Why I Preach Delayed Gratification Like A Religion

Delayed gratification is a term you might have heard, but you might not know exactly what it means.

To me, it’s one of the most important things you can learn to master.

With delayed gratification, you become:

• Wealthier

• Happier

• Healthier

• More fulfilled

So, I’m going to talk you through what delayed gratification is, and why you should preach it like a religion.

What is Delayed Gratification?

Delayed gratification is a simple concept.

The ability to resist the temptation of instant pleasure.

Instead of giving in to temptation, you hold out with the aim of getting a better future reward.

You’d need a lot of fingers to count the amount of times you’ve heard “life’s too short” before.

It feels great to preach living in the moment & having the ability to do whatever you want.

This is freedom, and you can’t put a price on that.

But, some of the things that make you feel good, or that help you avoid discomfort, can come at the cost of what you want.

The constant pursuit for living in the moment, can be the reason you’re not getting close to any long term goals you might have.

These longer-term goals are the reward for delayed gratification.

They don’t have to be that far into the future. But, they have the potential to bring you more joy than the comfort of the present moment.

When you practise delayed gratification, you’re less tempted by things around you today.

You have a clear long term goal.

You have the discipline & willingness to wait for what you want. The distractions of the present won’t interrupt your vision.

The opposite of delayed gratification is instant gratification.

Instead of waiting for what you want most, you settle for something that brings you instant pleasure.

The 3 Benefits of Delayed Gratification

Delayed gratification is challenging. But there are several benefits to not succumbing to an immediate reward.

Acknowledging these incentives could be crucial in becoming better at delaying gratification.

1. Better Health

Those willing to wait for better rewards of time are also proven to have better health in the future.

This is because they can delay gratification, instead of giving in to bad habits.

For example, they’ll be better at resisting the urge to:

• Eat unhealthy foods

• Avoid working out

• Drink too often

Prioritising your health, over these damaging goods is delayed gratification 101.

2. Improved Self Worth

When you delay gratification, you can achieve more of your goals, and you’ll get a sense of achievement for doing so.

Peace of mind & happiness are great external benefits, as well as what you wish to achieve in the first place.

You can prove to yourself that you’re capable of doing these things.

This can help you improve your self worth.

3. Long Term Success

You often have to acknowledge the opportunity cost.

• Do I spend my time playing video games or working out?

• Do I buy a new car or invest the money for my future?

Trade offs imply at least some delayed gratification.

Doing so provides a better reward than you’d get in the short term.

But, the instant gratification, as always, can be hard to give up.

When you can sacrifice current pleasure and work towards your goals, you build success over longer periods of time.

How to Improve Delayed Gratification

You can learn how to delay gratification and become better at it over time.

Here are five ways you can get better at delayed gratification:

1. Understand Your Values First

If you don’t know what you’re working towards, how can you make sacrifices?

Identify your work values and personal values.

When you know what you’re working towards, it’s easier to remind yourself of your purpose.

Spend time alone. Find out who you really are, and what you really want.

2. Start With Something Small

There’s no need to start with something that’s years ahead.

Before you work towards your big, long-term goals, start small.

More often than not, the hardest thing to do when making changes is getting started. It can be too daunting or uncomfortable.

So, make the hardest part as easy as possible, by starting small.

You should still delay gratification for something small, but it shouldn’t need you to wait for too long.

How long you wait depends on your current ability to perform delayed gratification.

For instance, if you currently struggle to wait one week for a reward, you can start with one day.

Over time, you can build the habit into your life.

3. Use the Seinfeld Strategy

The Seinfeld Strategy is one technique you can use to delay gratification for longer.

Every day that you avoid temptation, you cross it off your calendar.

After a few days, this creates a chain.

If you find it satisfying to keep the chain going, you’re less likely to give in to temptation. It’ll be harder to quit/break the chain.

4. Interrupt Your Autopilot

Do you find yourself going back to your temptations, without even thinking about it?

If this is the case, you can practise mindfulness to become more aware of what you do.

When you notice yourself doing something out of habit, stop for a moment.

Ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Pay attention to the details.

Take a moment of mindfulness to interrupt your autopilot every time this happens.

The more you practise this, the more you’ll break the habit of going for instant gratification.

5. End Temptation

If you’re still struggling to delay gratification, find ways to cut the temptation where you can.

You do this identifying a cue, or a trigger for a bad habit to occur…

For example, let’s say you tend to spend money on items you don’t need instead of saving.

You can make it difficult for yourself to spend that money instead. Set up automatic transfers to a savings account that’s difficult for you to access.

You can even create this account at a separate bank so that you can’t transfer the money back.

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