is you appreciating yourself.
