Waiting For the Rewards Can Help With Personal Growth

By: Philip Sanzone

Waiting instead of jumping the gun could be beneficial. Photo Credit: Yoursmartmoneymoves.com

Holding off on something to gain more over time can reap great benefits. This can work in a relationship, a job, or even in a diet.

Thinking more about future outcomes or waiting and knowing that things will turn out even better is hard in many respects and ultimately, it takes a lot of discipline.

In the aspect of dieting, holding off on unhealthy foods and portion sizes can really be significant in the level of gratification you feel. Besides, after losing weight those unhealthy foods taste even better!

Having control over impulses is another benefit that delayed gratification can offer. It can be hard and trying to control them isn’t a walk in the park, but it can pay off in the long run.

Delayed gratification doesn’t have to be just putting something off. Instead of just taking an easier or shorter route, the longer and more exhausting one can provide more reward than one might think. Incorporating this kind of concept into daily life is something that can definitely be done.

Using other means to refocus yourself, such as avoiding unnecessary distractions when you’re trying to study, is one way to practice delayed gratification. After that, you can take a break and do what you want like play video games, read, or watch T.V.

When buying things like games or books, you should buy things you really need instead of impulsively buying things that you don’t. Bookmarking them and waiting for a cheaper sales price over time is a more satisfying buy.

An example is if a brand new hat costs $25, but then it went on sale, which gave you the means to purchase two instead of one. In short, waiting for something to go on sale results in smarter purchases and more confident spending.

Taking the time to think about what might happen if you waited just a little bit longer can change your perspective on things and help with figuring out the best course of action.

There are many examples and reasons to try and hold off on instant gratification. Even with hobbies you can implement these practices. Holding off on buying collectables can lead to bigger fish or even a collectable that you might have really wanted over the other, less valuable ones. As they say, quality over quantity is what really matters.

Sales come around and go, and looking for them takes patience and willingness to wait. The overall consensus is that delaying satisfaction and holding things off can lead to a better and more well-rounded person.

Could there be a down side? Not really based on overall studies, most of which refer to the marshmallow experiment. The study consisted of various kids who were given the choice to wait to gain an extra marshmallow by holding off for a few minutes or just take one anyway after the experimenter left.

Following these same kids into adulthood, it was observed that the kids who waited and gained the extra marshmallow had better mental and physical health later in life, as well as better academic performance. Holding out and savoring satisfaction for later gives more meaning to it.

Always ask yourself if taking some ice cream out of the fridge right away would be better enjoyed later.

Maybe later there will be sprinkles available or friends staying over who you can share it with. Also, instead of rushing a relationship, taking it slow and building it up sets a stronger foundation for it to last longer.

This is the beauty of delayed gratification, but how you try and make use of it is up to you. Using delayed gratification correctly can really do a lot for you. Patience is key.

Sources:

Listland.com, psychologytoday.com