Thought Editing: Thoughts of The Author
Today, I am sharing some of my thoughts from my recent readings. One of the virtues in Chinese culture is the ability to "Chi Ku," which means to eat bitterness. This expression highlights the importance of enduring hardships as a part of life. The Chinese value hard work and believe it is necessary to become skilled at anything. They don't put much emphasis on natural talent but instead on the discipline and effort required to develop a skill. Recognizing the societal pressure to sacrifice time and effort in the present for the promise of a better future, we can understand that delaying gratification is a social norm in China.
Jesus, in His human form, prayed to His Father before His crucifixion, asking if it were possible for Him to avoid the bitterness of the cup that awaited Him (Matthew 26:39). However, the will of the Father prevailed, and Jesus obeyed. His obedience led to the long-term benefits of eternal life and salvation for all humanity. This gift is available to anyone who believes.
Diligence/Self-Control
vs Instant Gratification
Delaying gratification means resisting the urge to take an
immediate reward in the hope of receiving a more valuable reward in the future.
It requires self-regulation and self-control. By delaying gratification, one
can achieve long-term goals such as financial success, weight loss, good
health, or any other long-term goal that one may have. Developing the ability
to delay gratification is crucial for creating new neural pathways through
neuroplasticity and habit formation. Being fully aware of this impulse helps increase our chances of resisting it.
MARSHMALLOW EXPERIMENT
Psychologist Walter Mischel conducted a well-known psychology
experiment in the 1970s. In the experiment, children were given a choice
between one treat now or waiting briefly to receive two snacks. When the
experimenter left the room, some children immediately consumed the treat, while
others were able to resist and receive two rewards.
Mischel found a correlation between children who could delay gratification and several advantages later on compared to those who couldn't wait. Those who had waited for the treat performed better academically in later years than those who ate the treat right away. The children who delayed their gratification also displayed fewer behavioral problems and had higher SAT scores later on.
This is a humorous portrayal of the concept of delayed gratification and the benefits that come with it.
A growth mindset is more predictive as a measure of delayed gratification and children's future academic success.
How To Resist The Cookie
Children who were lured by the immediate sensory appeal of the reward, such as the taste of a marshmallow, found it challenging to wait for it. However, those who focused on the abstract qualities of the reward, such as its shape, found it easier to wait and were able to wait for longer. Distraction from the reward and thinking about abstract concepts were effective strategies in helping the children delay gratification while still keeping the goal of obtaining the reward in mind.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. I sincerely hope that the content has challenged you to explore different perspectives and enriched your knowledge.
Ann.
References
Wong, P. T. P., & Laird, D. (2023). Varieties of suffering in the clinical setting: re-envisioning mental health beyond the medical model. Frontiers in psychology, 14, 1155845. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1155845
Mischel, W., Shoda, Y., & Peake, P. K. (1988). The nature
of adolescent competencies predicted by preschool delay of gratification. Journal
of personality and social psychology, 54(4), 687–696. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.54.4.687
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